Sometimes we outgrow them; other times we simply wish we had never gotten them; perhaps because of a job, public position, or for identification purposes, but many people eventually choose to have their tattoos removed. For many years it was assumed that the only way to “remove” a tattoo that contained a former loved one’s name or might be otherwise objectionable, was to simply cover it over with a darker tattoo or part of another picture. This was fine if you didn’t care about some sort of images remaining on your skin, but sometimes we simply decide we no longer want a particular tattoo or any at all for that matter.

The actual removal of ink tattoos to many appears to be a fairly recent option due to expensive laser treatments, but in reality, the ability to remove a tattoo has been around for centuries, although some methods work better and are far less painful than others. All revolve around the concept of creating a raised abrasion or “controlled inflammation” in technical terms, to cause the ink to partially dissolve and rise to the surface with the growth of new skin. The layer of ink is then shed along with the scab.

The original method was to rub a rough stone over the tattoo until it bled. This caused a raised abrasion, which is the key element to fading and/or removing the tattoo from the skin. People have also been known to use a sander in more recent times as this again, causes a raised abrasion. Many people have accidentally scraped a tattoo and discovered this, usually to their consternation. After the scrape heals and the scab falls off, they are left with a “bald” spot in their cherished tattoo. This can be a common side effect of the “road rash” associated with taking a spill on a motorcycle. This is undoubtedly how the ancient method of using an abrasive stone was discovered; perhaps from brushing against a castle wall or falling down a rocky landscape during battle.

I suppose if one were desperate enough, he or she could resort to the belt sander method, but in this day and age there are several options, particularly for the more squeamish who may not have the fortitude or pain tolerance to deliberately sand or grind a layer or two of their own skin away. Some of these more “civilized” methods include chemical peels, dermabrasions, salabrasions, cryosurgery, Variot, and laser removal. Several of these methods, and even some of the earlier laser methods left scarring, some of which could be unsightly, and even worse looking than the original tattoo! This has led to the use of chemical peels and cool lasers as a more refined and less painless option these days.