Laser Tattoo Removal Guide

Tattoo removal is a costly, long term endeavor. Unless a tattoo is very, very small and has little color, it usually takes many months to see it fully removed from the body, no matter what method is used (with the exception of excision, which simply removed the tattoo all at once via surgery).

In this article, we’ll look at the cost of various tattoo removal methods. This is done for the sake of completeness, and is not an endorsement of these methods. For more information on each method, include the problems and risks associated with them, click on the corresponding link for more information on each tattoo removal technique.

Laser tattoo removal. Priced by a number of factors, including how many square inches of tattoo there is to remove, the colors used in the tattoo inks, and how many laser pulses are used in each treatment session. A good rule of thumb is to estimate that a tattoo the size of 3 square inches (about 3 US postage stamps placed together) would cost $150 each session, and could take 5-10 sessions.

Rejuvi tattoo removal. Similar to how laser tattoo removal prices are structured, the cost of rejuvi treatments depends on the total size of the total and the colors used. Treatments are broken down by pricing different areas of the tattoo by the square inch. Expect treatments to cost about $90-$120 per square inch treated.

TCA tattoo removal. Priced by the bottle. This is a cheap tattoo removal method often costing around $50 for a bottle. For example, Nuviderm, the most popular TCA containing tattoo removal product, costs $39.95 for a 1 OZ bottle. This is said to remove (“or extremely fade”) a single tattoo of 3×3 size.

Dermabrasion tattoo removal. Dermabrasion is priced by the size of the tattoo and number of sessions needed to complete it. It’s likely to run in the thousands of dollars for the removal of a tattoo.

Excision tattoo removal. For small tattoos, excision is relatively inexpensive, although it’s not without it’s problems. (See entire article.) A small piece of tattoo work can likely be excised for under $200. Larger pieces will cost substantially more, as it not only involves a bigger area of work, but additionally work for skin grafting and suture placement.

Tattoo Removal Cream. Tattoo removal creams are usually sold in kits or bundles, each corresponding to a number of treatments. For instance, a month long supply with daily treatments may run about $50. A 6 month supply may cost $300. There a number of different tattoo removal cream products, such as Wrecking Balm and Tat B Gone, but prices between competing products are largely in the same ball park.

As you can see, tattoo removal costs are very high, possibly costing up to $10,000 for a large tattoo that would require 15+ visits at a laser removal clinic. It’s estimated that most tattoo removal services end up costing about $1500-$3500. Something to keep in mind about the cheaper methods is that even over the counter products which are sold for $50 can end up costing hundreds of dollars if it takes 6 months of daily treatments.

Removing a tattoo through the use of rejuvi cream is one of the more interesting and novel developments to come about relatively recently in the world of tattoo removal. The technique is considered reliable and safe, and there is little doubt that it’s a valid method for removing a tattoo.

An important note on terminology: Although rejuvi is often described as a cream or lotion, it is not a tattoo removal method that should be confused with over the counter products sold as “tattoo removal creams”. While the cream itself can be purchased without a prescription, the application of it for tattoo removal is NOT a “do it yourself” or at home tattoo removal method. Rejuvi tattoo removal is a medical procedure that requires admistration via a trained medical professional.

The rejuvi method for tattoo removal works like this:

Using equipment strikingly similar to a tattoo gun, a trained medical professional administers the injection of rejuvi cream into the skin above the tattooed area. The rejuvi cream passes into the epidermis and connects with the pigments skin cells of the tattoo. The rejuvi cream then bonds with these pigmented cells. In other words, the cream and the ink merge together at a microscopic level. The body sees the rejuvi cream as an outside threat, and the immune system works to remove or expel it from the body. Because rejuvi bonds itself to the tattoo ink, it is then able to remove a bit of the tattoo when the body forces the newly bonded rejuvi/tattoo ink to the surface the skin. This will come out as a crust or scab. Over repeated treatments, rejuvi will remove all parts of the tattoo with each new crust formation.

Rejuvi tattoo removal services are usually offered at clinics that typically offer other cosmetic, aesthetic, and surgical procedures, such as hair removal or laser tattoo removal services. A person with a medium sized tattoo (say for example, 3 inches by 4 inches) can expect to need 3-7 rejuvi treatments to remove the tattoo. Treatments must be spaced a part by a few weeks in order for the technique to have time to work it’s magic. It’s important to confirm any dietary changes that need to be made before treatments; some doctors may ask patients to avoid drinking alcohol before treatments, for example.

The treatment itself does create a considerable amount of pain; however, it’s not as bad as the pain of getting a tattoo itself, and the time it takes to administer is much shorter than that of receiving a tattoo. Anyone who was able to withstand the pain of getting a tattoo will be OK dealing with the discomfort of removing it via rejuvi. Additionally, clinics often offer pain medication and/or numbing agents to relieve this discomfort.

One other important thing to note is that rejuvi can be used for the removal of permanent make up, also called cosmetic tattoo makeup. While it’s not safe for the removing any tattooed eyeliner, rejuvi can be used to remove permanent makeup such as that done to the eyebrows or as a lip liner.