There are more products than ever now sold over the counter – or rather, over the internet, without a prescription, for removing a tattoo. This covers everything from products like Nuviderm, based on **TCA tattoo removal** to Wrecking Balm, often described as a **tattoo removal cream**. Are these products safe? Do they work? Will they remove my tattoo? These are all legitimate concerns that any consumer would reasonably have when researching their tattoo removal options. Unfortunately, the answers to these questions isn’t clear, and the concensus on the effectiviness or safety of such “do it yourself” or “at home” tattoo removal method is dubious at best.

Take for instance the use of TCA cream. While it has been proven to remove tattoo ink from the skin, it can also lead to scars when used improperly or when used at highly concentrated levels. Products that create a “controlled inflammation” at the surface of the skin to remove a tattoo create a valid concern about the safety of such a procedure being sold unregulated and used at home by individuals without any training in tattoo removal methods. This is not a good situation and misuse of products can lead to damaging a persons skin.

The whole array of products that fall under the umbrella of tattoo removal creams presents a different set of concerns and questions. This includes products such as Wrecking Balm, Tattoo Off, and Tat B Gone. While there are concerns that these over the counter tattoo creams contained the skin bleaching agent known as hydroquinone, it’s a challenge to uncover if this chemical is actually present in any of these products or if it’s just a rumor. In any case, reports of safety problems in the sense of pain or scarring caused by tattoo removal cream is rare. The effectiveness of such products is another problem, with conflicting reports over their use in removing a tattoo. Some of these products work by bringing the tattoo ink closer to the surface of the skin and then out of the body. In the meantime, it can appear then that the tattoo removal cream is actually brightening or strengthening the tattoo ink, as it will temporarily become more visible and noticable as it gets closer to the surface of the skin.

Because of the high costs associated with more effective and reliable techniques, such as **laser tattoo removal***, the market is ripe for cheaper, easier solutions. However, just because a tattoom removal product is available at a cheap price, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily safe or effective. Buyer beware.