Tattoo Removal: What to do When You Regret Your Ink

Credit: Flickr/tuppus

The tattoo seemed like a great idea – before you broke up.

How to erase the ink and say goodbye to your regrettable tattoo

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

After all, tattooing the name of your partner on your body was a symbol of your undying love and devotion. 
Of course, that was before you broke up. 


While tattoos remain a hot trend in Canada, increasing numbers of men and women are looking for ways to erase body art that is no longer wanted. Happily, while tattoos were once considered to be permanent, they can now be partially or fully removed.


Regretting your Mickey Mouse tattoo? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.
(Image: Flickr/PauloTattoos)

Laser removal or Intense Pulse Light Therapy may be your answer to removing an unwanted tattoo


Laser removal: This method involves using a laser to break up the pigment in a tattoo so it can be absorbed by the body and eliminated. Removal using this method may require one to 10 sessions, depending on the size and/or colour of the tattoo. Laser tattoo removal is not without discomfort, described as being like a rubber band repeatedly being snapped on the skin. 



Intense Pulse Light Therapy: This method involves applying a gel to the tattoo and then passing over it with a wand that emits pulses of intense light. It targets the lower layers of skin (dermis) without affecting the top layers of skin (epidermis). Intense pulse light therapy can also involve some level of discomfort and is also more costly than laser removal. 



Other tattoo removal methods include dermabrasion (scraping away layers of skin) and surgical removal. Both methods can cause scarring and are rarely recommended.


For the best advice on the right tattoo removal procedure for you, consult your doctor.