Tattoos have become increasingly popular over the years as a form of self-expression. However, many people later regret their ink and want to have it removed. This has led some to look into home remedies like using salt to remove tattoos. But does salt actually work to fade or erase tattoos? Let‘s take a factual look at the safety and effectiveness of using salt for tattoo removal.
How Do Professional Tattoo Removal Methods Work?
While using table salt or sea salt may seem like an easy, inexpensive option, professional tattoo removal is the only proven safe and effective method. The most common professional techniques include:
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Laser tattoo removal: This uses focused beams of intense laser light to break up the tattoo pigments. The body‘s immune system then absorbs the fragmented ink over 6-12 treatments.
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Dermabrasion: A wire brush or diamond wheel abrades the skin‘s top layers to sand down the tattoo. The tattoo may reappear slightly over time as deeper ink resurfaces.
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TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peels: TCA is applied to chemically peel off top skin layers where the ink resides. Healing can take up to a month and may require multiple treatments.
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Surgical excision: Cutting out the tattooed skin and stitching the edges together. This leaves a permanent scar and does not prevent ink from remaining in the dermis.
Laser removal has proven to be the gold standard with a 90-100% success rate for completely removing tattoos. Sessions are spaced 6-8 weeks apart for optimal results. While professional methods carry some risks like pain, blistering, and scarring, they are medically managed for safety.
The Problem With Using Salt
While using salt to fade a tattoo may seem like a natural, DIY option, it simply does not work and can seriously damage your skin. Here‘s why:
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Salt does not penetrate deep enough. Tattoo ink is deposited deep in the dermis, the second layer of skin below the epidermis. Salt crystals only interact with the outermost layers of skin and cannot reach the deeper ink pigments.
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Salt is an irritant. Salt is abrasive and can cause significant irritation when directly applied to skin, leading to redness, swelling, bleeding, and scarring which can permanently distort the appearance of the tattoo.
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Risk of infection. With open wounds and damage to the skin, rubbing salt into a tattoo carries a high infection risk. Infections can spread, causing severe complications.
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Permanent scarring. The scrubbing motion and inflammation caused by salt can lead to raised, thickened scar tissue which obscures and disfigures the tattoo.
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Skin discoloration. Salt can destroy layers of skin, causing hypopigmentation – loss of normal skin color, resulting in white patches and spots.
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Uneven fading. Given salt‘s inability to penetrate below the epidermis, any minor fading will look patchy and uneven. Only the topmost layers of ink will be lightly affected.
Common Misconceptions About Salt Tattoo Removal
Myth 1: Soaking in salt water will fade ink over time.
Reality: Salt water will only extract moisture from skin, leading to dryness and irritation. It does not impact tattoo pigments in the deep dermis at all.
Myth 2: Rubbing salt directly on the skin draws out ink.
Reality: Abrading the tattoo with salt granules will scrape off skin before ink, leading to bleeding, scarring and infections.
Myth 3: Salt scrubs can smooth away tattoos.
Reality: Salt scrubs contain microtears and abrasives that destroy skin cells rather than removing stable inks. This leads to bleeding and scarring.
Myth 4: Applying warm salt compresses repeatedly can remove ink.
Reality: While heat and moisture may provide some soothing, salt does not pull out pigments from the dermis and will only damage the skin after repeated use.
Safer Aftercare Tips for New Tattoos
While attempting tattoo removal with salt is inadvisable, you can care for a brand new tattoo safely using these medically-approved tips:
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Clean: Use mild antibacterial soap and warm water to gently clean your new tattoo twice a day, patting dry with paper towels. Avoid soaking for 2-3 weeks until healed.
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Moisturize: Apply a fragrance-free lotion after washing to keep your tattoo hydrated. Ointments can clog pores, so use lotions.
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Protect: Keep your new tattoo completely covered with bandages or clothing in the first 2 weeks. This prevents abrasion, bacteria, and sun exposure.
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Avoid sun: Sunlight can severely fade tattoo colors before the ink sets in the skin. Wear SPF 30 or higher sunscreen on healed tattoos.
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Don‘t scratch: Itching and peeling are normal in a healing tattoo. Avoid picking or scratching, which can pull out ink.
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Watch for infection: If you notice excessive redness, swelling, oozing discharge or fever, see your doctor about possible infection.
Dermatologist Insights: Why Salt Tattoo Removal Is a Bad Idea
I spoke to Dr. Sneha Patel, a board certified dermatologist, to get her medical perspective on using salt to remove tattoos:
"I strongly advise against using any kind of salt – table salt, sea salt, Epsom salt – in an attempt to remove or fade a tattoo. Salt is an irritant which can cause severe inflammation and damage to your skin."
"It simply does not have the ability to penetrate down into the deep dermis to interact with the stable tattoo pigments. Any ‘fading‘ would be superficial and uneven with patchy white spots from skin destruction."
"Not only are you unlikely to see any meaningful results, but you may end up with a tattoo that is distorted by scarring, skin discoloration, and texture changes from the salt abrasion. The risks outweigh any potential benefits."
"Attempting tattoo removal with salt can lead to infections which can become serious if they spread. See a medical professional if you have any reaction."
Case Study: Salt Tattoo Removal Causes Scarring
John, age 25, attempted to fade a large back tattoo by rubbing table salt directly into his skin. He focused on scrubbing the salt granules into the tattoo for 10 minutes twice a day.
Within a week, John‘s entire tattoo area became red, swollen and tender. Small open wounds began weeping clear fluid. Over the next month, the aggravated skin formed thick scars over the entire tattoo.
While parts of the tattoo lightened somewhat from the skin damage, the image was now obscured by uneven white scars and misshapen from the warped, overgrown scar tissue.
John saw a doctor to treat the infected wounds. He now needs professional laser scar revision and cover-up tattoos to correct the extensive scarring damage caused by his use of salt to remove the original tattoo.
Professional Tattoo Removal Methods Comparison
Conclusion: Don‘t Use Salt on Tattoos
While using salt to remove a tattoo may seem like a natural DIY solution, it simply does not work and results in skin damage like bleeding, scarring, discoloration and infections. Only professional tattoo removal is proven safe and effective. Consult a doctor specializing in tattoo removal to explore your options. With proper aftercare, you can keep new tattoos vibrant for years.
