About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffTattoo ink is placed beneath the top layer of skin. That makes tattoo removal more complicated — and expensive — than the original tattoo application. If you're no longer satisfied with your tattoo, however, tattoo removal may be possible.
The most common tattoo-removal procedures include:
- Laser surgery
- Dermabrasion
- Surgical removal
If you're interested in tattoo removal, consult your dermatologist about the options. Don't attempt tattoo removal on your own. Do-it-yourself tattoo removal creams and other home treatments aren't likely to be effective and may cause skin irritation or other reactions.
- Schmidt RM, et al. Tattooing and body piercing. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 12, 2009.
- Tattoo removal information. American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. http://www.asds.net/TattooRemovalInformation.aspx. Accessed Nov. 13, 2009.
- Laser surgery information. American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. http://www.asds.net/LaserSurgeryInformation.aspx. Accessed Nov. 13, 2009.
- Dermabrasion information. American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. http://www.asds.net/DermabrasionInformation.aspx. Accessed Nov. 13, 2009.
- Sakamoto FH, et al. Lasers and flashlamps in dermatology. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3005443&searchStr=tattoo#3005443. Accessed Nov. 13, 2009.
- Armstrong ML, et al. Motivation for contemporary tattoo removal: A shift in identity. Archives of Dermatology. 2008;144:879.
- Burris K, et al. Tattoo removal. Clinics in Dermatology. 2007;25:388.
- Tanzi EL, et al. Skin resurfacing: Ablative lasers, chemical peels, and dermabrasion. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3007421&searchStr=dermabrasion. Accessed Nov. 16, 2009.
- Wenzel S, et al. Recurring mistakes in tattoo removal: A case series. Dermatology. 2009;218:164.
Find Mayo Clinic on