Q&A for How to Remove a Tattoo at Home With Salt

While lemon juice can lighten skin, it only does so on the epidermis (your top layer of skin); tattoo pigments are below this layer and therefore the lemon cannot reach them. Rubbing salt into the dermis is likely to leave scarring (as well as being painful), as the epidermis needs to be removed. It is best to discuss options with a dermatologist and to consider laser treatment for effective and non-scarring tattoo removal.

Yes, tattoos can be removed but the success varies depending on the type of process used, the type of ink and colors, etc. It’s highly advisable to see a dermatologist to discuss your options but some possibilities for tattoo removal include: Laser removal using Q-switched lasers, dermabrasion, cryosurgery, chemical peels, surgery and even skin grafts. Some colors, such as greens and yellows, are harder to remove than black and dark colors. The most successful method is laser removal; note that all removal measures take time and are usually painful.

Saltwater may cause a newly inked tattoo to fade. It may also cause the ink of an early stage tattoo to run or disperse oddly. This is the reason for being asked to not put your skin in saltwater for a time after getting the tattoo. However, unless the ink’s dodgy, once the tattoo has set properly after a few weeks or so, saltwater usually has no effect on it.

Assuming the most effective method of removal, laser removal, the answer depends on the size and type of tattoo but in general, you cannot get a tattoo lasered off in a single session. You will likely need to attend around 6 to 10 sessions for an average size tattoo, and even more for a large one, to get a tattoo completely removed, with many weeks between each session to allow the skin to recover. So, say you needed 6 sessions for a small tattoo, this would probably take about 36 weeks (about 8 months) of time (6 sessions plus 6-week breaks in between each session) before it was fully removed. Tattoos of larger size take longer and if the skin needs longer to heal between sessions, you’ll need to add on even more time before removal is total.

No. You'll only dry out your skin.

Go back to the tattoo parlor, show them the tattoo, and explain why you're dissatisfied. If they made an error, they should be willing to fix it or cover it up for you, though they may have to wait for it to heal first. If you have to have the tattoo surgically removed, you could probably take legal action against them to cover the cost.

It would make it worse. It would hurt badly, and it might make the tat run a little bit. Do not do it.

No, unfortunately. There are laser treatments that can be used to remove permanent tattoos but they are considered fairly painful.

There is no way to safely remove the tattoo by yourself that will not result in scarring. Your best bet is see a professional.

The only way to effectively do this is by having laser removal.

Yes, if you damage enough skin cells while rubbing salt for that long into your skin.

It depends on the size. I have a large tattoo, 12x12, and it was priced at $475 a session. I'd need 6-10 sessions. It's very expensive.

Try table, sea, kosher, etc. The purpose of this is to grind and exfoliate away the skin.

If it's real, then you can't remove it yourself. You should consult with a professional to find out your options.

No, milk will not remove a tattoo.

You should talk to your dermatologist about laser therapy.

You don’t. See a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon and they will tell you the best options. It will definitely be healthier to let the tattoo heal before you remove it.

Usually home tattoos fade after 6 months and can disappear after a year or so. As the tattoo you are describing is small, it will fade and possibly disappear. Otherwise consult a professional.

You should see a professional so as to get laser surgery to remove it. Using salt to try to remove a tattoo is dangerous and will in all likelihood leave you with an ugly mess.

When getting tattooed, the needle goes through multiple skin layers. It is nearly impossible to remove it without laser surgery.

No. Ointments and oils won’t remove stains in the tattoo. It is best to go to the artist who did the tattoo and ask her/him about options for touch-ups or cover-ups.

You cannot do that. You will have to go to a professional in order to get a tattoo removed safely.

No. The ink is below at least two layers of skin and cannot be removed by any topical ointment.

No. You should absolutely not attempt to remove a tattoo at home. Laser removal is pretty much your only option.

Even a stick-and-poke tattoo will be needing a professional to remove it. Whether you are using a needle and ink or getting your tat done by a professional, you are still putting ink through layers of skin.

Call a dermatologist, or call a tattoo removal service. It will be a lot more expensive to do the laser removal, so make sure you are ready to pay a lot of money.

You can't. Even if you do somehow find someone who can remove tattoos who isn't a professional, you're risking damaging your skin or even getting an infection. It's best to see a professional rather than to try it by yourself or with someone who isn't trained.

You need to plan at least 6 laser sessions for your laser removal, with 4-6 weeks in between. The laser destroys the particles, and your immune system flushes it out of your body. So no, it doesn't work right away. But if your truly unhappy, it's worth it.

Laser treatment is the only option that won't scar. Salt is painful, dangerous, and of dubious effectiveness.

Usually if you make one at home they fade after about 3 months. I had a homemade tattoo, but now it's gone.