Non-Laser Tattoo Removal
Non-Laser Tattoo Removal
What?? You've never heard of a non-laser tattoo removal option? Well now you have and you'll be glad you did!
What is saline tattoo removal?
I implant an all-natural heavy saline gel into the tattooed area. (Traditional tattoos OR botched eyebrows) Implanting the gel solution breaks up the pigment and begins to lift it out of the skin via osmosis. Don't remember middle school science class? What this means is that your body naturally equalizes the salinity by pulling water from skin cells into the area where we implant the saline gel. Keeping up with me? This "pulling" brings the pigment up to the surface of the skin, where it heals into a scab. When the scab falls off, the pigment also falls off, leaving a lightened tattoo.
Notice the picture posted below... See how the green pigment has been pulled up to the surface and is visible in the scab? Success!!
How is this different than laser removal?
Laser removal works entirely differently. The laser emits an intense beam of light that targets the color in the pigment. The light beam heats up the color molecules until they are shattered and are absorbed by your body's lymphatic system and are eliminated over time.
Is one better than the other?
1. With laser, the tattoo ink is absorbed into the body and processed through the lymphatic system. With saline removal, most of the ink is pushed out through the skin. If you're unsure of the quality of the ink used, this can be an important distinction. Many inks contain metals, which isn't something you want floating around in your body.
2. Each laser only emits certain wavelengths of light, which means certain colors aren't able to be targeted. Newer machines are more likely to be able to work on the widest range of colors. Because lasers can damage the skin, they have to be careful about targeting warm colors that occur naturally in the skin (to minimize burns), making these colors difficult to remove. Saline removal is color-blind.
3. Laser removal is often more expensive. Sessions can run you $300-$500 per session. If you are undergoing laser treatments with a machine that cannot target all of the colors in your tattoo, your results will be limited, or leave a "ghost" tattoo.
4. Because the light from the laser produces intense heat (think of how a black car seat absorbs and transmits heat to your bare legs in the summertime) you can have burns and blisters... sometimes leaving scars. All-natural saline removal is actually quite gentle to the skin.
FAQ
The #1 question I get is, "Does it hurt?"
Well, I'll be honest... it's a little uncomfortable. But that tattoo wasn't pain-free in the first place, right?
I use a topical numbing product to take the edge off. In my experience, the degree of discomfort has more to do with WHERE the tattoo is located than the removal itself.
What's the aftercare/healing process like?
We want the area to scab, so you won't use any lotions, ointments, etc. while the area is healing. The treated area will look kind of raw immediately afterwards. You will need to keep the area clean and dry. Within a day or so you'll develop a scab. In most cases you'll see pigment in the scab, which is always exciting! It's very important that you don't pick or scratch at it. It must fall off on it's own, which typically happens at around 5-7 days.
How often do I need to do the removal sessions?
Even though the skin is very resilient and looks basically healed within about 10-14 days, we need to wait about 6 weeks between sessions to allow the underlying layers of the skin to heal. This prevents scarring. If we are working on a large tattoo, I suggest breaking it up into smaller sections and treating on a 2 week schedule.
How much does it cost?
I base my price on the size of the treatment area. Base price is $125 and will include an area about the size of a silver dollar (roughly 2x2) or a pair of brows. For larger tattoos, I understand that cost is a concern and will be happy to have a look at what you want to remove and talk with you about price. Contact me at 314-605-6279 to set up a consultation. Because of the amount of no-shows I've gotten for consultations (so rude), I have to charge $25. This amount is applied toward your first session, should you decide to move forward with treatment.
How many sessions will I need?
This can vary depending on the depth of ink placement, age of the tattoo, type of ink used, etc. For example, each tattoo artist has their own technique and some are more heavy handed than others. I offer discounts for pre-purchasing several sessions, but you're also welcome to pay as you go.
Microblading is generally very easy to remove in 1-2 sessions because the pigment isn't placed as deeply in the skin as a traditional tattoo.
More questions?
Feel free to text me at 314-605-6279 (MO) or 405-509-5062 (OK) or use the Contact page. I'm usually with clients, so I can't always answer calls. (The downside of being a one-woman-show!) I try to ALWAYS return calls, usually within 48 hours. Leave a voicemail and I'll get back to you ASAP. Texting is sometimes faster if time is a factor.