Saline tattoo removal is a method of removing pigment from skin using a simple saline solution rather than lasers. We remove the pigment using a tattoo gun and a lifting serum. The Lifting solution binds to the pigments, breaks it down and draws it out of the skin. Several sessions may be needed depending on the tattoo and amount of pigment being removed. Pain and down-time are significantly less in comparison to laser tattoo removal.

A highly-effective, topical anesthetic cream is used for numbing before your procedure. Pain threshold levels vary from person to person. Every effort is made to ensure you remain as comfortable as possible for the entire process.  Ideally you should feel little to no pain, only pressure. Preparing for your procedure in advance will help with how much pain and swelling you may experience. Make sure that you are well rested, sober, hydrated, and have had something to eat prior to your appointment. If you are on your menstrual cycle you will be a bit more sensitive towards the pain.

The number of sessions varies from client to client. There are a number of factors that need to be considered.  Some examples are:

• how deep your previous artist went
• how many sessions you have had previously
• the age of the tattoo
• what pigment was used
• thickness of skin
• is there scar tissue

If your unwanted tattoo is covered in thick scar tissue, it may require more sessions to remove. In that case, Microneedling over the area between sessions will help to break up the scar tissue and make for more effective removal appointments. We always say an average 3-6 sessions to see desired results (although it is never guaranteed).

During and immediately after the procedure you may see a small amount of bleeding, this is normal and necessary for creating the “controlled scab.” For the first 24 hrs the skin may appear bright red and gradually begin to scab. During days 2-4 a scab will be present and eventually fall off naturally. The scabbing process is highly important and will contain the pigment that has surfaced from the procedure. After the scab falls off, the skin may appear pink or discolored for a few weeks before slowly returning to its original shade. Sometimes pigment that has spread underneath the skin may rise to the surface before coming out completely. In these cases, it may appear that the tattoo has become darker or “bled” to surrounding tissue. This is all part of the process and will be addressed during future sessions. It is important to remember that saline removal is a process.  Desirable results take an average of 3-6 sessions depending on the depth and pigment of the unwanted tattoo, among other factors.

If any of the following apply to you, unfortunately you are not a candidate to have tattoo removal done in our studio.

NOT eligible for the procedure if:

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You have a history of keloids or hypertrophic scarring
• You are sunburnt
• You have had Botox within 2 weeks of your appointment
• You have had a chemical peel or any resurfacing treatments within one month of your appointment
• You have skin irritations (rash, sunburn, acne, etc.) or psoriasis on/near the procedure area
• You have open wounds, cuts or abrasions on the procedure area
• You have used Accutane within the past 6 months
• You are sick (cold, flu, severe sinus allergies, etc.)
• You suffer from epilepsy
• You suffer from hemophilia
• You have uncontrolled high blood pressure
• You have a pacemaker or heart problems (will need a doctor note)
• You have had an organ transplant
• You are currently undergoing chemotherapy (Please wait 6 months after completing treatments and obtain doctor clearance.)
• You take any immunosuppressant medications
• You are under any treatment or have any illness that compromises the immune system
• You have had ANY surgery within the past 30 days

You have poor general health

If you have any of the following and wish to proceed with the service, a doctor’s note is required:

• You are recently in remission of cancer
• You have a history of melanoma
• You suffer from any autoimmune diseases

Please Note:

• While diabetes is not a contraindication, diabetics typically heal slower.
• if you are a smoker, you may heal slower.

Brownude uses A+ Ocean, a hypertonic saline solution. A+ Ocean is all natural and the highest quality removal product on the market. A topical numbing cream is also used prior to the procedure to keep our clients as comfortable as possible.

All of our clients will first fill out consent and release forms. You will then have photos taken to document the process. Numbing cream is applied and usually takes approximately 20 minutes to take effect.  Appointment times usually vary between 1- 1.5 hours.  Aftercare will be discussed in detail.

Although we take every precaution to provide you a safe service by give you ample time to heal before we go in for another procedure to avoid scarring, we never go in as deep as your previous artist, we always reassess the tattoo before proceeding with the service (this allows the removal artist to see where the pigment is still left to lift).  With any cosmetic procedure there is always the risk of scarring or infection.

You must be 18 years of age or older to get your tattoo removal service at Brownude.

Preparing for your procedure in advance will help with how much pain and swelling you may experience. Make sure that you are well rested, sober, hydrated, and have had something to eat prior to your appointment. If you are on your menstrual cycle you will be a bit more sensitive towards the pain. Sometime it is best to reschedule an appointment if you know in advance.

Once you have had saline removal done you must make sure to keep the area clean and dry at all times until all the scabbing and flaking have come off.

If I can’t get them wet how am I supposed to shower and wash my hair and face?

We do go over this in our aftercare but mostly you will have to be cautions of the eyebrow area. Tilting your head back to wash hair will help. When washing face, it is best to use a wash cloth and cleanser routine. If a bit of water does get on the brow you may dab not wipe the water away.

An emergency removal can be done within a 48hr time frame from which the skin has been tattooed. Anything beyond this the skin has already started to heal over and a client will have to wait 8 weeks before coming in for removal. These appointments are usually made last minute and booked over the phone. This session will have a different cost from a regular removal session.

You need to wait 8 weeks between each removal session.