Your Complete Guide to Saline Tattoo Removal

Removal Methods and Why Saline is the Best Option for PMU

Saline Tattoo Removal is on its way to being the best Permanent Makeup Removal option. I’m often approached by clients who say they have been waiting years for their Permanent Makeup to fade over time so they can finally get the quality of work that is available as of now. Fortunately, most PMU work will fade faster than a typical body tattoo. Unfortunately, the skin cell turnover cycle isn’t always so clear cut, meaning that everyone is going to experience different retention depending on their specific cell turnover cycle, skin type, lifestyle, etc. It could take years or even decades for PMU to lighten naturally over time. But who wants to walk around with inadequate PMU if there is a way to safely AND naturally remove pigment from the skin and get your desired results sooner? Much sooner!

There are many methods in which slow “natural” lightening may occur such as sun exposure, topical products (fading creams), chemical peels, dermabrasion, etc. As these options may seem like the easiest option to do at home, these are not recommended as a PMU removal as they can burn and damage the skin with little to no results.

Lasers have been a common and probably the most popular removal method in the past years. As I am a supporter of lasers in some instances for larger tattoos, there is a place and a time and they may not be ideal for removing PMU. Lasers produce a short pulse of intense light that penetrates the skin, is absorbed by the pigments, breaks the pigment up into small pieces, then the body’s lymph and waste system removes the pigment during the healing process. Lasers recognize color using wavelengths, but there is not one wavelength that recognizes ALL colors. This could mean that laser may not be able to remove your PMU 100%, and/or May oxidize your pigment turning your PMU black or grey, requiring more sessions. The complications that may occur with lasering PMU (keep in mind it’s on your face) may not be worth the risk. Also because your PMU may be on your eyebrows, saline eyebrow tattoo removal is better than lasering becasue laser removal may cause hair loss or scar tissue. Tattooing after laser is often unsuccessful due to scar tissue.

Microblading saline removal is now a common and effective approach to lightening tattoos that is popular with men (Yes! Men get permanent makeup too!) and women who have unwanted PMU. Proven by nature, saltwater is a safe and natural way to draw pigment out of the skin to lighten or fully remove tattoos by the theory of osmosis. Saline lifts pigment to the surface of the skin; from there a scab is formed which locks in the pigment that was lifted. Once the scab comes off, some of the pigment will as well. Saline can remove any and all colors implanted into the skin, including pigment that has been oxidized by lasers. This process tends to be the least painful removal method and often a faster(and less expensive) process overall!

Of course both are ideal for removing tattoos, but again, there is a reason for both. A consultation is always recommended for either laser or Saline Removal prior to making your decision. As a Removal Specialist, I will recommend you to a laser technician if I feel as though your tattoo is best removed with laser.

Fortunately, in this day and age, removal IS an option! I can’t tell you how many clients I had to turn away in the past because I wasn’t able to coverup/ fix their inadequate work. Now we have many options available, and I’m able to help guide them in a direction to receive their desired results!

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Saline Removal Process

This process can be timely and daunting to a person who is unhappy with their PMU and just want a clean slate. Most of the time when I hear from clients who are considering removal, I’m always really surprised to hear how long they have been unhappy with their PMU work. A large majority of them were told that it will fade over time, and once it has become light enough it can be covered up. The problem with PMU is that it is common for artists to preach that Permanent Makeup is “semipermanent”; lasting or intended to last for a long time but not permanent. Which is a lot of cases are true, but not all. Depending on your skin type and care, the pigment will fade slowly over 18-24 months, which is why we call it semi-permanent. Now, this is in most cases. I’ve seen over the years as a PMU Artist many cases in which clients will still have very saturated pigment even after 10 + years. Of course, technique/ tools used to implant pigment, how deep pigment was implanted, how many “touch-ups’’ have been done, a color that was used, etc. are all going to be examples of why PMU might be considered permanent vs semi-permanent.

How Long Does Saline Removal Take?

Saline removal is a great option for all PMU services, as it lifts the pigment up and out of the skin. It is common for saline removal to take anywhere between 3-6 sessions to remove pigment completely. How quickly pigment lifts out of the skin is all dependent on the examples listed above. If you have heavily saturated brows and have had your PMU for 5+ years, you may need more sessions than someone whose brows have faded greatly over the last 2 years and is just needing to remove light hair strokes that were once there.

Consistency Is KEY!

Consistency is key with removal! As I mentioned, removal can be a timely process, so what I mean by consistent is every 8 weeks. When I send my client home after a removal session, I give them aftercare instructions to follow promptly. The removal process is important of course, and pigment can’t be removed without it, but the post-care is just as important if not more important for long-term results. Skin is delicate, and during the removal process, your artist should be precise with the procedure to ensure the skin is being opened up the correct way to prevent any scarring or overly damaged skin. We want to keep the skin in spectacular condition so we can continue removal for future appointments without any drawbacks. At about week 4, I will check in with my clients to see how they are healing. At this point, the skin is healed enough to see any changes. We can then decide if another removal session is needed, and schedule that out for their 8-week appt. Under no circumstances should removal be performed any sooner than 8 weeks. Yes, at 4 weeks we will be able to see most of the results, but the skin is not fully healed until around 8 weeks. And with removal needing multiple sessions in some cases, full and optimal healing is required to be able to implant pigment later on down the line.

Don’t Wait, Start Now!

I always tell my clients when they are considering removal, that if they started now, they are likely to have a whole new set of their desired brows within a year(typically). Most people have been living with the old PMU for so many years that one year seems like nothing. To others, that may seem like a long time. But because PMU is not always Semi Permanent, are you willing to take the chance of your PMU fading over time, or is it finally time to take the plunge to be consistent with sessions and have new brows within a year? Again, consistency is key. Do as many results as you can, and contact a removal specialist to go over your specific case prior to signing up. A removal is a great option for many people, but nothing worth it comes easy. Time is needed for this procedure to get the most out of it. But it can be done!

What to expect when healing from Saline Tattoo Removal

One of the main questions I get when consulting clients about Saline Tattoo Removal is “How bad is the healing?”. Saline Removal tends to be the least painful removal method as well as the least painful healing process as far as removal goes. Now, I am about to geek out on Saline, so hang on tight if you’re ready for the ride!

Saline removal works by the theory of Osmosis; molecules of a solvent (water) tend to pass through a semi-permeable membrane (skin) from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one. This achieves the same amount of concentration on each side of the membrane. This is called Equalization. Equalization forces the pigment from the dermal layer up to the epidermidis. Introducing a high concentration of salt water to the dermis causes the water under the skin to rise to the area containing higher concentrations of salt to equalize. The water grabs the pigment as it rises towards the surface of the skin.

The pigment becomes trapped in the scab and when the scab falls off some of the pigment will as well. Osmosis will continue during the 7 to 14 days of initial healing time. Keep in mind that every client has their own healing process because of the many variables such as – How many layers of the skin contain pigment? What type of pigment was used? How deep was the pigment implanted? How saturated is their tattoo? Where on the body was the tattoo placed and what type of skin does your client have? Etc.

The healing time for Saline removal is 8 weeks. Under no circumstances should you proceed with another session until at least eight weeks of healing time have passed. Your client’s skin needs adequate time to heal for the best results.

During this 7-14 day healing time, scabbing will occur. You’ll want to advise your clients not to pick at any scabs; because the process of osmosis continues to occur during the healing time, it is essential that the scabs stay on as long as possible. Keeping the area clean and dry will help the scabs stay on for the optimal time.

Because of the scabbing, clients will experience the typical scabbing itchiness. Other than this, healing for Saline removal tends to be very easy!

As always, make sure to Read over the AfterCare Instructions that you will provide for your client. The more aftercare instructions you are able to provide for your clients, the better the results will be. Post-care done by the client is often just as important, if not more important than the procedure itself. Ultimately, Saline Removal is safe, 100% natural, and again, the least painful of all removal methods. Numbing cream keeps most clients comfortable for the duration of the procedure. I’ve been amazed at some of the Saline Removal results and love deep diving into the specifics.

Summary

I hope you enjoyed this guide to saline tattoo removal, if you are interested in learning more or want to dive into other PMU topics. Check out the NPCA Blog!