One of the businesses booming (along with the medical profession and pharmaceuticals thanks to the "hepatitis C-tattoo" alliance) as a consequence of the tattoo-craze is the dermatology industry. According to the American Society of Dermatological surgery, over 50% of everyone receiving a tattoo wants it removed.

Tattoo removal via laser surgery is among the fastest growing areas of the dermatology industry.

Depending on the size of the tattoo and colors used, the laser tattoo removal surgery can be very painful and very expensive. Tattoos performed by commercial tattoo parlors are much more difficult to remove because the tattoo is deeper, the ink more complex and thicker. It normally takes between 10 and 15 laser surgery sessions to remove the average tattoo, but 25-30 sessions are not uncommon, depending on the complexity of the tattoo. When you consider the average single session costs between 0 – 0, the removal surgery can be very expensive, costing as much as ,000. That tattoo might cost 00 to remove. And may I remind you, health insurance does not cover tattoo removals – this is strictly out of the pocket expenses. And yet despite this enormous personal cost, most people are so disgusted with their tattoo they’ll literally pay any cost to have it removed.
Plastic Surgeon Tolbert S. Wilkinson, of San Antonio, Texas, who has removed tattoos warns:

"If people only realized how difficult it is to remove a tattoo, understood how costly and how painful tattoo removal is, and recognized that society as a whole still views tattoos as a stigma, maybe they would think seriously before getting one.
Laser removal costs a minimum of ,000.00 (national average) per tattoo, and takes at least 10 to 15 treatments, spread out over two or more years. Even with this treatment, the tattoo is still visible." http://www.heloise.com/tattoo.html

Tattoo author Laura Reybold, writes that ". . .an ever rising number of people are so unhappy with their tattoos that they are willing to pay anything to have them removed."

"Yet an ever rising number of people are so unhappy with their tattoos that they are willing to pay anything to have them removed. Tattoo removal laser surgery is becoming big business for the dermatologists who perform it."
(Laura Reybold, Everything you need to know about the dangers of tattooing and body piercing, p. 30)

Ronald Scutt, says in Art, Sex and Symbol that even among sailors in the Royal Naval, over 50% regretted ever getting a tattoo. And among the married it rose to over 70%

"From the statistics of the Royal Naval survey, the most significant factor to emerge was almost certainly the incidence of regrets. Out of the whole sample, more than half admitted that they wished they had never been tattooed. In the married group, the figure rose to around 70 per cent."
(Ronald Scutt, Art, Sex and Symbol, 1974, p. 179)

One article claims that as many as 80 percent of people with tattoos regret their tattoo. (www.spacecom.af.mil/hqafspc/News/News_Asp/nws_tmp.asp?storyid=02-93)

I’m looking for advice from people who have had a tattoo removed or lightened, either through a cream or laser surgery. I’ve looked into both and am weighing my options. I have one tattoo on my ankle I want to remove. It is about 1.5" x 2" and it is mostly black, yellow, and orange. I already know laser surgery is painful and expensive, but I’m looking for people who have had it done to tell me what it was like (how much, how many sessions, how painful, etc). And I’m also really interested in hearing from people who used creams to lighten or remove a tattoo- what brands did you use, for how long, etc. Any helpful advice is appreciated.

I have a small tattoo on the side of my neck behind my ear and I’m trying to find information on the real accuracy of the TCA peel. I’ve looked into laser surgery and also Wrecking Balm, but I’m more interested in the peel. I don’t want to get a cover up tattoo so I’m hoping this will be a better alternative.

My husband got a smiley face tattoo on his chest before we got married and I hate it. He does not want to do laser surgery because we have been told it is a joke and too spendy. Please give me advice on what cream we should use. Thank you.
well I guess I didnt explain very well. We know that a cream will not remove the tattoo completely but that is fine. Just lighten it enough so he can get something done over it. It is basicly a big black circle with two eyes and a mouth.

I looked up laser surgery and found tattoo removal cream that would be alot cheaper what should I do?

You know the classic story, I got drunk last night and woke up today with a tattoo on my lower back.
It says "la bella vita" in pink.. the t isn’t even crossed and it isn’t centered..plus, its rather big.
This is not something I want to have on me forever, let alone have on me when I go on a family vacation with my parents.
I’ve heard soaking in the bathtub helps and laying in the sun.
I’ve also heard that putting wart removal will help.
I’m not able to get laser surgery and heard the creams for removal don’t actually work.

I have a tattoo on my ankle that I want to get rid of. Laser surgery is not an option seeing how damn expensive it is.
I have heard a lot about different creams that could be used that slowly fade & eventually remove the tattoo.
Has anybody tired these, do they actually work!?

I’ve had a tattoo on my upper chest for about 14 years and have tried the TCA solution method to remove the tattoo. We did the application 4 times and all it did was remove skin where applied and never once touched that tattoo or even faded it. So obviously it was unsuccessful and I didn’t know if there were any other methods to do this with out doing the costly laser surgery? Please help!

I got a tattoo 10 years ago I hate and I want it removed. I can’t afford laser surgery and want to know if there is anyway to have it covered up or removed?

I’m going for my consult tomorrow. Even though my doctor will answer some questions, I wanted some advice/info from people who have actually had it done.

I’ve heard mixed things about it…
My tattoo is roughly 5 inches in height and 4 inches wide, across my lower back. It is all black. Some of it has already faded after having a few tatgoneink sessions and a few at-home chemical peels. I’m wanting laser surgery to hopefully remove the rest of it quickly.

My questions are:
1) Does it hurt badly?
2) If so, was this with or without numbing creams/injections?
3) And are numbing creams worth investing in or is the pain all the same?
4) My skin is EXTREMELY pale. I’ve never tanned, it is transparent white… are my chances of not scarring/discoloration better?
5) How long did it take for anyone with an all black tattoo to be removed?

Thanks!

Can one use a combination of the laser surgery and the tat removal creams to remove a tattoo?

I have a tattoo on the back of my neck that i don’t like. It didn’t turn out the way i wanted and it looks kinda tacky and cartoonish. I would to get it remove with out having to go through the laser surgery if the cream work. Anyone know anyone that has tried one of them?

Thanx : )

I have a small black ink tattoo that I would like to get removed on one tried, because laser surgery is too expensive and it need more than 7-10 sessions to remove tattoo. So does anyone know where I can get an excision removal in NY?

http://www.inkbusters.com/?gclid=CJPBz_Pnr4kCFShCYwod-CiJVA

The site above claims you can buy their cream and it will make your tat go away…. i don't think a cream is possile to do that. Has anyone else ever haerd of this TCA (Trichloroacetic Acid) – and would it really work?

Are their any other ways to remove a tat w/o the expensive laser surgery?

I have 3 visible tattoos and can not really afford the laser surgery. I live in FL and can not seem to find any programs that assist with tattoo removal. I need a job but can not seem to get one because of my tats.