Removing a tattoo naturally: why it is mission impossible
Natural tattoo removal: the myths and the reality. Find out why laser is the safest route to saying goodbye to your tattoo, and which home methods to avoid.
The so-called natural methods for removing a tattoo
It is true, there are so-called “natural” protocols that promise to erase a tattoo. Appealing at first glance, they are in fact dangerous. These methods are known as home remedies, salabrasion, dermabrasion and tattoo removal cream.
Home remedies: beware of false promises
You may have come across these recipes:
- lemon + honey
- salt + lemon juice
- bicarbonate of soda
- salt scrub
It is official: the answer is “no”.
Even if these ingredients naturally have some lightening properties, they cannot erase a tattoo. At best they do nothing, at worst you will develop an allergic reaction or a skin infection that leaves scars for good.
Salabrasion: a risky and ineffective technique
When it comes to “natural” tattoo removal, salt seems to be popular. The salabrasion protocol involves rubbing your tattoo with salt. Although it has had a certain amount of success, using this method on yourself is strongly discouraged. To reach the tattooed area, the salt has to pass through the epidermis to get to the ink deposited in the dermis. That is why simply rubbing salt on your skin achieves nothing. The ink sits deeper down. You would have to drive the salt in. In large quantities, salt is extremely abrasive and it burns.
As a result, if you do manage to reach the dermis the process will be very painful and permanent side effects are a real concern: scarring, loss of pigment, wrinkling, with the risk of serious complications. This is why specialists point to one method only: laser tattoo removal.
Dermabrasion: painful and ineffective
Admittedly, this protocol requires a trained professional. But it is too similar to salabrasion to leave out.
Dermabrasion might sound like a peel. In reality the method is far more drastic. It involves removing layers of skin to reach the ink. The skin is then rubbed with an abrasive brush or rotating burr to wear away the upper layer of skin until the pigments are gone and the tattoo disappears. Cheaper than laser, the technique is painful and the ink remains more visible.
Even when the process is carried out by a trained professional, it is strongly discouraged for sensitive and atopic skin because of the high risk of reactions and scarring (scarring comparable to a fourth degree burn).
Tattoo removal creams: ineffective, with hidden dangers
Unlike the two previous options, this technique is painless. Carried out in a beauty salon, the cream is injected in the same way a tattooist works, by needling the area to be removed so that it penetrates deeply. As it takes up the pigments in the ink, the cream turns green before forming a crust that falls off after a few days.
As well as being expensive, the method is not very popular, much like cryosurgery, which involves freezing the tattooed area and burning the ink with an injection of liquid nitrogen. The results obtained with tattoo removal creams are simply not reliable. Their composition only fades the tattoo and leaves the design visible. As for the risks, they can cause burns, loss of skin pigment and skin irritation that leads to unsightly scarring (source: deavita).
Heads up: a warning about the “villains” of the internet. Tattoo removal creams sold online and available nowhere else are selling you a lie. These products have never been the subject of any serious independent study and are not supported by any credible research. Their only effect is to lighten the skin. At best these creams are useless, at worst they are dangerous because of their chemical ingredients.
What is the best method for removing a tattoo?
Removing a tattoo naturally is impossible. While there are various methods for removing a tattoo, most specialists do not recommend these protocols and point instead to laser techniques, which are more effective and less painful. And with good reason. Laser tattoo removal is the only technique recognised and recommended by public health authorities.
Laser tattoo removal: the recognised method
Q-Switch lasers: a proven method
In use for around twenty years now, the Q-Switch laser, also known as the nanosecond laser, has nothing left to prove. With this method, erasing your tattoo takes between 5 and 15 sessions, at a rate of one session every 2 months. That is the time the skin needs to heal. Of course, it all depends on the size of the tattoo, the design and the pigments used, as some pigments resist this type of laser.
How does it work? The laser emits an extremely powerful light that breaks the pigments down into microparticles. These particles are then eliminated naturally by the lymphatic system.
However, because of the risk of pigment loss, this technique is not advised for removing tattoos on darker skin.
Picosecond lasers: the most effective option
This is the method most recommended by experts and the only one we use at Ray studios. Picosecond lasers are the latest generation and the most effective when it comes to clearing ink, the risk of scarring and managing pain.
Unlike its nanosecond predecessors, the picosecond laser has a photoacoustic rather than a thermal effect. What does that mean? It allows the laser to target the pigments in the dermis very precisely without heating the skin around the tattoo.
To date, these are the best lasers on the market.
Conclusion: why choose laser tattoo removal?
Tattoo removal methods appear to be everywhere, but only one looks safe: laser tattoo removal. More expensive but more effective and less painful, the picosecond laser is the protocol to favour. Individual results vary.
For more information, talk to a trained professional or call into one of our studios. Our skin therapists will be happy to answer all your questions at your initial consultation, so that the mission can be accomplished. Ask us about the Full Remove plan, unlimited sessions at a single fixed price.
FAQ
Do natural tattoo removal methods actually work?
No. So-called natural methods such as lemon, salt, bicarbonate of soda or honey are both ineffective and dangerous. They cannot reach the deeper layers of skin where tattoo ink sits. Using them can cause burns, allergic reactions, infections and irreversible scarring. They may look harmless, but they have no clinical validation and are strongly discouraged by removal professionals.
Why should I avoid salabrasion, dermabrasion and removal creams?
These alternative techniques promise fast results and carry substantial risks. Salabrasion, which involves rubbing salt into the skin, and dermabrasion, which mechanically abrades it, can cause intense pain, deep scarring and irreversible depigmentation. Removal creams have never been through serious clinical validation, and beyond being ineffective they can contain aggressive ingredients. Laser treatment is the only method recognised as safe.
What is the safest way to remove a tattoo?
Laser removal, and specifically picosecond laser treatment, is currently the safest and most effective option. The technology fragments the ink without damaging the surrounding skin, which reduces the risk of burns and scarring. Unlike older or so-called natural methods, the laser works at the depth where the ink actually sits and clears it gradually under professional supervision. At Ray studios we use picosecond lasers exclusively, and the number of sessions is set by an individual RTP® assessment.
What is the difference between Q-switched and picosecond lasers?
The Q-switched, or nanosecond, laser is an older technology. It is effective but has limitations, particularly on coloured tattoos and darker skin tones, and it can require up to fifteen sessions with a slight risk of depigmentation. The picosecond laser is faster, more precise and less painful. Its ultra-short pulse works photoacoustically, which fragments the ink more effectively without heating the skin. It is now the reference technology for tattoo removal, whatever your skin tone or the complexity of the tattoo.
