Ready to get that tattoo removed? Well, you are not alone. Although there are no exact figures, it is estimated that about 25%-50% of people who get a tattoo eventually get it removed.  If you are trying to lose yours, you basically have 2 options. You can get it surgically removed or you can get a cover-up tattoo.  Generally speaking, smaller, single-color tattoos on large sections of skin (such as the arm or back) are the best candidates for cover ups.  Larger or more elaborate tats, or those in unusual places, such as on your hands, feet, or neck, are better off being surgically removed.  

The good news is that while surgery used to involve literally removing a piece of your skin, technology has come a long way.  In today’s world, most surgical tattoo removal is done with lasers.  Doctors blast the tattoo with a variety of laser frequencies, destroying the ink pigments and allowing them to break up and be absorbed by the body.  It is a slow process and you may have to go several times before the tattoo finally fades away.  It is also expensive, so keep that in mind when getting a tattoo in the first place. 

Your best bet, always get a custom design.  That way, you have to go to the tattoo parlor more than once.  This gives you more time to reconsider what your doing, or chicken out entirely.  In addition, unless your heart is set on them, steer away from green and purple inks, which lasers have the hardest time erasing.

So, as far as getting that tattoo removed, this is what you have to work with. Remember, think before you ink – and good luck with your tattoo removal efforts.