The tattoo that seemed a good idea then is an idea gone bad now. Aging can be unkind to tattoos. The message of the tattoo may not be welcome at work or in a new relationship. You want the ink to fade away. Tattoo Removal is a very big business. Laser Treatment centers have opened throughout the world and home based tattoo removal products are sold online in record numbers.

If you want to do it discreetly, an at-home removal cream or gel can gently remove bad ink. Dermatologists routinely use lasers to remove tattoos, but you need money and a tolerance for pain. Dermabrasion is also an option.

Laser tattoo removal by a doctor means cash, pain and patience. It can cost $200-$500 per session, and require as many as 20 sessions, according to InfoPlasticSurgery.com. Here's how the laser option removes unwanted tattoos: since tattoo ink goes deep into the skin layers the laser must shoot light into the buried ink-stained cells, dissolving them to the point that the body flushes them away and builds new, clean skin. It cannot dissolve any buried emotions.

Dermabrasion also hurts. A doctor or technician scrapes away the tattoo and any reminder of your former tattoo. You will likely want a local anesthetic, which adds $50 bucks or more to the cost of each session. Dermabrasion can be a metaphor for rubbing that unwanted tattoo out of your life.

A tattoo removal cream or gel employs similar biology to laser treatment, but instead of breaking down the ink deep within the skin, it raises tat ink to the surface, allowing the body to get rid of the inky cells and naturally replace them. Light dermabrasion speeds up skin regeneration and removes inky skin. When you perform do-it-yourself dermabrasion, be careful not to scrub too hard, which can cause redness or perhaps infection.

Something to consider: all three methods take time. It heals all wounds, and with proper treatment fades unwanted tats.