Do tattoo fade creams work?

cindy05 · Mar 30th, 2009, 10:08 AM

I have an old tattoo on my ankle that I was thinking about getting rid of. But I am afraid of the pain, scarring and costs associated with laser removal. Has anyone ever tried any tattoo fading creams? I've heard that Tat B Gone and Wrecking Balm are the gold standard but I want to "real" testimonials. I dont know if the reviews are bogus ones set up for those same companies.

Thanks!!

EMMY · Mar 30th, 2009, 10:25 AM

I just had my tatoos re-colored a few months ago...I happened to have seen a commercial for tatoo fading cream the day before and I asked the tat artist about it..point blank...they don't work..laser surgery is the only way and even then it's not 100%...

ArmCandyLuvr · Mar 30th, 2009, 11:27 AM

I don't see how they would work. Tattoo ink is in the dermis. I doubt any cream applied to the the epidermis has the power to sink in to the dermis and destroy a tattoo.

If you don't want laser surgery, have you consider having the tattoo reworked or covered up with a different design?

Mar 30th, 2009, 01:28 PM

I always hear commercials for "Wrecking Balm" (sp?) but have no personal experience with it. Maybe it's worth researching?

pipsqu3ak · Mar 30th, 2009, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by ArmCandyLuvr

I don't see how they would work. Tattoo ink is in the dermis. I doubt any cream applied to the the epidermis has the power to sink in to the dermis and destroy a tattoo.

If you don't want laser surgery, have you consider having the tattoo reworked or covered up with a different design?

Agreed. There's no lotion that would sink down deep enough.

talexs · Mar 30th, 2009, 07:43 PM

The fade creams don't work, laser is the way to go. Depending on where your tattoo is (and size and colors) that seems to play a big role in how well the laser removal goes. And, yes it does hurt, but it's pretty much like they say, it feels like someone is snapping rubberbands against you.

cindy05 · Mar 30th, 2009, 10:32 PM

Thanks. Was hoping that it would work. I guess I will live with it. Dont want to feel the pain of the laser.

Rockysmom · Mar 31st, 2009, 11:47 AM

I had a tattoo removed on my back. It hurt the first few times but the pain gets less and less the more the ink is faded. There are some great numbing creams you can use and also what helped me was to ice the tattoo before removal!

talexs · Mar 31st, 2009, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by cindy05

Thanks. Was hoping that it would work. I guess I will live with it. Dont want to feel the pain of the laser.

Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound absolutely awful. I thought I had a pretty high pain threshold but something about this just hurt. But like I said depending on the size and color the pain can vary.

ambicion6 · Apr 2nd, 2009, 09:58 PM

nope...they dont. the laser sometimes does. i had a small tattoo, about the size of a quarter removed last year from my stomach and after 10 treatments at $150 a treatment, there is still a very very light hint of something there. kinda grayish but you cant tell what the shape is anymore. and the pain....yeah...god the pain....ive had my eyebrows tattooed, my eyeliner tattooed, laser hair removal, and then some, and the pain from the laser was beyond intense....good thing it was only a small portion otherwise i dont think i would have been able to go through with it!!!

Lv-nowwhat · Apr 3rd, 2009, 11:55 AM

I wish they worked I have a large tattoo that I do not like. Does not fit my life now and is a bit embarrassing.

slalomski · Sep 10th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Have any of you actually tried using any of those fade away creams before? I've been using Tat B Gone for 8 months on a tattoo I have on my shoulder and it has been working for me. All the colors of my tattoo have become more faded and the lighter colors are almost all gone. You just have to be very disciplined in applying it everyday.

Try Tattoo Camo if you want a high quality tattoo concealor that stays on all day. Good tutorial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9OfSj4UGWM

Ellapretty · Sep 10th, 2009, 01:44 PM

We've looked into these creams on another forum (a skin care one) - and apparently - they don't work at all. Also, be wary of their websites - they have lots of pop-ups, and make it hard for you to navigate away from the page.

missjenny2679 · Sep 10th, 2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by EMMY

I just had my tatoos re-colored a few months ago...I happened to have seen a commercial for tatoo fading cream the day before and I asked the tat artist about it..point blank...they don't work..laser surgery is the only way and even then it's not 100%...

I had my wrist tattoo retouched this June, and asked the same thing to my artist. He said the same thing as yours did!

ckeller825 · Sep 11th, 2009, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by cindy05

Thanks. Was hoping that it would work. I guess I will live with it. Dont want to feel the pain of the laser.

Laser treatment doesn't hurt, as long as you get numbing cream and leave it on one hour before treatment. I just got scar laser treatment, once a month for the past 6 months, and it didn't hurt ONE BIT. Just something to consider!

Mar 30th, 2009, 10:08 AM	#1
cindy05 OP MineMineMine!!! Joined: Dec 2007 Location: Where the Grass is Greener, USA Posts: 5,321	Do tattoo fade creams work? I have an old tattoo on my ankle that I was thinking about getting rid of. But I am afraid of the pain, scarring and costs associated with laser removal. Has anyone ever tried any tattoo fading creams? I've heard that Tat B Gone and Wrecking Balm are the gold standard but I want to "real" testimonials. I dont know if the reviews are bogus ones set up for those same companies. Thanks!!

Mar 30th, 2009, 01:28 PM	#4
sendmeonacruise Guest Posts: n/a	I always hear commercials for "Wrecking Balm" (sp?) but have no personal experience with it. Maybe it's worth researching?
sendmeonacruise Guest Posts: n/a

Mar 31st, 2009, 11:47 AM	#8
Rockysmom Member Joined: May 2008 Posts: 960	I had a tattoo removed on my back. It hurt the first few times but the pain gets less and less the more the ink is faded. There are some great numbing creams you can use and also what helped me was to ice the tattoo before removal!
Rockysmom Member Joined: May 2008 Posts: 960

Sep 10th, 2009, 11:08 AM	#12
slalomski Member Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 1	It Works Have any of you actually tried using any of those fade away creams before? I've been using Tat B Gone for 8 months on a tattoo I have on my shoulder and it has been working for me. All the colors of my tattoo have become more faded and the lighter colors are almost all gone. You just have to be very disciplined in applying it everyday. Try Tattoo Camo if you want a high quality tattoo concealor that stays on all day. Good tutorial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9OfSj4UGWM
slalomski Member Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 1

Mar 30th, 2009, 10:25 AM	#2
EMMY Member Joined: Aug 2006 Location: Syracuse , New York Posts: 9,460	I just had my tatoos re-colored a few months ago...I happened to have seen a commercial for tatoo fading cream the day before and I asked the tat artist about it..point blank...they don't work..laser surgery is the only way and even then it's not 100%...

Mar 30th, 2009, 11:27 AM	#3
ArmCandyLuvr Loves Boys X Boys! Joined: Feb 2006 Location: WI, USA Posts: 8,363	I don't see how they would work. Tattoo ink is in the dermis. I doubt any cream applied to the the epidermis has the power to sink in to the dermis and destroy a tattoo. If you don't want laser surgery, have you consider having the tattoo reworked or covered up with a different design?

Mar 30th, 2009, 07:43 PM	#6
talexs I Love It!!!!! Joined: Jun 2008 Location: always in the office :( Posts: 2,450	The fade creams don't work, laser is the way to go. Depending on where your tattoo is (and size and colors) that seems to play a big role in how well the laser removal goes. And, yes it does hurt, but it's pretty much like they say, it feels like someone is snapping rubberbands against you.

Mar 30th, 2009, 10:32 PM	#7
cindy05 OP MineMineMine!!! Joined: Dec 2007 Location: Where the Grass is Greener, USA Posts: 5,321	Thanks. Was hoping that it would work. I guess I will live with it. Dont want to feel the pain of the laser.

Apr 2nd, 2009, 09:58 PM	#10
ambicion6 carbaholic Joined: Sep 2006 Location: South Loop - Chicago, IL Posts: 508	nope...they dont. the laser sometimes does. i had a small tattoo, about the size of a quarter removed last year from my stomach and after 10 treatments at $150 a treatment, there is still a very very light hint of something there. kinda grayish but you cant tell what the shape is anymore. and the pain....yeah...god the pain....ive had my eyebrows tattooed, my eyeliner tattooed, laser hair removal, and then some, and the pain from the laser was beyond intense....good thing it was only a small portion otherwise i dont think i would have been able to go through with it!!!

Apr 3rd, 2009, 11:55 AM	#11
Lv-nowwhat drive LV Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 7,422	I wish they worked I have a large tattoo that I do not like. Does not fit my life now and is a bit embarrassing.

Sep 10th, 2009, 01:44 PM	#13
Ellapretty Member Joined: Jul 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 761	We've looked into these creams on another forum (a skin care one) - and apparently - they don't work at all. Also, be wary of their websites - they have lots of pop-ups, and make it hard for you to navigate away from the page.