Question:
Have you heard of removing tattoos by Have you heard of removing tattoos ?
I spoke to Jason here at Alternative Art once. He told me that for
cover-ups, he'll sometimes cover the old tat with white and then put a
new design over it. But I've never heard of anyone injecting acid under
the skin.
Answer:
- I actually use this cream when I get tattooed. It is called Emla and is by
presciption only. It deadens the skin for about 2 hours or so. I have had
not problems with it. A few of my friends also use it for heavy tattoo and
don't seem to have any problems.
- If you are planning to become pregnant, do not get a tattoo on your
abdomen. Some women are more prone to stretch marks than others--but
your main concern is that once stretched, there is no guarantee that
the tattoo will retain its original shape. Be *especially* wary of
tattoos where the shape matters--like symmetrical pieces, celtics,
tribals, etc.
- HOWEVER, they had a side bar article called "Getting rid of that
tattoo" that I found QUITE alarming. Before I do any complaining to
the newspaper, I wanna get your opinion (ESPECIALLY ALL YOU
PROFESSIONAL TATTOO PEOPLE AND THOSE WHO ARE INTO BIOCHEMICALS)!!
The article says that "Evelyn Gibo, owner of Lasting Beauty and a
licensed tattoo artist, said she uses glycolic acid, a derivative of
sugar used in cosmetics, to remove tattoos. The acid is inserted under
the skin with a tattoo gun. It lists the ink to the surface of the
skin, making the skin scab and lightening the color around the area."
Gibo is quoted as saying that it could take six months to a year to
complete the removal (depending on the size, depth of tattoo and type
of ink), costing $75 an hour.
Another procedure they mention is to "inject white pigment under the
skin to lighten the area. The procedure, known as white out, also
takes several sessions. Once the area is whitened, a custom-mixed
color is injected under the skin." I THINK they mean that the second
color is flesh-toned.
Has anyone heard of these procedures? Any tattoo artists hear about
this from the conventions?
I don't think we have any laws on tattoo removal, but this stuff
sounds really dangerous to me. This woman in the article says she uses
numbing cream for both procedures--I'd like to know where she gets
this stuff, too.
