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.

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.

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.

Home tattoo removal usually comes in the shape of removal cream that needs to be applied to the affected skin area either every day or as instructed.  People tend to choose this method not only because of its cost effectiveness but greatly also because it is relatively pain free.  Some have complained of a slight burn to the skin surface but said it was tolerable.  It is usually an application comprising of three different steps where the first application prepares the skin, the second absorbs deeply to dissolve the ink and the third helps in the rapid recovery of the invaded skin cells.  Most products claim that the tattoo will start fading within a few weeks and some even promise the complete disappearance of the entire tattoo although most people are skeptical about this.

Whether you choose to just lighten your tattoo in the hopes of covering it up with a much better one, or if you want to all remove all evidence of the follies of youth, the home tattoo removal option is always there as a alternative to more costly and painful methods.

Free tattoo removal is done in California in Los Angeles and Bakersfield by a non-profit religious organization called Agape Light Tattoo Removal Organization.  They specialize in removing small tattoos that are gang and prison related, and operate according to the Biblical indication that tattoos are a sin.  Whether or not anyone is welcome is not sure but an appointment does need to be made in advance.  In Texas there is another religious organization called the St. Dismas Tattoo Removal Ministry and they offer their services especially to the youth burdened with brandings of the gangs they once belonged to.  Another organization in Texas is called D-Tag but again it is prison and gang related. And in British Columbia the police are now offering free tattoo removal for ex-gangsters who want to clean up their lives.

It is quite evident that there is, in fact a free tattoo removal option for some out there, but you might have to meet the criteria to be able to qualify.  Ask around in your local community for charity organizations if you feel you do fit the description.  Otherwise there’s always the trusty ol’ Black and Decker.

As for the cheapest cost of tattoo removal, using one of the many removal creams available on the market ranks first on the list.  These also vary in price though, some come as cheap as $60 for a three month supply and others hover in the hundreds of dollars price range.  Some even come with a money back guarantee.  For laser removal the price increases drastically but it is considered to be the most effective method of removal.  It can take from 5 to 25 sessions, depending on size and quality of the tattoo and these sessions can cost up to $500 each, although some can be a reasonable $150 each – still a rather steep amount.  As for surgical excision of the tattoo, this is fairly cheaper as it is a once off surgery done under local anesthetic but to obtain a price you will have to consult the American Society for Dermatological Surgery.  The same goes for dermabrasion where the skin is surgically sanded also under a local anesthetic.

Clearly the cost of tattoo removal varies drastically and though there are other factors to take into account when deciding to remove your old ink, finding the right price seems to be at the top of most people’s priority list.

Although there are some extreme cases of really brave (stupid?) people who summoned the services of a good old Black and Decker (no jokes, Google it) to literally sand the unwanted tattoo off their skin, there certainly is a more humane way of doing it.  Unfortunately cheap tattoo removal doesn’t provide many different options.  In fact, short of covering it up with makeup there really is only one way to attempt ridding yourself of an old friend.  This would be the option of trying out the many different tattoo removal creams and balms out there.  They are meant to gradually break down the ink beneath the surface of the skin and wait for new skin cells to regenerate that then in turn push out the old pigmented skin cells.  This method, depending on the size and quality of your tattoo, can take as little as 8 weeks to work, if applied according to instructions.

Unfortunately cheap tattoo removal does come with the risk that it might not work as effectively as you might hope. There are many people that do insist that it does work and modern technology has improved greatly, but trust your gut on this one and do a little research before purchasing any product.

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.

Looking at it now you cannot believe you sat through 21 grueling hours to re-create the Battle of Gettysburg in the more patriotic days of your life, but there it is, Civil War Heroes captured in time on your upper thigh.  You’ve thought about getting this absurd tattoo removed with a laser but just thinking back at how painful it was, makes you opt for the more humane balm tattoo removal method.

There are a few ways of ridding yourself of no longer wanted tattoos and all of them assure success, but if you are looking for a cheaper and less painful alternative it is best to go down the balm tattoo removal route.  Many creams and lotions are available that promises to either partially or completely fade away your tattoo and some work better than others.  It is advisable to do a little research before purchasing any of these.  Word of mouth often works best but you will find that what works for some doesn’t work for others.  Some products even come with a money back guarantee so there really is very little risk.  Depending on the size of the tattoo it can take as little as 2 months for it to fade but bigger ones (like our previously mentioned battle) can take up to 18 months.  The balms also differ in application methods so here it is again advisable to do some homework.

Balm tattoo removal, however, seems to work best if your intention is solely to fade the tattoo to a degree where it can be replaced by a better one.  But again, some people claim that their unwanted tattoos fade completely.  As it is fairly risk free, it is a viable option for your pocket as well as your pain-threshold.

Besides the fact that an at home tattoo removal method would certainly be less costly than, say, laser removal, its broad appeal stems from the lack of physical pain one has to go through.  There is an array of tattoo removal creams for sale and all of them promise the eventual fading if not disappearing of your unwanted tattoo.  The jury, however, is still out as to whether these creams work.  But like most things in life, it works for some and not for others.  It is best to do a little homework before attempting at home tattoo removal methods.  Some experts advise that you carefully research the ingredients in these creams and balms and they warn against two specific ingredients.  Trichloroacetic Acid is one to look out for as it is a skin-peeling agent that can harm the skin if too much is applied.  The other is Hydroquinone, which may cause cancer and is already banned in Japan, France and England.

It seems even for such a non-invasive at home tattoo removal option, there are some risks, albeit small.  This is clearly a decision best made after some consideration for price, pain and time duration but many do swear by it.  There seems to be some wisdom in the saying “think before you ink” after all.