When you get a tattoo, you should know that it’s forever. That is why compulsive teenagers are encouraged to stay away from getting inked, and first timers are advised to think of it many times over before finally getting one. Tattoos stay with you permanently and they don’t go away easily like henna would. Moreover, tattoo removal is expensive and it will require several sessions before it fades away. In some cases it can not be completely removed.

There are several ways to remove a tattoo from your skin. The first one is skin grafting, Like the name implies, skin grafting involves removing a patch of skin and transplanting it to the location of the unwanted tattoo. This surgical procedure is usually for damaged skin, such as skin burns, to provide temporary covering for the wound. In cases of tattoo removal, it’s purpose is to cover the tattoo. The procedure is likely to leave a scar since it is an unnatural thing for your skin to go through. On the other hand, you can opt for excision, which means the tattooed skin will be excised from the location. Of course, this will lead to scarring as well. Another procedure that could remove a tattoo is the dermabrasion. Dermabrasion, in a nutshell, is a method performed only by licensed dermatologists that will peel the skin by surgically scraping the layers, one by one, over a series of sessions. Dermabrasion usually alters the skin’s texture and color, so although your tattoo will be gone, you will still have a mark.

Nowadays, the most popular method of removing a tattoo is with the use of lasers. Laser treatments will require several sessions. How many sessions will depend on the size and color of the tattoo. Laser removal is expensive, not to mention, quite painful. However, it can be very effective after numerous sessions. A less painful procedure for removing a tattoo is the IPL or Intense Pulsed Light Therapy. It was said that this is, by far, the most effective procedure in tattoo removal but unfortunately, the most expensive as well.

Although there have been creams and ointments appear on the market that claim effective tattoo removal, the concept of tattooing itself will tell you that it is quite impossible to simply erase permanent ink by merely applying something over it. These creams will not do anything to your unwanted tattoo but moisturize it unless the component is a chemical peel which uses acid since that will remove layers of the skin to some degree. It will not obliterate the tattoo absolutely though.

If you are having doubts about getting a tattoo, then the best you can do is not to get one at all until you are 100% sure. The same goes for those people who are not intending to keep the tattoo forever.  You will have to choose between painful, gruesome procedure or painful, expensive methods to get a tattoo removed. Still, there are some people who are simply not happy with their current design and won’t mind getting a cover tattoo to go on top of the unwanted design. A creative, strategic tattoo artist can do the job for you, so that’s always an option as well.