Tattoo removal creams have been around for a while now.
You can find articles that give the top tattoo removal creams and blog posts sharing the cheapest tattoo removal cream options.
Or you can drive down to your neighborhood Walmart and find two or three tattoo removal cream brands.
But just because tattoo removal creams are on the market doesn’t necessarily mean they’re effective.
In this article I’ll answer a couple of your questions:
But first, I’d like to start with a funny story.
There’s a very popular tattoo removal cream out there called Wrecking Balm. I’m sure in your tattoo removal research and looking through tattoo removal cream reviews you’ve stumbled across it.
Well, this website that you’re on right now, ReThinkTheInk.com, bought its website domain from Wrecking Balm.
Shortly after we bought the website domain, the government went after Wrecking Balm for fraud. Wrecking Balm was claiming that their tattoo removal cream could permanently remove tattoos. But that clearly wasn’t the case after hundreds of complaints against Wrecking Balm were filed and evidence that the cream didn’t actually work surfaced.
Clearly the tattoo removal cream called Wrecking Balm doesn’t work…
Here’s why people search for tattoo removal creams instead of tattoo removal lasers:
They think it’s going to be cheaper.
They think it’s going to be less painful.
They think that it’s going to work, even if it takes a long time.
And when they search for tattoo removal creams, there are tons of options out there. So it seems legitimate.
The answer is yes and no.
There are LOTS of tattoo removal cream options out there, including Profade, Tattoo Off, Dermasal, and Fade Away.
They all claim that using their tattoo removal can help erase or fade your tattoo. Some even claim that they can completely remove your tattoo.
But here’s the thing:
As I said above, tattoo removal creams do not work.
And I’m not saying that just because I run a laser tattoo removal clinic.
I’m saying that because of the research that’s been done and the common-sense fact that tattoo removal creams simply don’t have the capability to safely remove a tattoo.
Take a look at this image below which explains the structure of your skin.
Different tattoo ink colors are located in different parts of your skin.
Here’s what I mean by this.
The main problem with creams is that they can’t physically make it to the ink particles, since they’re too deep in your skin.
Simply put: no cream can safely penetrate into the dermis of your skin to remove a tattoo.
Mayo Clinic, one of the world’s most renowned medical institutes, said that “There’s no evidence that tattoo removal creams work. At best, tattoo removal cream might fade or lighten a tattoo. The tattoo will remain visible, however, and skin irritation and other reactions are possible.”
Healthine, another very reputable medical organization, said the same thing: “Tattoo removal creams don’t work and can cause serious skin reactions that result in permanent skin or tissue damage.”
Insider interviewed dermatologists who urge people to stay away from tattoo removal creams. They article says that “the best [tattoo removal creams can] do is fade the tattoo slightly, says Schueller, who advises saving up for laser treatments instead”
Oh, remember Wrecking Balm? The tattoo removal cream company sued for fraud?
This news article discusses a man who did 40 treatments with Wrecking Balm and saw ZERO results. The journalist interviewed Dr. Kean Lawlor of Seattle Skin, who said that “many do-it-yourself creams can damage the skin and leave severe scarring.”
I’ll give you one more piece of proof that can be found in an article of the Huffington Post.
Dermatologist Rebecca Baxt was quoted in this Huffington Post article saying that “I doubt that there is a cream that has active ingredients powerful enough to penetrate the human skin, which is a very effective barrier, to remove tattoo pigment trapped inside cells.”
If this article deters just one person from using a tattoo removal cream, then I’ll be happy.
Not only are tattoo removal creams a waste of money, but they’re also potentially dangerous.
There are some disturbing results that tattoo removal creams have inflicted on their users:
This tattoo removal cream left a MASSIVE scar after melting a woman’s skin.
And this tattoo removal cream ate through someone’s skin on their arm, also leaving a nasty scar.
The International Journal of Dermatology recommends staying away from tattoo removal creams:
They said that “Tattooed individuals and tattooists should be warned and discouraged to try other over‐the‐counter procedures because they are inefficient and sometimes at risk of cutaneous side effects.”
As of now, laser tattoo removal is the only safe and effective option out there if you’d like to get a tattoo removed.
There are many scientific studies that provide positive evidence with laser tattoo removal, like this one in a scientific study in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, which said that “these systems [laser tattoo removal systems] are generally quite effective in clearing tattoos & have an established safety record.”
With that being said, no tattoo removal clinic can guarantee that they can 100% remove every tattoo. It depends on the person’s genetic makeup, their health, the tattoo’s location, and the ink used.
But while that’s the case, we’ve had extremely successful tattoo removal patients. You can take a look at a couple of before and after pictures by clicking this link.
Tattoo removal creams simply don’t work.
The cream cannot penetrate deep enough into the skin to reach the tattoo ink particles. And as a result, tattoo removal creams potentially have harsh or dangerous chemicals/ingredients that are stronger, in an attempt to at least fade tattoo ink.
As a result, your best option when trying to remove your unwanted tattoo is to go to a reputable laser tattoo removal clinic.
