Tattooing, which is defined as the permanent insertion of ink or other pigments below the skin using a sharp instrument, has been used for cosmetic and ritual purposes since the Neolithic era.
tattooing has been around a long time, and something that has always gone along with tattoos since the very beginning is the desire to remove them.
Early techniques for removing tattoos included painful and scarring procedures such as sanding, cutting, and burning the skin. Unless you were willing to go to these lengths, tattoos were seen as permanent and irreversible. However, thanks to medical advances in the field of dermatology, surgeons are now able to remove tattoos safely and effectively.
Methods for tattoo removal today
Dermabrasion
With dermabrasion, the surface and middle layers of the skin are "sanded" away with a hand-held scraping or sanding tool. This process removes the pigmented skin and encourages the growth of new skin.
Surgical Excision
Surgical excision is performed under general anesthesia. During the process, the surgeon literally cuts the tattoo out of the skin, and closes the wound with sutures. This technique is more suitable for smaller tattoos.
Chemical Peel
A chemical peel, during which trichloracetic acid is usually used, progressively removes layers of skin, and eventually the tattoo.
Salibrasion
Salibrasion is perhaps one of the oldest methods of tattoo removal, and requires the skin to be "sanded" with salt. A local anesthetic is usually injected around the design, and the skin is aggressively rubbed with salt or a salt sanding block.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment was introduced in the 1980s, and presented the best alternative to tattoo removal.
