When is a good time to remove a tattoo?  There is the unmistakable reason, say, of teenage phases like Satanism or too much gel.  Unlike the gel, the inverted cross proudly displayed on your right calf isn’t going to wash out.  Then there is, of course, the very real reason of wanting to remove a past lover’s name from a region that doesn’t see the sun too often, especially if you are now attracted to the same sex.  Whatever the reason you have to remove a tattoo, there is a way tailor made to fit your wallet or your pain threshold.

If you have oodles of spare cash lying around, then a trip to a dermatological surgeon should be your best bet.  Not related to The Donald?  Then you could opt for a once off procedure where, if your tattoo is not too big, they actually cut out the tattooed area and stitch the skin back together.  With bigger tattoos a skin graft will be necessary.  Another way to remove a tattoo is to purchase a tattoo removal cream which is much cheaper but the jury is still out as to whether it works properly or not, although some say it does.  There is also dermabrasion, which is basically sanding it off (done by a professional) under a local anesthetic but this is still painful and can cause infection.

If you want to remove a tattoo and prove you are a seriously crazy at the same time there is a kit you can buy online that provides you with a tool similar to an iron where you in fact burn off your tattoo.  This is also not advisable as it obviously leaves ugly scarring and can also cause infection.  Some people who have forgotten to take their meds that morning also opted for sanding it off themselves with sanding paper or an electric sander.

All I can say is good luck.

It is true that there are many ways to remove a tattoo that is a lot more cost effective than using laser therapy.  Looking at the benefits though, the laser tattoo removal costs may be worth the expense.  Creams that claim to fade out your tattoo either partially or completely do come cheap but there is still a debate as to whether it is at all effective or not.  Having your tattoo surgically cut out is also a lot cheaper but it leaves an unsightly scar that many people feel is more of an eyesore than the original tattoo.

Laser tattoo removal costs differ depending on the size, color and quality of your tattoo and also how deep the ink is situated in your skin.  It also varies in costs depending on where you have it done.  But you are looking at roughly between $150 and $500 per session (although it can go as high as $850) and there can be between 5 to 25 sessions.

So depending on your tattoo, your laser tattoo removal costs can add up to anywhere between $1,000 to a staggering $20,000.

So if you do the math it is quite more expensive to have that once precious piece of artwork on your body removed than to have it done in the first place.  It is believed that up to half of the tattooed population regrets having one done at some point in their lives and wants it removed.  But as they say, hindsight is always 20/20 so always think before you ink.

When you are wondering how to remove a tattoo, it depends if you are wondering how to remove it yourself.  If you are in fact, looking for ways where you and only you will be involved there are some interesting, if not absurd methods.

If you have a particularly high pain tolerance or no human DNA at all, there is the option of sanding off your tattoo with, yes, sanding paper or for the ladies, a pumice stone.  This of course will leave scarring and if the neighbors are watching, a lasting impression.   Then also for those of you who haven’t been formally introduced to your nervous system there is the Magic Wand Home Tattoo Removal System where you literally burn your tattoo off with a small iron.  For the rest of you there is a trip to the local drug store where you can buy any topical tattoo removal cream and carefully follow the pain free instruction as to how to apply.

If you are curious about how to remove a tattoo professionally, there are a few ways to go about it.  You can visit a plastic surgeon to have it cut out which is highly effective if the tattoo is small enough.  Then of course there is the trusted but expensive laser removal method where you will have to go to anywhere from 5 to 25 sessions depending on the size, color and quality of the tattoo.  The sanding option can be mentioned again but done professionally it is called dermabrasion and you at least have the luxury of a local anesthetic – still not pretty.

So if you ask yourself how to remove a tattoo, think again whether you want to do it yourself or let a professional take care of it for you.

To figure out what is the best tattoo removal method will vary from person to person.  Tattoo removal has been there as long as tattooing itself and older ways included literally rubbing it off as if sanding a wooden table to rid it of old paint.  Needless to say, this is painful and bordering on the barbaric. Another way is to actually cut out the tattooed area and stitching the skin back together.  This leaves unsightly scars and obviously cannot work if the desired effect is to make away with the portrait of the Mona Lisa on your entire back.

Today there are easier ways like DIY home laser kits and creams that promise to partially or completely fade out your unwanted tattoo.  If you don’t want to be left to your own devices many people consider laser removal as the best tattoo removal method although it can become quite costly.  This is called Q-switching and what happens is a short, high-energy burst of laser light is beamed directly onto the tattoo.  This eventually breaks down the ink pigment into such small fragments that the body’s natural immune cells can absorb them.  With each treatment the tattoo becomes lighter so several treatments are necessary.  This method, however, depends on how deep the ink is situated and also whether or not the patient has a healthy immune system.

To find the best tattoo removal method for yourself will have to include some research on your behalf.  Browse the internet and speak to your tattoo artist, if not the one who gave you the tattoo you now want removed, then to another reputable one. Ask around, word of mouth goes a long way.