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How does Saline Tattoo Removal Work?

Saline Tattoo Removal uses the process of osmosis to remove the tattoo. Saline is pushed and applied into the tattooed area using a tattoo machine and tattoo needle. The pigment is pulled up towards the surface of the skin. This is because if there are two liquids next to each other, if the membrane separating them is porous (in this case the skin), the liquid with a lower salt content is drawn to the liquid with the higher salt content, drawing the pigment with it.

Will Saline Removal work on my tattoo?

Saline tattoo removal is a very effective treatment for cosmetic tattoos and small body tattoos no bigger than a deck of cards. If the tattoo is bigger than this, it may take too long to lighten or remove and laser removal is in this instance recommended. Saline Removal is great for small body tattoos, microblading, migrated eyeliner, scalp micropigmentation (SMP), eyeliner tattoo and migrated eyeliner.

Selective Tattoo Removal

Saline Tattoo Removal is a precise tattoo removal technique. It is so precise it can remove a wing from an eyeliner tattoo whilst keeping the rest of eyeliner intact. Or part of an eyebrow tattoo without removing the whole brow tattoo. For example, it can remove a hair stroke from feathering or microblading, a tail that is too long or the top of a brow that arches too high. It is also a great option if you wish to remove someone’s name from a tattoo without removing the whole tattoo.

Why choose Saline instead of Laser?

Laser Tattoo Removal uses a laser to break down the pigment into very small particles which are absorbed into the lymphatic system and then expelled by the body. Some people do not like the idea of the pigment being absorbed by the lymphatic system and chose Saline Removal for this reason. They may have health issues and may see this removal treatment a risk to have the pigment enter into the blood stream.

In addition, Laser Tattoo Removal can cause scar tissue which means you may not be able to retattoo over the area that has been treated. In contrast, you are usually able to tattoo over an area that has had Saline Tattoo Removal. This makes saline the best option, for instance, if you would like to remove your existing microblading and get your brows tattooed again. This is very common when the shape or pigment colour or saturation needs fixing and can’t be corrected with a brow refresh alone.

Another restraint with Laser Removal is that, especially with older laser removal machines, it will target only specific colours to break down. So, if you chose Laser Removal make sure the laser being used targets all colours. No laser to date is able to remove white (titanium dioxide) because it can’t detect it. Titanium dioxide is the white pigment often used to lighten colours. Saline Removal does not care what colour it is removing. It will remove all colours including titanium dioxide.

When should I choose Laser Tattoo Removal?

Usually Laser Tattoo Removal is recommended if the tattoo you want removed is very large and you don’t want to retattoo the area because the laser can cover a large area very quickly.

How many treatments do you need to remove a tattoo using Saline?

Usually you need anywhere from 1 to 5 treatments to remove a tattoo using saline. The number one thing is to be patient. You will get good results with removal and whether it’s with a laser or saline, it is a process. Sometimes we see great results after 1 session but we won’t know until we do it how your skin or the pigment will respond.

We do know that carbon tends to lift faster than titanium dioxide because the particle size of the pigment is very small. So surprisingly dark blackish tattoos provide can provide fast results. Rarely, the tattoo can appear darker after a removal session but this is because the pigment has been lifted closer to the surface of the skin and, although it doesn’t appear to be, is a good result. Usually after the following session in these cases you can see very good results. You can find our booking information and prices for Saline Removal here.

Does Saline Removal hurt?

Local anaesthetic is used to numb the area being treated. Sometimes some stinging can be felt from the saline applied to the area in the last part of the treatment. Holding an electric handheld fan over the area, which we can give you to use during the appointment, will alleviate this feeling greatly.

Emergency Tattoo Removal

If your tattoo is less than 48 hours old saline tattoo removal can be used with great results. Contact us immediately if you can’t find a spot in the online booking system and we will find a time slot for you so we can treat it in time.

Let’s talk about hyperpigmentation…

Sometimes there is hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation under the existing tattoo that is being removed. We don’t know what is under the tattoo until it is removed because the tattoo is concealing the hyperpigmentation. Sometimes it is concealing scar tissue caused by the previous tattoo. Occasionally, hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation is caused by the removal process. When this happens it is temporary and often resolves itself over time.

A salt/saline solution is a common, effective approach to lightening tattoos. This treatment is ideal for those with darker skin tones. The saline tattoo removal technique can be used on any color of pigment, and there is no risk of unwanted tattoo pigment turning black or getting stuck in the scar tissue as there is with laser removal. My client noticed lightning after the 2nd session. It safely , without causing scarring or loss of hair.