Natural methods like exfoliation, lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide can offer gradual fading but carry risks of skin irritation and inconsistent results. For safer and more effective tattoo removal, professional treatments such as the advanced Phantom™ Laser technology are highly recommended.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Exfoliation -- Exfoliation paired with hydrogen peroxide can do wonders to gradually fade tattoo ink naturally. This is because exfoliation removes dead skin while hydrogen peroxide is a skin lightening agent that has bleaching properties. Is It Possible to Lighten a Dark Tattoo?
Instructions: Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and gently rub it over the ink tattoo. The alcohol should help dissolve the ink. Rinse with water afterward.
Overall, the best way to lighten a tattoo is by using a white base layer and applying a lighter color layer. However, you may also do it by applying darker colors and a white layer.
How to lighten a tattoo effectively? Laser removal is by far the best way to fade a tattoo. This is the quickest, safest, and most efficient removal process, says Cooper Ferreira, a Removery technician and experienced RN. “This is a process that utilizes your immune system to remove ink in a safe way,” he emphasizes.
Natural ingredients such as lemon juice, glycolic acid, and hydrogen peroxide are known for their mild bleaching properties, which can be employed to fade tattoo ink gradually.
Hydrogen peroxide
It is designed to work as a disinfectant but is moderately effective at fading superficial layers of ink. On its own, hydrogen peroxide is not potent enough to penetrate the second layer of skin. As a result, fresh tattoos or deeply embedded tattoos won't be phased by it.
The American Academy of Dermatology says petroleum-based products can cause ink to fade. They recommend using water-based moisturizers on new tattoos instead. But why? Products like Vaseline and super thick ointments may trap moisture and bacteria on top of a new tattoo, increasing your risk of developing an infection.
There are rumors that Aquaphor makes tattoos fade, but from our experiences and many others, this just isn't true. If a tattoo is done correctly and the ink is where it needs to be, ointment should only help your tattoo heal correctly.
Diluting your tattoo ink with distilled water is a great way to add dimension in your pieces that require shading. It's also great for clients who like the more washed out, gray look in their fine line tattoos!
Laser tattoo removal uses bursts of light energy to break down tattoo pigments under your skin. Once the ink is shattered into tiny fragments, your body's immune system processes and flushes it out. Sessions are typically spaced several weeks apart to allow your skin to heal and give your body time to clear the ink.
Lemon, lavender, frankincense, helichrysum, and tea tree essential oils are the best options for fading tattoos. To use essential oils for fading tattoos, dilute the oil, use a carrier oil, and apply the mixture to the tattoo regularly.
Buff out the damage once or twice a week on fully healed tattoos. Apply BUFF to a washcloth or shower scrubber and use a circular motion to gently polish off dead skin and grunge residue. If your skin gets red, sore, or inflamed, lay off the buffing and stick to moisturizing until your skin is healed.
Overall, home remedies for tattoo removal are ineffective. While options like salabrasion, lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide are cheap, the risky side effects and poor results should deter anyone from attempting a natural tattoo removal. Remember, tattoos are designed to be permanent displays of self-expression.
Aloe helps to support the healing process. It won't do anything to damage your tattoo, and it's completely safe for the pigments in your tattoo.
Regular exfoliation with a salt or sugar scrub can help fade your tattoo. Try to exfoliate for 5-10 minutes per session and avoid being too rough with your skin. Applying lemon or lime juice, glycolic acid, and hydrogen peroxide can lighten skin if you apply it directly, especially if you do it right after exfoliating.
Salabrasion is the method of removing a tattoo by rubbing salt and water on a tattoo. This method removes the top layers of skin to rub out the ink in a tattoo. This treatment is done multiple times until the ink in a tattoo is gone or can no longer be reached.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Exfoliation - Exfoliation paired with hydrogen peroxide can do wonders to gradually fade tattoo ink naturally. This is because exfoliation removes dead skin while hydrogen peroxide is a skin lightening agent that has bleaching properties.
It'll just look the same, but older. The only way to lighten this tattoo and have it look good would be to laser it, which will take a long time because of how dark it is. I wouldn't go over it with white because the white usually heals a weird grey color instead of skin tone.
Lightening of an old tattoo typically takes three sessions. While the tattoo will still remain, it makes it easier to cover if the darker or thicker blacks and blues are lightened. This process also helps prevent darker or brighter colors from popping through into the new tattoo.
For older, already-healed tattoos, it's a bit more difficult to affect your ink by applying too much coconut oil. Instead, the moisturizing properties of the product will help your skin look healthier and make any colors in your tattoo (including black) really pop.
Removal Cream
One more way to remove a tattoo without surgery or laser is by using tattoo removal creams. They are widely used because they are inexpensive. However, there is no evidence that these products completely remove a tattoo. At best, they only help the tattoo fade.