Posted on November 9th, 2022.

My most adventurous beauty choices to date happened because I woke up and just…felt like doing it. This has included everything from wearing pastel lipstick, a pretty tame switch-up, to chopping off my hair and documenting the entire process on Facebook Live; not so tame. I have also done things with less-than-desirable consequences, like letting a friend give me a hand-and-poke tattoo in his bedroom on an otherwise boring summer night. Now, I am in the process of reversing my alcohol-fueled (#cringe) ink job with saline tattoo removal and actually learned a lot in the process.

Up until almost a year ago when I started the removal process, I had no idea that there were even options outside of the traditional laser. These aren’t things we think about when getting a tattoo because we assume it will become a permanent part of our body. Au contraire, life happens and we find ourselves Googling the cheapest and easiest way to make it all disappear (okay, just me?). In my case, I was lucky enough to already have help at my fingertips; or should I say, brows.

Microblading is the one treatment I have a years-long investment in because one, my God-given ones are as the cool kids say, “le struggle,” and two, the person who does them is actually really good at it. So when Kendra Bray, founder of Better Brows & Beauty in NYC, told me she was thinking of adding tattoo removal to her menu, I happily volunteered to be her guinea pig; especially since she explained that it would be done sans laser.

Now this isn’t to say that laser removal should be avoided like the plague. It’s just not for me. I watched my mom go through the process and every time without fail, she complained about how painful it continued to be. Perhaps I deserve a bit of pain for making such an ill-advised decision, but it doesn’t have to be that bad, right? With being said, here’s everything I learned about this underrated alternative and why it’s easier to endure than laser.

It’s Not As Painful

For one, the process is very different, but just as effective. “Both methods require multiple sessions and allowing the skin to heal in between each session,” says Bray. “Laser removal emits light into the skin and different lights are used to remove different colors of ink.” On the other hand, saline removal is a bit more ‘lax.

“First the skin needs to be properly cleaned and disinfected. Then the needle is dipped into the solution and pushed into the inked skin,” says Bray. In fact, it’s practically identical to the tattoo process except again, you’re pushing saline solution into the skin instead of ink. If I had to describe the pain level, I would say it’s about the same as getting a tattoo–how ironic–as the needle makes teeny pricks over the skin. (You can also ask for numbing cream beforehand if your pain tolerance is low.) I actually started to experience less pain after a couple appointments which ultimately motivated me to continue the process. Bray notes that any permanent cosmetics machine can power the needle pen, but it’s ultimately the artist’s choice. In her case, it’s a Spektra Xion S machine.

It Still Takes Time

After the solution has been taken over the skin a few times and the area has been bandaged, old ink begins to draw to the surface. However, don’t expect it to disappear overnight. Like laser removal, Bray says the process–about 30 minutes in total–has to be repeated multiple times with downtime in-between each one. “The skin is left to heal for a minimum of 6 weeks before another session can be executed,” she says. You can also expect some scabbing (see below), which you should avoid picking as long as possible since that could leave scarring.

Sunscreen Will Make or Break the Healing Process

A professional artist like Bray will also send you home with after-care gel after each session, in addition to noting the importance of sunscreen and general hygiene to ward off bacteria. In fact, it was this process that motivated me to wear sunscreen on my body outside of the beach because I didn’t want a tan to effect the skin tone around my fading ink. That brings me to another game-changing benefit of saline removal.

A Game-Changer for Brown Skin

Bray agrees that this method is especially beneficial for brown skin because it doesn’t cause hyper- or hypo-pigmentation like a laser machine. Because the solution is being directly injected into the inked area, it isn’t disturbing the skin around it as much. It’s also generally more affordable, though Bray says it’s important to remember that timing depends on the size, age, and saturation of pigment in your tattoo. If your ink requires more work, that means you may be spending more money.

Size Matters

Based on my experience, I would say that saline removal is best-suited to small- or medium-sized tattoos that haven’t been on your skin for more than a couple years. For instance, mine is pretty small and just a couple years old, so around 4 sessions should suffice. Otherwise, removing it could take years and a whole lot of sessions, thus defeating the purpose of going with something that’s supposed to be more convenient.

The moral of my story should be, “think before you ink.” But mistakes are bound to happen, so if you regret getting your ex’s initials tattooed on your wrist, consider going the saline route for peace of mind and quicker recovery.

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