Why Tattoo Removal Creams Won't Go Away

The last few years have seen an explosion in the marketing of tattoo removal creams, as well as in all different products available within this market. Companies like Wrecking Balm or Tat B Gone have pretty much been controversial from the start. Is it a scam? Do they work? We'll get to that in a bit, but let's first look at why these products are so popular and why they are here to stay.

Why are these topical tattoo removal lotions so popular amongst consumers? Put another way, why do people keep buying them?

1. Unlike other methods, it's a pain free solution to tattoo removal. Tattoo removal traditionally is quite a painful task. Laser removal in and of itself even SOUNDS painful, and you'd better believe it's a bit like being constantly stung or pinched during a treatment session. Methods like the rejuvi technique, sometimes mistakenly grouped in as "just another" tattoo removal cream, feels much like getting a tattoo, as a technician uses tattoo-like equipment to inject rejuvi cream into the flesh. Then, on the pain-o-meter, we have the worst of them all, and that's the use of TCA chemical peels. These create a controlled inflammation on the skin. That sounds painful, doesn't it? If done incorrectly, it can leave scars and cause a lot of pain.

The fact that consumers know when buying a tattoo removal cream that all these concerns don't apply - well, this is a big reason why people are inclined to try out the product first.

2. It doesn't cost nearly as much as other tattoo removal methods. People like saving money. An obvious statement if there ever was one, right? And when it comes to paying for the removal of a tattoo, well, there's no exception here either. And the other methods around are quite expensive. Laser removal, rejuvi - these things will end up costing someone usually more than a thousand dollars. Contrast this with the "starter kit" or 1 month supply kits of tattoo removal creams, which cost much less than $100. This is a huge incentive to give them a shot at removing that unwanted tattoo.

3. They're available online and can be used at home without any medical supervision. Put another way, you don't have to make an appointment with the doctor. You don't have to fill out heaps of paperwork. You don't have any medical professional people to deal with. If you're researching tattoo removal, you might see an ad for Wrecking Balm, buy it, and have it in 2 days to try out. This makes the leap into purchasing such a product very easy for the consumer. I don't think people are particularly concerned about the privacy aspect, except maybe for gang tattoos, but the ability to buy and do it ones self is a huge selling point.

...WORK?"

Is that the question you're about to ask?

Ah, but this article is why they won't go away, not if they work or not.

But I'll give answering that question a shot:

yes and no.

Ha!

To clarify:

From my research (not personal experience) it appears that tattoo removal creams are effective at removing or fading tattoos. The best tattoos for this are older tattoos, home made tattoos, or tattoos otherwise made with low quality ink or equipment and methods. The better the ink, the bigger the tattoo, the more prominent the colors of the work - these are all impediments to how these products work.

So what this means is if you have a small home made heart tattoo on your hand, you'd probably be satisfied with what something like Wrecking Balm can do for you. On the other hand (no pun intended), if you've got a huge sprawling back piece of a dragon shooting bright orange flames, my guess is you're going to be in for the long haul using any of the over the counter methods, and you'd fare better jumping right into a more expensive, complex technique such as laser tattoo removal.