Tattoo Removal

When it comes to tattoo removal creams, “Nuviderm is a horse of a different color. For one thing, it’s not a cream, it’s a clear liquid, the active ingredient of which is TCA.

As mentioned on the home page of this site, TCA has been in use as a tattoo removal treatment since the 1920s. A six-year study of 670 outpatients of Newcastle General Hospital was undertaken in the 1980s. The results were published in the March 1988 issue of the British Journal of Plastic Surgery. The study found that TCA was 85% effective in the fading or removal of tattoos.

So TCA has been tested by actual doctors and found to be effective. “TCA” stands for “Trichloroacetic acid”. This type of acid is used by dermatologists to perform medium-strength skin peels in order to remove or diminish acne scars, fine lines and age spots.

As mentioned above, TCA is the active ingredient in Nuviderm. It contains none of the skin-lightening agents that most tattoo removal creams employ like, hydroquinone, kojic acid, alpha-arbutin, arbutin and beta arbutin. These skin lighteners are not effective for fading or removing tattoos, but can give the illusion of doing so by lightening the skin above the tattoo. Nuviderm comes in a concentrated form, with detailed directions on how to dilute it to the optimum strength to suit your skin type and the tattoo you want to remove.

Of course, another option is to just get a bottle of TCA. For example, if you follow this link you can buy a 4 oz bottle of TCA Chemical Facial Peel, 50% concentrate for a bit less than Nuviderm costs. It doesn’t come with the detailed instructions, but it is essentially the same thing.

To sum up, Nuviderm is a cheap alternative tattoo removal method that can be done at home. Like most other removal methods, it takes time and dedication, but can fade or remove most tattoos. It can also be used in conjunction with laser treatments, to prefade your tattoo and reduce the number of visits needed to the laser clinic and mitigate the damage done to your wallet.

If your interested in hearing an unbiased opinion of Nuviderm, here is a blog chronicling one user’s experience with using Nuviderm to remove a tattoo.

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