Here’s a quick primer or reference sheet looking at various tattoo removal methods, from professional services to unrecommended over the counter, at home products. This list is not inclusive of all possible methods and only provides the average or suggested cost. Prices of course vary by location and by individual clinics, who are all able to set their own prices for their services. Use this list to get a ball park idea of how much treatments for tattoo removal cost.

Professional Tattoo Removal Services and Methods

Tattoo Removal Method: Laser Tattoo Removal
Pricing Stucture: Priced By Individual Laser Treatments.
Average Number of Treatments to Remove a Tattoo: 5-10
Cost Of Each Laser Treatment: $250-500
Risk of Scarring: low
(Recommended)

Tattoo Removal Method: Rejuvi Tattoo Removal
Pricing Stucture: Cost is Made Up Of Individual Treatments Targetting About 1 Inch of Tattoo Ink At A Time. Average Number of Treatments to Remove a Tattoo: 3-5.
Cost of Each Rejuvi Treatment – $100-$150.
Risk of Scarring: low
(Recommended)

Tattoo Removal Method: Dermabrasion
Pricing Stucture: Priced by Treatment
Average Number of Treatments to Remove a Tattoo: 1-3
Cost of Each Treatment: Cost of Each Session: $100-500
Risk of Scarring: medium
Note: Risk of scarring is higher than for laser or rejuvi. Because of this, dermabrasion is not as commonly used to remove tattoos as it once in the 1970′s and 1980′s.

Tattoo Removal Method:Excision
Pricing Stucture: Priced by size of tattoo
Average Number of Treatments to Remove a Tattoo: 1
Risk of Scarring: high
Note: Excision involves cutting out the skin containing the tattoo. It leaves a scar and is rarely practiced anymore.
(Not Recommended)

Misc. Over The Counter Tattoo Removal Products

Product: TCA Cream
Cost: $50 a bottle
Risk of Scarring: medium
Notes: TCA is a proven technique for tattoo removal but at the expense of a risk of scarring to the skin.
(Not Recommended)

Product: Tattoo Removal Cream. This includes products like Tat B Gone, Tattoo Off, and Wrecking Balm.
Cost: $50-300
Risk of Scarring: low
Notes: Sold in various methods, usually translating to about $50-100 for a month supply. In order to remove a tattoo, it could take 6-12 months of applying the solution. The effectiveness of such products is not proven in the same way techniques like laser and rejuvi are.

Product: Cheese Grater
Cost: $2.99
Risk of Scarring: Absolutely Guaranteed
Notes: Process involves highly painful sessions of grating the skin. Not recommended, but for those of you looking for it, this is by far the cheapest tattoo removal method around.

Okay, I’m getting a little carried away here right from the start. What we were talking about? Leprechauns? Oh no, yes, cheap tattoo removal.

Well, actually, leprechauns and cheap tattoo removal have a little bit in common. Usually anyone looking into either subject is engaged in a bit of a fantast world. Leprechauns don’t exist, and neither does cheap tattoo removal.

Ouch!

Let me clarify.

Cheap tattoo removal products and services do exist, but if your goal is to have your tattoo removed effectively, reliably, safely – as in a mininal to near zero risk of scarring, and by a tatto removal professionally who knows what they are doing, then cheap tattoo removal is a pipe dream, because there is nothing that’s cheap that meets these standards.

You can clearly see the price differences between things like laser tattoo removal, dermabrasion, and rejuvi services versus over the counter tattoo removal solutions like TCA cream, Nuviderm, and Wrecking Balm tattoo removal and fade kits.

It’s not that these products might not work, but… well, they might not work, actually, that is the problem, to be perfectly frank about it.

Because a product that fades your tattoo but doesn’t remove it isn’t an effective tattoo removal product. Nor is a product that burns the skin and may create a scar. This doesn’t qualify as an effective, safe tattoo removal method that I would recommend. But I do agree to the extent that yes, it may actually remove your tattoo, and may only cost you $50. But I just don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Getting a tattoo is something that people take a lot of consideration into. And even if they do it on the spur of the moment, they’re still smart enough to delegate the job to a professional. The reverse should also be true. Getting a tattoo removed is something that should also be delegated to the professionals, and NOT rests on the hopes of following an instruction sheet that came along with a bottle of cream purchased on Ebay.

This is your body we’re talking about here, and it shouldn’t be at the receiving end of any sketchy at home medical treatments. This means no at home tattoo removal!