Last month we talked about the tattoo removal using the laser tattoo removal process. But aside fro lasers, there are other options on getting rid of that one ugly tattoo you don’t like.

Here are your four options for getting rid of the tattoo you now hate:

  1. Cover up tattoo
  2. Excision
  3. Dermabrasion
  4. Lasers

Cover up tattoo

If
you still want to have a tattoo, just not that one, you should consider
covering it with a bigger, gnarlier tattoo. The obvious problem is that
you have to think of one that will cover the old one and that you will
like better so that you don’t have to get rid of it five years down the
road. Therefore, this decision is even more difficult than your first
tattoo was, because you have to choose something that either
incorporates or blocks out the old tattoo. Them’s some parameters. Your
tattoo artist should be of help here, if you’ve found a good one by now.

Cover-ups
are about the same cost as getting a new tattoo (see Can you afford it?
in section 2) except that it will almost always be custom work. It will
probably take longer, too, as the work must be done very carefully.

Excision

Cut
that sucker right out of there. You get a physician to remove the skin
with the tattoo and suture the sides together. It’s relatively cheap,
but it won’t work on really large tattoos and it will definitely leave
a noticeable scar. There are two ways to remove a tattoo through
excision. First, a physician can place a small balloon under the skin
which is inflated so that the tattooed skin gradually stretches. When
it has stretched out enough, the physician cuts the skin and stitches
it up, leaving a thin scar. Second, the physician can simply cut out
the skin in small patches and sew it together, which can create
significant scarring.

Dermabrasion

This is fairly
nasty. The skin is scraped or “sandpapered” off or, alternatively but
no more appealingly, chemicals are applied, after which the skin is
peeled off. This is time-consuming, but it scars less than excision and
it costs less than lasers.

Lasers

This is probably
the best method, as laser technology has improved significantly. It
doesn’t hurt and it has a pretty good success rate. However, it costs a
lot and it can still cause scarring or discoloration of the skin. A
laser removal session usually costs about $300 and it can take five or
more sessions to remove a tattoo. Lasers are less effective at removing
lighter colors such as green or yellow, so if your tattoo contains
those you could be looking at a lot of money and a lot of hours in the
chair. Most laser removal specialists will provide you with a free
initial consultation, in which they will tell you how much the removal
is likely to cost.

Peace be with you, friends, as you select,
get, and remove your very own tattoo. And if, after reading this
article, our sage advice has led to your decision not to get a tattoo,
peace be with you too. Get a nose ring instead.