Are you thinking about using a TCA Tattoo Removal product?

TCA (trichloroacetic acid) chemical peels have been around in various forms for over 50 years.

Chemical peels were initially used for treating calluses and corns on patient’s feet. About 20 years ago TCA peel experiments were conducted for other skin problems like acne scarring, wrinkles, discoloration and tattoo removal.

It was discovered that a 25 to 50% TCA acid concentration was generally the most effective. The higher the concentration, the deeper the peel would be, however caution must be taken for peel strengths of up to and over 50%. The Jessner peel recommends a 35% strength

TCA is considered a ‘medium’ peel (lighter peels are Glycolic and Lactic) and causes a controlled inflammation which results in the epidermal skin layers above the tattoo being peeled or sloughed off and replaced with new skin. This inflammation causes the ink to break apart naturally and rise to the surface with newly generated skin growth.

The product may be purchased in non-prescription and prescription strengths. It looks and feels just like water when applied to your skin. TCA is simple to use and can be applied in your own home, normally with just a q-tip.

How often should TCA be applied?

This normally depends on the concentration that you use and your own body’s reaction to it. Once the TCA peel has been applied, you can expect the outer layers of skin to start peeling after approximately 1 – 2 weeks.

It can then take another full week for all the dead skin to come off. After that you’ll want to allow the skin to recover for another 3 – 4 weeks before beginning your next peel. You should not apply a TCA chemical peel more often than once every four – six weeks.

Keep in mind that your skin may peel more than once.

For each treatment, TCA is generally left on the skin for only 3-4 minutes then washed off. Many users will require several peels to achieve the desired results. When using these products it is often suggested that you listen to your own skin to determine how frequently you should apply it.

Amazon sells a medical-grade 30% TCAproduct with positive reviews.

The following factors will determine how long it will take to remove unwanted ink using a tca tattoo peel:

First of all, it is impossible to estimate exactly how long it will take to achieve the desired results using this product.

Several issues come into play:

• The age of the tattoo
• Location of the tattoo (ankles and forearms normally take the longest).
• The amount of ink
• The type of ink
• Whether it was done by a professional or amateur – professional tattoos are usually more difficult to remove since they use premium inks and tend to be deeper.
• Your skin tone

Like the other fading product (TCA is not technically considered a tattoo removal cream), these are fairly common factors that play a roll – regardless of the product you decide to use.

Other considerations:

• These products are often sold in two grades:medical/pharmaceutical grade and technical grade.

  Technical grade (reagent grade, or other non-pharmaceutical grade, CP grade or NF grade) may contain things like dichloroacetic acid as a 2-10% concentration. This ingredient is a known carcinogen (known to cause cancer).

  Technical grade products can also contain things like iron and sulphuric acid which can stain, discolor and age skin.

• Risks associated with 12% – 25% peels are less than those seen with laser removal techniques.
• The drawback to a deeper peel, like TCA, is that it can cause the skin to appear to have a bad sunburn for up to one week. While using it you should stay out of the sun and treat the area with an antibacterial ointment for one week or longer.

• Prior to use, you should patch test on a small section of your skin and notice any reaction to the solution.

• These products are often formulated in a purified water base, so you can always weaken the solution if you find it too strong.

• It can be used either alone or incorporated with laser treatments which have been known to hasten healing and reduce the chances of scarring.

About Laser Tattoo Removal Treatments:

Each color of ink is susceptible to a certain wavelength of laser light. Therefore, tattoos which incorporate multiple colors often require multiple treatments with different types of lasers. With the advantage of TCA peels and Jessner peels being color-independent you can successfully pre-fade your tattoo prior to having expensive and painful laser sessions. Less ink in your skin means less ink for the laser to remove. Lasers often have difficulty removing lighter reds (or pinks), light blue, light green, turquoise, white, greens and some yellows.

The cost of laser sessions adds up quickly since a single treatment can easily cost $200 or more. With several treatments being necessary the expense can easily run into the thousands.

If you are considering laser sessions you may find using TCA or one of the other tattoo removal creams affective at helping to fade your tattoo prior to going in for laser treatments. This may mean fewer laser sessions and quite possible a large savings for you.

Our body’s own natural ability to heal will also affect how long it will take for these products to work. This most frequently asked question in tattoo removal (how long does it take?) can’t be answered with exact precision.