Saline Tattoo Removal, anybody know about this?

[cltattooing]

One of my clients directed me to this page yesterday: Tattoo removal, non-laser | Dragonfly Ink

Looks interesting and I was wondering if anybody elsewhere has seen or heard of anything similar. The last 3 photos in the gallery are pretty impressive. Looks like a saline solution of some sort is tattooed over the original tattoo, which causes the scabbing to pull the ink out of the tattoo. They claim 50-75% fewer sessions than laser, which seems pretty awesome. If something like this is as effective as claimed, and is far less painful than laser removal, it seems like it could become a go-to for tattoo removal.

Thoughts? Would love to hear from some laser techs on this one.

[David Flores]

I have heard and people using saline to remove tattoos for some time and have witnessed the procedure a couple of times. Those couple of times I haven't been able to develop an opinion about whether it works better than laser. The first time I saw it happen, it was to try to remove a couple letters in a tattoo that was misspelled, after a couple of sessions the tattooer covered it up with the right letters, secondly was a guy who was trying to get his whole sleeved zapped so he could get a japanese sleeve by someone else. He only did one session, but it removed a good amount of black from the tattoos on his arm, but he still decided to go the laser route, . I am not sure how they use the saline to remove the tattoo, but I saw it done with a coil machine, so methods could be different, but if that is the case one thing to consider is that laser sessions hurt a lot but take a lot less time than having somone go over your whole tattoo with saline, and the process hurt more than being tattooed, so which is really worse?. Like I said this could be a different method with same substance, but that is my insight from what I have seen.

[cltattooing]

@David Flores Cheers, thanks! I guess it's apples and oranges. I'll look into it further. The one main upside to saline that sticks out to me is (probably) less trauma to the skin. If it proves effective, I'd like to try it out. We'll see, maybe I should just go into Dragonfly and talk to them.

[Brock Varty]

@Mike Panic You know anything about this man? (Mike is our resident laser guy)

[Mike Panic]

My opinion, avoid this. It looks similar to Tatt2Away® by Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. (Official Site) | Tatt2Away® Natural Non Laser Tattoo Removal System, which I also don't trust.

Here's the thing. Who out there thinks it makes sense to open up a tattoo (create an open wound) via tattoo machine with no ink in it, then pour salt in it, or use saline (salt water) instead of tattoo pigment? No one. Ask your family doctor what they think about this, and they will tell you the possible side effects, you'll walk away.

It's non-FDA regulated. There's no governing body on how this is to be done, or instructional information. There's nothing saying who is and who isn't doing it right. It's also invasive. Whenever you open up the skin, you are opening yourself up to long term negative effects.

[cltattooing]

My opinion, avoid this. It looks similar to Tatt2Away® by Rejuvatek Medical, Inc. (Official Site) | Tatt2Away® Natural Non Laser Tattoo Removal System, which I also don't trust.

Here's the thing. Who out there thinks it makes sense to open up a tattoo (create an open wound) via tattoo machine with no ink in it, then pour salt in it, or use saline (salt water) instead of tattoo pigment? No one. Ask your family doctor what they think about this, and they will tell you the possible side effects, you'll walk away.

It's non-FDA regulated. There's no governing body on how this is to be done, or instructional information. There's nothing saying who is and who isn't doing it right. It's also invasive. Whenever you open up the skin, you are opening yourself up to long term negative effects.

Whoa, buddy. Pour salt in it? That's a bit extreme, even for a hypothetical example. I think I will ask a doctor, actually. With proper cross-contamination practices, I can't imagine that the side-effects would be too different from those possible with getting tattooed.

Also would like to note that tattoo pigment isn't FDA regulated either, and that any body of information regarding tattoo pigment is regarded as trade secret so it's not really like customers can educate themselves on that front without speaking directly to their artist.

Also, from what I understand, Tat2Away induces local necrosis so that's also much more extreme than pushing saline into the skin.

[Mike Panic]

@cltattooing - I'll see if I can find the user on Instagram who had a tattoo artist open up her tattoo with a machine that had no ink in it, then packed seat salt onto the wound or 10 minutes, then rinsed a few hours later and did a saline soak following that.

I'm very aware that tattoo pigment isn't FDA regulated. My malpractice waiver form indicates that, and lists some of the possible ingredients to it. I've also been fortunate enough to know a few people in the industry, and they've told me off the record some ingredients. A lot of people have a negative reaction to red pigment, you wouldn't be surprised why if I told you what a primary ingredient is.

From what I understand about Tat2away is that they don't disclose anything, so we can all speculate about it. I've read some people claiming it's lactic acid.

Yes, I'm pro-laser because I do it for a living, but it's also been medically proven to work for over 15 years now. The side effects are well documented, the treatment process and aftercare have all been gone over, for years. Very little has changed with laser tattoo removal treatment in that time.

[cltattooing]

@cltattooing - I'll see if I can find the user on Instagram who had a tattoo artist open up her tattoo with a machine that had no ink in it, then packed seat salt onto the wound or 10 minutes, then rinsed a few hours later and did a saline soak following that.

I'm very aware that tattoo pigment isn't FDA regulated. My malpractice waiver form indicates that, and lists some of the possible ingredients to it. I've also been fortunate enough to know a few people in the industry, and they've told me off the record some ingredients. A lot of people have a negative reaction to red pigment, you wouldn't be surprised why if I told you what a primary ingredient is.

From what I understand about Tat2away is that they don't disclose anything, so we can all speculate about it. I've read some people claiming it's lactic acid.

Yes, I'm pro-laser because I do it for a living, but it's also been medically proven to work for over 15 years now. The side effects are well documented, the treatment process and aftercare have all been gone over, for years. Very little has changed with laser tattoo removal treatment in that time.

Please do, I'd like to know more about that too. Was the practicing artist performing the procedure as a professional service or as an experiment? I can't imagine that anyone in a medically-related profession who is worth their salt (see what I did :P) would put a handful of sea salt directly onto an open wound. That is total madness. Also, most tattooers who have some knowledge about what is happening with their equipment will know why tattooing without a medium will bog down your machine and traumatize the skin.

Saline solution in itself, when mild, is completely harmless to humans. I'm not questioning your claim so much as the legitimacy of who was doing it. I think is counterproductive to set standards to subpar practices.

Also, I am not coming from a place of trying to delegitimize or replace laser removal. I don't think it has to be one or the other. I want to know more about saline removal because I think it would be nice to have viable options and alternatives with tattoo removal. For me personally, I would prefer to do something like saline removal on smaller tattoos because it would be easy to sit for, and less painful than laser removal. For larger pieces, I'd probably go the laser route because you can cover more ground in less time.

[ChrisvK]

@cltattooing - A lot of people have a negative reaction to red pigment, you wouldn't be surprised why if I told you what a primary ingredient is.

Is it dried up animal blood that they ground up to a powder? I hitched a ride with a truckdriver transporting that stuff and he explained they basicly use it in everything that's red nowadays. I never thought of it being in tattoo ink but i guess that could be possible. Makes me curious, if you don't want it out on the forum you could PM me (if you want that is)

Cheers

[Mike Panic]

It's not that @ChrisvK, but think about what happens to old metal things that are left outside an neglected.... '

@cltattooing - sorry for the late reply. Photo and description here: Instagram

Another photo here: Instagram

[slayer9019]

Is it dried up animal blood that they ground up to a powder? I hitched a ride with a truckdriver transporting that stuff and he explained they basicly use it in everything that's red nowadays. I never thought of it being in tattoo ink but i guess that could be possible. Makes me curious, if you don't want it out on the forum you could PM me (if you want that is)

Cheers

I think you are thinking of certain red food dyes. Some use crushed bugs to make the red color.

[ChrisvK]

It's not that @ChrisvK, but think about what happens to old metal things that are left outside an neglected.... '

@cltattooing - sorry for the late reply. Photo and description here: Instagram

Another photo here: Instagram

So they use rust? Really no wonder some people react to red then

[irezumi]

It's made from heavy metal and unicorn blood.

[hogg]

It's made from heavy metal and unicorn blood.

But isn't it mixed with the tears of vegans?

[Reyeslv]

But isn't it mixed with the tears of vegans?

Vegans don't cry!!!!

[hogg]

Vegans don't cry!!!!

Well played, my friend.

[JAllen]

Well played, my friend.

I figured it was a typo for virgin tears. But @irezumi is correct.

[lasereast]

When looking for a new laser technician make sure your technician is a Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer CMLSO and is properly trained in the lasers they use.

[Matthew Thomas]

Teeth bleaching has been around for years, and is proven to be effective, yet costs several hundred dollars per treatment. I saw a post on facebook about a home whitening involving toothpaste, baking soda and peroxide. Many dentists commented saying it was unsafe and harmful to teeth's enamel. Similarly, you have a laser tattoo removal specialist decrying the harmful side effects of a less expensive tattoo removal process. Sorry, but it does sound a bit biased to me. Sure, laser removal has been around awhile, and the process hasn't changed much except that they've come out with better lasers in the last 20 years. But there are alternatives, such as saline removal (there is an even more extreme process called salabrasion in which you rub the skin raw with sandpaper and then rub salt into it, supposedly osmotic pressure bring the ink to the surface, I would not recommend this route). But if done properly, saline is harmless to the skin, and if done in a sterile environment with a clean needle, I'm sure the risks are minimal. So let's hear more info about this process.

[Gregor]

Laser just seems more natural to me , let your body deal with the ink. All this "drawing out " of ink with salt like it was pus in an infected wound sounds wrong and potentially scarring.

[savagegal85]

Bump...

I am looking into becoming a non-laser tattoo removal technician using the Tattoo Vanish method. Its basically a saline solution mixed with some other natural extracts that is applied to a re-opened tattoo. I am doing my research and so far everything about it looks legit. It removes all colors of ink, it doesn't force the ink back into your body, and it uses your body's natural healing process to actually remove the ink that's been drawn out. Its also supposed to take about half the sessions of laser removal, making it more cost effective. I am strongly considering getting trained and want some opinions on the subject. How many of you out there would consider getting tattoo removal using this Tattoo Vanish method?

[Mike Panic]

everything about it looks legit

Really, it looks legit?

When you see FDA approval on the proprietary solution used and the process itself and are shown complete removals without scarring on all parts of the body, I'll become a believer.

I've NEVER seen anyone try this stuff on a knuckle, throat or other area of the body where there isn't a lot of muscle or fat tissue.

Not my website, found via Google search, MD Cosmedical Solutions Tattoo Removal Sydney | Laser Tattoo & Tatt2away Removal Specialists Sydney - that is NOT acceptable to me.

Tatt2Away official site, Tatt2Away® - How Tatt2Away Works - again, nothing looks right about that.

Again not my website and found via Google, Bad Tattoo Removal Treatments

[CustomDermagraphics]

I am a paramedical tattoo artist. We use a saline solution in place of pigment when we are touching up areas and need the pigment to lighten. This is sterile and medical grade saline from the medical supplier. We also use this when the patient has an adverse reaction to a pigment such as; itching, edema or any other discomfort. This method irrigates the area by depositing the saline into the healed tattoo. The saline then flushes out the pigment during the healing process. It can take as many as three sessions. It is the same discomfort of a tattoo. The same procedure. The only difference is saline solution is being used in place of pigment. The healing process is the same as well.  It works well. Topical numbing can be used to avoid discomfort. Applied 45 minutes prior and wiped off during prep. It lasts 90 mins from the time you wipe it. Standard procedure for going on 10 years now.

Edited June 10, 2019 by CustomDermagraphics

[H munachi]

Can I ask where you are based?, and what's the risk of using this method on larger tattoos?

[Princess Sparkle Mittens]

Here's a healed pic of the tattoo that was removed using this method that was posted above.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BykrBJMnMZD/