Tattoos have always been a way to express identity, showcase one’s accomplishments, or just be rebellious.
Tattoos are kind of a lifestyle for some people. It is a form of body art that is permanent.
While there are people who adore their tattoos, others wish they have never tried them. Also, some are not satisfied with the final results and want to get rid of the tattoo as quickly as possible. But is that feasible? Removing an old tattoo can be costly, but can you make your tattoo lighten with remedies at home?
In fact, many people used to go through the process of having their tattoos “faded” by applying lemon juice or rubbing salt into them as a natural method to remove those ink stains from the skin.
Removing old tattoos also comes as necessary if you want to replace them with a new one. You need to know – fading tattoos is not an easy job. It can be expensive, painful, and it takes some time to see the results. Be aware that you can cause serious infections too.
There are many factors that make tattoos fade at different rates including the color of ink, how often they are exposed to sunlight or saltwater, and whether or not you take good care of them.
With that in mind, here are some non-surgical methods that can help your tattoos fade faster.
How to Fade Tattoos Faster Using Homemade Methods
As opposed to surgical methods, non-surgical ones you can actually try at home. These treatments might not be as effective as surgical lasers and excisions. Still, they are also worth trying for all those who are wondering how to fade tattoos faster.
1. Honey, Salt, Yogurt, and Aloe Vera
The mixture of honey, salt, yogurt, and aloe vera might sound nourishing, but it is also great and effective in helping to fade your tattoos. This is also one of the easiest methods that you can try at home.
Unlike the surgical methods, you need to apply this mixture a few times before seeing some results. The biggest plus – it won’t leave scars or dry skin.
2. Salt or Sugar Exfoliator + Hydrogen Peroxide
Using an exfoliator on your tattoo daily helps getting rid of all the dead skin cells that might cling to your tattoo and causes it to look more vibrant than it actually is. You can use pre-made ones or make one yourself out of baking soda mixed with water.
A combination of exfoliator and hydrogen peroxide is another homemade method that works. First, you need to exfoliate your skin, remove dead cells, and then apply hydrogen peroxide to it. Use natural ingredients to make an exfoliator – salt or sugar with coconut oil.
You will start noticing the changes over weeks or months. Firstly, you will see how dark and green colors are not so vivid, and then they will become more and more faded. Be careful not to scrub the skin too much.
3. Lemon and Salt
While salt is rich in sodium and chlorine, lemon juice has excellent bleaching properties. You have probably heard that many women apply lemon juice to their hair to make it lighter. It can do a similar thing to your tattoos.
Make a mixture of salt and lemon juice and apply it to your tattooed area. Use a cotton ball to rub the ingredients and do it for half an hour or even more. Your skin can become sore, but that is simply the drawback of this method.
4. Salicylic Acid
You can experience some tattoo fading if you use salicylic acid. This is one of the ingredients you can buy at the store, but don’t expect miracles. Salicylic acid works great on the epidermis, but it doesn’t penetrate deeper into your skin.
5. DIY Tattoo Removal Cream
There are many tattoo removal creams on the market, but some people prefer those that are homemade. Yes, you can make it at home, with the ingredients that you can easily find.
Mix aloe vera gel, tablespoon Paederia tomentosa juice, and two Vitamin E capsules. Apply the paste onto your skin, massage for some time, and then rinse with lukewarm water.
Surgical Methods of Removing Tattoos
If you want your results fast, you have to choose one of the surgical methods. They are much more expensive, however, due to almost immediate results – they are popular and safe.
Laser Surgery
It’s not a coincidence that laser surgery is in the first place. This is by far the most common, fastest, safest, as well as a most effective way of removing your tattoos. The disadvantage – this method is painful and expensive.
Through this method, the ink’s pigment colors are broken-up, due to high-intensity light beam exposure. The rule of the thumb is that black tattoos can be faded faster than the ones in color.
There are two methods of laser surgery – active and passive. With active, you get your results faster, but it is a bit more expensive and requires a few sessions. On the other hand, the passive method is typical for beauty salons and much cheaper than the active one.
Surgical Excision
Until laser was discovered and used for tattoo fading, surgical excision was the only way to remove it. It is pretty common, even nowadays. The process involves cutting off the tattooed area and stitching the skin back together. People commonly refer to this surgery if their tattoos are small and not in visible places. Otherwise, you will have a scar that might be hard to hide.
Intense Pulsed Light Method (IPL)
IPL method is similar to laser one. The main difference is that this method uses a broad spectrum of light to remove the epidermis and break down the color pigments. With time this area heals, and a new layer of skin is created.
Another advantage of the IPL method is that it is less painful yet very effective in fading your tattoos. However, the flaw of this method is that it is not very effective on dark skin, and it is more expensive than the laser method.
Cryosurgery
Along with dermabrasion, another popular method of removing tattoos, cryosurgery is mainly used to treat cancer and remove warts. However, in the last couple of years, it is also used for fading tattoos. The method is carried out by exposing your skin to extremely cold temperatures and freezing agents, like spray nitrogen. The tattooed area became abraded, which leads to the skin layer practically fall off.
This method, although very effective, is also very painful. It doesn’t work well in all colors, especially with green and yellow. If you have extremely sensitive skin, it is better to avoid this method.
Conclusion
Since many wonder how to fade tattoos faster, people try different things. Some methods work better, while others aren’t so effective. You can try some of the ways we have listed above. When it comes to homemade methods, try not to overdo them, and be careful with skin reactions. Surgical techniques might be more expensive, but they will provide results faster.
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