The increase in demand for painless tattoo removal has brought about an increase in products being offered to the public. Distinguishing truth from fiction can be difficult and possessing a strong desire for certain results can cloud judgment. While many tattoo removal creams are available online, there is little clinical evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness. Some creams on the market may do almost nothing. Even the best removal creams have proven to only lighten or fade a tattoo, while leaving the tattoo clearly visible on the skin. Why are these products not working and why is a cream insufficient?
Tattoos are applied by a vibrating hollow needle filled with pigment. The needle penetrates the top layer of the skin and releases the pigment 1/8 of an inch below the skin. The depth of the ink application is the key to mystery of why cream tattoo removal doesn’t work. These creams absorb into the thin outer epidermis but do not penetrate to any depth. Tattoo pigment is suspended in the layers of skin beneath the top layers, far beyond the reach of any standard cream. While it may be possible to find acid-based creams that can penetrate to the dermis, such creams could create scarring and damage the skin resulting in an appearance far less desirable than the tattoo itself. While each tattoo is unique and the number of treatments required may vary, dermatologists agree that the most effective way to remove a tattoo is with a laser. It seems that the short cut of a cream tattoo remover is still a work of fiction at present.