Which tattoo colors can you remove?

Hey Dorian,

I got some pretty wicked tattoos: tribal stamp around my left wrist, my own words to live by on my upper back. But my biggest one is my flower blossom that uses quite a few colors. Is this going to be a problem if I decide to remove it? Thanks man"

It definitely makes things more complicated, that's for sure. Some tattoo removal methods are very sensitive to the type of ink pigment being used.


For example with laser methods, black and red pigment won't be an issue. But others will especially if they're lighter. The problem is that lasers have difficulty targeting these ink layers.


Nontraditional colors, nontraditional methods

The flip side of the coin is that it doesn't matter if you're tattoo is pink, purple, or some crazy lime green if you use methods like the apricot scrub mentioned in my guide .
 
That's because exfoliation methods don't discriminate, they simply wear off dead layers of skin until the tattoo is exfoliated.

Of course this is one of several methods discussed in the guide.


Coverups

Another thing you need to keep in mind especially if you're considering another tattoo is "Will this be something I can modify or mask later?" For example pink flower petals will be much harder to mask than black which can be easily turned into a wheel, astrological symbol, or many other things.
 
But you'll never need to change that tattoo, am I right? There's a reason you're on this page isn't there :) 

I have tattoos of various types on every limb in my body. And I'm perfectly cool with it because I know how to reverse, cover, or modify all of them. As a professional artist and remover, I guess that extra bit of knowledge helps. All I can say is be smart about your upcoming tattoo and always have a backup plan.

Tattoo removal: what to expect in terms of cost

"Hey Dorian, can you give me a breakdown of the cost to expect with tattoo removal methods?"

When you're looking at laser-based methods, you're paying for an initial consultation followed by a per session charge. 

Clinics that are hungry for business might offer the initial consult for free, but usually you're paying about $100 for the privilege. Basically the doctor or his assistant will look at your tattoo, tell you how easy or hard of a job it'll be for the lasers depending on the size, complexity, and amount of ink pigments used. And based on that plan he will recommend a series of laser removal sessions.

In essence you're being charged $100 or so for a sales presentation. But hey, when you get to call your clients "patients," you have that luxury :-)

So how about the cost per session? Depends on part of the country you're from, but expect to pay about $150-$400 per session. If you have a really easy removal job you may have as little as three treatments, but more likely you can expect to be going for five or more. It's not uncommon for someone to continue treatments for two years for larger tattoos that cover the whole of the back or thigh area.

Home-based removal: the cost of a grocery bill

Or not even that. Home-based methods can be surprisingly affordable because they use natural exfoliation to bring the ink up to the surface layers where it is then expelled through natural processes.

Take the aloe vera or lemon juice methods mentioned in my laserless tattoo removal guide . How much do these ingredients cost at your grocery store? $10 max nowadays? Unlike laser methods you'll probably pay a lot less for the removal than the actual tattoo!


Of course at home methods do require more effort on your part, since you'll need to keep to a schedule and exfoliate multiple times a day before you see a decent level of fade. Based on the money you're saving though, it's well worth it. I mean, when you look at a series of laser treatments, you're talking $500 at the very minimum for a small heart tattoo. $1,000 plus for a tattoo of any size, and well into the thousands for larger designs. And you're not even really saving time because you have to keep driving to the clinic and going through multiple sessions.

Just my opinion anyways, as someone who teaches and preaches home-based removal methods. You're free to make your own decisions my friend.