There are a few ways in which you can look tattoo-free, but some include time and patience, some a bit of a budget, and some are free of cost and temporary.
When we get tattoos, there is always the small risk of disliking something about the tattoo. It gets scarier if you completely dislike the tattoo or regret it after some time of getting it.
It has happened to most people – arriving home, liking the tattoo, then some time passes and the image is not so appealing as it first was back then. You may think of all the ways to correct this and get the best out of the situation.
You have certainly even thought about all the ways to remove a tattoo at home before you think of more serious or professional removal methods. Let’s find out what can be done about this in the comfort of your own home.
How to Remove a Tattoo at Home
For tattoo removal at home, there are still no superb inventions that would remove it fast, efficiently, and safely. And, the result you will get will most likely be almost unsatisfactory, but worth the try nonetheless.
With that being said, the possible tattoo removal methods at home you can try are tattoo removal creams and dermabrasion machines.
If you try the best tattoo removal creams, you need to know that they can take up to several months to show a visible effect, which would be a noticeable fading, but not quite removing the tattoo. The best result you will get is softer outlines, softer contrast, and less strong pigment overall – but the tattoo will still be there.
This Laserless Tattoo Removal Guide reveals methods on how to remove tattoos naturally and safely at home. Laser tattoo removal costs around $200-$500 per treatment, $2,000 on average for a full treatment, so investing in a fully natural tattoo removal guide can make a lot of sense if you don’t have the funds to go through a laser removal process.
If you want to try the dermabrasion (severe skin scrub/peel technique), you need to invest in these special devices and also use them regularly as advised for a longer time. This technique means gradually peeling off the initial skin layers that lead to the pigment layer, and fading it over time, but also, not removing it completely.
Are there any merits and side effects of using tattoo fading creams?
Most tattoo removal creams have their benefits, not just negative aspects, as with any other cosmetic product of course. These creams are intended for the skin, this goes without saying, and besides promoting ink fading, they also have many good ingredients in them.
Most such products contain vitamin E, aloe vera, skin-friendly vitamins like vitamin B-group, and similar soothing ingredients that leave the skin supple, soft, and nourished, besides leaving it scented gorgeously most of the time.
On the downside, the side effects of these creams could be skin sensitivity to some of the ingredients. The skin is the largest organ, but most sensitive on the outside perhaps, so any new cosmetic product is a potential allergy-risk or similar. Some redness, or rash is expected with anything new on the skin, and also, even after many months of usage, the best you can get is faded pigments, not full 100% removal.
Can I use these fading creams more often and in larger amounts?
It will not make a huge difference if you use these creams too often and more as well. Besides, how much more can you do this?
Instead of applying the cream twice per day let’s say, you will apply it a dozen times per day?
That is almost impossible. And when it comes to the amount, you will only run out of it faster, but the effect will be as it would be otherwise with advised usage. Just follow the instructions of the manufacturer, and give your best efforts.
Will dermabrasion leave my skin soft and tattoo-free if I use it often and vigorously?
There are many benefits of the dermabrasion method for the skin overall; it leaves the skin glowing, radiant, healthier-looking over time, shrinks pores, minimizes visible flaws like sagging or blemishes…
But, you must not do the frequency schedule on your own. It is important to note that this machine removes the first skin layer in a controlled environment, so if you order the at-home-usage kits, you have to follow all instructions, and not do this more often than you should.
One dermabrasion treatment is a maximum time of half an hour more or less – more than this will damage the skin or make it too sensitive. Also, it is not recommended to have this treatment more than once a week – you need to give the skin time to heal and replace the damaged cells with new ones. Yes, dermabrasion leaves the skin very sensitive, almost like being sunburnt and slightly reddish.
It’s a good idea to consult the tattoo artist, as well as a skin expert (dermatologist) on this method used for tattoo removal.
Are there any other methods to help me remove the tattoo at home?
Unfortunately, if it’s not tattoo removal creams, or dermabrasion (both promising not 100% results), all that is left is a laser. But, nobody owns a tattoo removal laser at home (unless you are a dermatologist with your own premises/office).
So, the next best thing you can do is simply faking not having a tattoo, i.e., hiding it until you find a permanent removal method soon. You can always try the following camouflage methods that are beneficial when it comes to events, work and specific dress code, and similar:
Clothes
You can always hide the unwanted tattoo with clothes, but only if the clothing piece covers that exact body part and skin area. For example, you can hide the arm tattoos with long sleeves, and if it’s summer, you will have to wear these long sleeves with you for a quick restroom change before you enter the work office, or similar. The clothing is usually the surest way to immediately be tattoo-free!
Bandages, accessories, jewelry
Another good way to hide tattoos is the gauzes and bandages, but this will work only for small tattoos that are the size of a large bandage or gauze. And, this also means that it is a short-term solution because you cannot fake having a ‘wound’ for too many days!
Similar to this, accessories, watches, and jewelry also work like a charm, but also, only for small, tiny tattoos. Massive rings can hide the finger tattoos, and massive bracelets, watches, or wrist-scarf cuffs will hide a bit larger hand tattoos.
Makeup
Makeup is another awesome method to hide the tattoos until you are ready to remove them permanently. But, the downside of this is that you will need to dedicate around 10-20 minutes to cover the tattoo with foundation or concealers, every time you need to hide the ink. But on the other hand, if you dedicate some time to getting ready anyways, what are 10-20 minutes more for concealing this?
You just need to be careful with these concealers and foundations, make sure you get ones that do not erase easily, otherwise, there will be smudges on your clothes, or if the weather is too hot, this makeup might start to melt slowly as you sweat.
Will a tattoo be removed if I tan without sunscreen?
No, of course not. Some people tan way too much, up to the point of risking their health and getting fatal skin cancer down the road, and they still have their tattoos fully. Tanning too much, whether natural sun or tan beds is extremely harmful to the skin and health overall – you might end up with a lot of spots, blemishes, moles, premature aging and wrinkles, and the worst risk of all, skin cancer.
And the tattoos in this case? They will just fade a bit, this is the maximum result. And it is not even the cool kind of fading; it’s like having the tattoo for many, many decades as if it was made by a semi-professional artist who used cheap pigments.
As if you did not heal it properly. Tough love truth: without sunscreen, and with too much tanning, you will keep the tattoos, but they will become a bit uglier!
I still want a tattoo on that skin area, but I dislike the tattoo I already have there. What can I do in this case?
Sadly, there is nothing you can do at home, and fast. You cannot magically remove it overnight. In the best-case scenario, you use fading creams, dermabrasion too, but these take weeks or months to do visible effect, which as we said, is just a quite visible fading, not full removal.
Even if you do have a laser at home (hypothetical scenario), you will need many weeks, and months of treatment to erase it. And after this, you would need a new appointment to do a new tattoo over the same skin area.
So, while we’re mentioning this, why remove it if you just want another design over it? Then, simply schedule an appointment for a full, professional cover tattoo, and that is it!
No magical removal at home though.
Conclusion
We wish there was a magical way to remove tattoos instantly, and we could all practice this at home whenever we start disliking or regretting our tattoos. But, there is no such fast magical way to use it at home. Even with professional lasers, it takes months before the tattoo is fully removed, and in a medical-cosmetic environment too!
What you can always try, if you have the patience and time, is tattoo removal creams (at home), and also dermabrasion (in a dermatologist’s office, or with kits at home). These will at least fade the ink a bit.
Otherwise, go for the sure scenario of hiding the tattoo with clothes, accessories, or makeup. It is either patience and time, or instant camouflage – good luck!
Related: Best Lotions for Old Tattoos
