Before we need to jump on the right way of tattoo fading or removal, it is important to understand that how tattoos are made. They are imprinted underneath the top layer of your skin. Needles are used for first puncturing the skin and then adding the ink to make the design of your choice.
This makes it a permanent design that doesn’t get removed. However, if at any time you are not happy with your tattoo and want that to be removed then it could well be faded. There are plenty of ways to do it where each method has its pros and cons.
Some of the solutions could make it almost invisible. One popular method in practice is to fade your tattoo with hydrogen peroxide. We will discuss this at length, especially how long the process takes.
Table of Contents
What is Hydrogen Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is a safe product that is commonly found as a counter drug in pharmacies, supermarkets, and other departmental stores. The substance is used for multiple purposes including remedies at home.
Some people use hydrogen peroxide solution mixed with warm water while soaking their feet in it for pain or soreness relief. It is also commonly used in bathwater for the sake of cleansing the skin. Another common use of hydrogen peroxide is for the removal or fading of the tattooed skin.
How to fade a tattoo using hydrogen peroxide?
If you are looking to fade your tattoo using hydrogen peroxide then you make sure that you are well through the healing phase. Otherwise, the solution may cause a reaction by infecting your skin.
Hydrogen peroxide is a disinfectant and it has proven to be highly effective for lightening tattoos. The procedure takes a good amount of time and several rounds before you could see considerable results over a few weeks. It is not something that could give you desirable results overnight.
The following are the things that you will require for the procedure:
- Grainy white salt for exfoliation
- Clean white cloth
- Hydrogen peroxide solution
Prerequisite
To make the hydrogen peroxide solution work like a charm, it is important to exfoliate your skin. An effective and natural way of doing so is by using a salt scrub.
Some experts recommend using natural sugar scrub as an alternate as well which could be coconut oil and sugar etc. You need to scrub using your chosen exfoliate for about five to ten minutes.
Make sure that you do not over scrub your skin here or else it may start to bleed. Therefore, only scrub until you see your skin turning pink on the tattooed area.
The only motive here is to remove any dead skin and not to fade the tattoo. This wouldn’t work for tattoo fading as the ink is applied on the second layer which is the dermis.
Procedure
Once you are done with the prerequisite of exfoliating your skin then you need to take a clean. You need to pour the hydrogen peroxide solution on the washcloth. It then needs to be applied over the tattoo.
Make sure that you allow it to stay over the tattoo for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This procedure needs to be consistently repeated at least four times a day.
Using this procedure, you shouldn’t expect to have the results overnight as it is a slow procedure. You need to carry on with this process for a few weeks before you could expect the desirable results to show up.
Does hydrogen peroxide work effectively for all tattoo types?
One important thing to notice here is that different people with different tattoos may get different results. This is true even when they both use the procedure in the same way with an equal amount of consistency.
It is because different tattoos may have different colors used. It could be hard to treat tattoos with tougher, dark, and consistent colors. They will take a longer time to fade as compared to the other lighter colors which are much quicker to treat.
Why use hydrogen peroxide for fading of tattoo?
Hydrogen peroxide is a preferred method as it is quite cheap and you could do it on your own at home. It is a time-consuming process but effective results are guaranteed if you have patience.
If you want to have quick results then the laser removal technique is the best choice for you.
But, it has its cons as well. It will be a painful procedure as the laser is used to remove ink from the second layer of the skin. On top of that, you cannot do this on your own and require the services of tattoo experts. This may cost you a lot as well.
Considering the side effects and other issues associated with quick procedures such as laser treatment, hydrogen peroxide is a viable solution to get you the desired results in a quick time.
Warning and Caution
Although, most commonly found hydrogen peroxide products are believed to be safe. However, you need to do your due diligence as you would only need the substance with 5% hydrogen peroxide. Excessive concentration of the substance could be dangerous.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory body has issued a warning to the consumers that they must not purchase hydrogen peroxide with higher strength.
There is some medical-grade hydrogen peroxide solution having as much as 35% concentration of the material. This is too high an amount and not suitable for regular usage or even for tattoo removal.
It is because higher strength hydrogen peroxide could cause serious health issues and even death if they are ingested. Therefore, you need to keep the cap of the bottle tightly secured and keep it clear from the reach of children. In case of accidental consumption, rush to the emergency.
Video Credit: ToeKneeFoo
Conclusion
Hydrogen peroxide is an effective way to fade tattoos. You may not rely on it to completely remove your tattoo. This is a preferred method as it is cheap and you could do it on your own at home.
However, it is a time-consuming process and you need to practice it regularly over a few weeks to see your tattoo getting considerably faded. If you want quick results with tattoos virtually removed then the painful laser treatment is the right option for you.
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