Tattoo Removal
In the Middle Ages tattoo removal was a much respected medical specialty. Two centuries later, because of the discouragement of the Christian church, tattooing was less prevalent and therefore the practice of tattoo removal nearly died out.
In the history of tattoos and their removal many forms of tattoo removal were nothing more than magic and, of course, were unsuccessful. Later, chemical formulas began to be developed and one of these was a tattoo removal cream concoction known to be used as early as 54 A.D. and was made of white garlic, ground up cantharides and a mixture of sulfur, bronze coins, beeswax and oil. Cantharides, is a blistering agent and could conceivably destroy superficial marks, but anything deeper would be untouched unless the resulting inflammation reached the second layer of skin and caused rejection of the pigment. As late as 1962 cantharides was known to be used as a form of tattoo removal. The instructions were to apply the irritant, wait 10 minutes, cut away the resulting blister and apply a second coat to the exposed raw skin. The end result is said to have been surprisingly good considering the alternatives available at the time.
Dating back to the 543 A.D., the Greek physician, Aetuis prescribed a tattoo removal cream consisting of one part pepper, two parts rue, two parts orpiment, and unspecified quantities of nitre and turpentine resin. The application of this concoction caused raw, bleeding skin that was then covered with salt. The mixture was reapplied on the sixth and 12th day. Twenty days after the second application the tattoo was usually gone, but was replaced by a large ulcer, which eventually was covered with scar tissue.
Centuries later, such chemicals as nitric and sulfuric acid were tried, but of course proved to be too strong. In the late 19th century, the Variot method of tattoo removal was introduced, which is a form of over tattooing with tannic acid and rubbing silver nitrate over the top of the treated area. This method proved to be rather time consuming and generally resulted in severe scarring. In the early 20th century the Variot method was revived and improved upon by adding lignocaine hydrochloride 2%, adrenaline one 1/80,000th, glycerin and distilled water and re-tattooed into the skin. The area was then swabbed with silver nitrate to form a black crust, which remained for 2 to 3 weeks. Once the black crust fell off, the resulting area was generally tattoo free, but scarred.
Since the time of the improved Variot method of tattoo removal great strides have been made in the science of tattoo ink removal. Listed below are the common methods used today.
- Laser surgery
- TCA tattoo removal
- Excision
- Tattoo removal cream
- Dermabrasion
- Salabrasion
Of the above mentioned methods laser surgery is the best known, followed closely by TCA tattoo removal and tattoo removal cream. Laser surgery requires visits to a doctors' or technicians' office every 6 to 8 weeks until the tattoo has been removed or faded. This form of tattoo removal is not effective on light pigmented tattoos, it works best on black, dark blue and other very dark colors.
TCA tattoo removal is a common chemical peel product used every day by doctors the world over to remove skin blemishes of all kinds. It is also highly effective for the removal of tattoo pigment regardless of the color.
Tattoo removal cream comes in many formulas, but is consistent in the use of skin pigment fading chemicals as a major part of their formula. Some of these creams also incorporate exfoliates in the form of dried silica or sometimes crushed walnut shells and these creams are usually more effective, although they do take a long period of time and can be very costly as they are usually sold in amounts enough to treat a tattoo for one month at a time. Some of the tattoo removal cream manufacturers also include a battery operated sander or other form of exfoliate along with the cream, as it has been suggested by doctors at the Mayo Clinic that creams by themselves generally do not have the capacity to penetrate through the top layer of skin, known as the epidermis, to the second layer of skin, known as the dermis, where the tattoo pigment resides.
Nuviderm Tattoo Removal
