Saline Tattoo Removal: Cosmetic Tattoo Removal With Saline Solution

Permanent makeup, aka cosmetic tattoo, which includes microblading, is on the rise in Canada, but did you know there’s a difference between how a cosmetic vs a regular tattoo is given? Cosmetic tattoos are designed to fade over time and are implanted in the dermal-epidermal junction of your skin. Because of this, there is also a difference in how you care for them and the removal processes. One option for removal and maintenance is saline tattoo removal.

This option forgoes lasers and has many benefits. This type of tattoo removal has been around for decades, but it’s not as commonly known. Keep reading to learn more about getting cosmetic tattoos removed with saline.

What Is a Saline Tattoo Removal?

Saline tattoo removal uses salt water, also known as saline, to help completely remove or fade tattoos. Generally, the saline consists of purified water and sodium chloride. Note that this saline solution is highly concentrated, nothing like the saline solution you wash your eyes with.

However, some brands use additional ingredients for certain benefits. These can include things like orange seed extract or aloe vera. The purpose of this is to make the solution more effective and soothing.

Why Would You Need a Saline Tattoo Removal for a Cosmetic Tattoo?

Saline tattoo removal for permanent makeup goes beyond tattoo regret. This process gets used for several reasons, including maintaining cosmetic eyebrow tattoos.

There are really two reasons for saline tattoo removal when discussing cosmetic tattoos.

Rescue

First, if you’ve gone to a newbie tech with poor technique, you might need a rescue session in an emergency situation. This could be due to the ink getting deposited too deep or the shape or colour choice being wrong.

If you need a rescue removal, also known as emergency removal, it can get completed on a fresh tattoo within the first 48 hours. However, after that, you must wait until the scab is gone or the skin heals.

Revive

This is the most common reason for saline tattoo removals.

At some point, you will need to get your permanent makeup touched up. Remember, this ink is deposited in the dermal-epidermal junction of your skin and is designed to fade. Though it just doesn’t fade, it changes the colour as each basic colour has a different colour fastness.

It’s important to understand that when you get a colour boost on your brows, you won’t be able to make them softer, lighter, or smaller without first removing what’s already there. You could make them bolder, darker, or bigger though.

Let’s look at it this way, imagine that your skin is a sponge. When you go to revive your tattoo, your skin can’t soak up more ink if it’s already saturated with the ink from previous sessions. You first have to wring it out (saline tattoo removal), then you can make the changes you want.

This also applies if you want to lighten the colour of your eyebrows or change their shape.

Since eyebrow cosmetic tattoo is getting so popular, after so many colour-boosting sessions, eventually, every tattooed brow will have to go through this process sooner or later.

How Does Saline Tattoo Removal Work?

During a saline tattoo removal, the technician uses a hand-held tool that’s similar to a microblading pen or a tattoo device. They deposit saline into the tattoo with the tool.

Since the specially formulated saline solution is highly concentrated, it creates a hypertonic reaction and pulls the pigment out to your skin’s outer layer. When the ink is pulled into the epidermis, it will shed off and reveal a lighter tattoo.

How Many Sessions Does Saline Tattoo Removal Take?

Saline tattoo removal, just like any type of removal method, is not a quick process. It takes more than one appointment, and some people will see results faster than others.

The number of sessions you need for saline tattoo removal will be dependent on many factors, such as the age of the tattoo, pigment type, pigment colours, and where the tattoo is sitting in your skin. Each session needs to be a minimum of 8 weeks from the previous session.

This gives your skin time to fully heal between sessions.

The Benefits of Saline Tattoo Removal

Saline tattoo removal is a better choice for cosmetic tattoos. But why? Knowing the benefits of saline tattoo removal can help answer that question.

Less Pain

Getting a laser tattoo removal is painful. The laser uses heat to break up the ink, and that can cause a burning sensation and blisters.

Saline tattoo removal feels like a mild stinging sensation for a very short period of time instead. Most people report that they can feel the burning sensation but it is not unbearable. However, pain tolerance differs for each individual.

More Effective for Permanent Makeup pigments

There are some tattoos that lasers don’t work well on. This includes permanent makeup.

These tattoos tend to use lighter colour pigments, such as titanium dioxide, which most lasers don’t recognize as target colours. In contrast, the saline method is colour-blind.

Reduced Chance of Scarring

Laser tattoo removal has a higher risk of scarring. The last thing you want is scars where your eyebrows should be.

If you’re worried about scarring, it’s better to check and see if saline tattoo removal is the right choice for you. Saline method improves scarring, which might have been created when you had microblading done.

Better for Cosmetic Tattoos

Cosmetic tattoo pigments consist of a combination of colours; red, yellow, and blue, and maybe carbon black and titanium dioxide. Those colours don’t fast at the same pace, and this oftentimes results in your brows being left ashy after some time.

Removing carbon black, the smallest molecule-size pigment, can return your brows back to a nice brown again.

Safe and Gentle on the Skin and Hair

Saline tattoo removal is a safe option and has no chance of damaging hair follicles, which can cause hair loss. In addition, it tends to be the best choice for people with sensitive skin.

Redness and scabbing generally disappear after a few days or weeks. People also notice reduced discomfort and swelling.

Safer for People With Allergies

If you have allergic reactions to pigments, saline tattoo removal is a much safer choice. Laser removals push the ink into the body.

In contrast, saline removal pulls the ink out. For people with allergies, it’s safer to pull the ink out.

Schedule Your Saline Tattoo Removal Consultation

Do you have a cosmetic tattoo that needs to be revived or rescued? Saline tattoo removal is less painful and is a better choice for cosmetic tattoos.

Rachel, Vita Felices owner, is not only the first Botched Ink-certified tech in North America but also a Botched Ink-certified Correction and Removal specialist. Prior to that, she had been the saline tattoo removal as a certified A-Plus Ocean technician. If you’re looking for an experienced saline tattoo removal specialist, she’s who you want to see.

Reach out and schedule a consultation today to find out if saline tattoo removal is right for you.