Regretting The Relationship & The Tattoo? Camouflage & Removal Techniques To Help You Forget Both

Love can make couples do things that they may later come to regret. For many, a tattooed name inked in the heat of passion will later become a painful reminder of a time they would prefer to forget. In fact, a recent Harris Poll shows that even though the act of getting a tattoo continues to grow in popularity overall, nearly one-quarter of those who do will later come to regret doing so, a number that has risen almost ten percent since 2012. If you are one of this growing group of people who have both tattoos and regrets, the following information will help you understand the options available to you to camouflage or remove the ink you no longer think is cool. 

Temporary covering for tattoos on the arm

If your tattoo is located on your arm and you would like an inexpensive way to conceal it from view, a removable elasticized fabric sleeve may be a good choice for your needs. Commonly used by medical and law enforcement personnel who may be required to cover tattoos during working hours, the sleeves come in a variety of colors and sizes. Although this option is convenient and inexpensive, it is only a measure to temporarily cover the tattoo and does nothing to remove the tattoo permanently. 

Makeup tips to camouflage your tattoo

If wearing a fabric sleeve to cover your tattoo seems awkward or your tattoo is located on another part of your body, cosmetic coverage of the tattoo may be a good option for your situation. There are currently several cosmetic products available that can be used to conceal tattooed skin. Most of these products require: 

• thorough cleansing of the area with alcohol to remove all traces of oil that could interfere with coverage
• an application of concealer to hide the tattoo and provide a base for the skin-toned makeup to follow
• careful application and blending of a foundation, body makeup product, or special product designed specifically for covering tattoos
• sealing of the area with hairspray or some other type of skin-safe sealant product to prevent the make up from smudging, running, or rubbing off onto clothing, upholstery, or car seats 

Remember that cosmetics should never be applied to any tattoo that has not had time to heal completely, which can be as long as 45 days, in some instances. Applying cosmetics or other products to a tattoo that is still healing can result in risk of incurring an infection or ruining the appearance of the tattoo. 

Permanent tattoo removal through the use of laser removal

To permanently free yourself from the tattoo and the bad memories associated with it, laser tattoo removal from a place like Countryside Dermatology & Laser Center may be the best choice. Tattoos stay visible on the skin because the ink injected into the skin during the tattoo process contains large particles that the body cannot process and cause to fade through the use of protective white cells. If the ink particles were smaller, the body would clear them over time, causing the tattoo to eventually fade or partially disappear.

The use of lasers in the laser tattoo removal process is called photothermolysis and is similar to the process of laser hair removal. During laser tattoo removal, the laser action provides a way to break up these large ink particles, making them smaller so that the body can clear them through the natural cleansing and purifying action of the liver. 

To find out more about photothermolysis and its use in laser tattoo removal procedures, discuss the matter with your physician or medical care provider. They will be able to offer you more insight into the process, including the cost and any pain or discomfort that you may experience.