Carol Has A Question: For various personal reasons that I won’t go into here, I’ve got tattoo regret. I’ve heard commercials on the radio for some kind of cream called Wrecking Balm that’s supposed to fade tattoos. Does Wrecking Balm work?
The Brain’s Balmy Reply:
Carol, we’ve heard those same commercials but surprisingly, we haven’t been able to find out much about Wrecking Balm. Their website provides scant evidence of anything.
But we do have a theory about what this product MIGHT be.
We couldn’t find any official source that mentioned Wrecking Balm. The closest reference we could find was an article on CNN about an experimental cream for tattoo removal. But this cream is still in clinical tests so we don`t think it`s the same product.
We also found resources like Inkbusters, a company that sells a product that they claim will fade tattoos. Their active ingredient is tricholoracetic acid (or TCA) which is used in chemical skin peels. There’s another product called Tat B Gone but there’s no mention of what active ingredient they use.
After doing a little research on TCA, our theory is that Wrecking Balm is a cream based version of this ingredient (but without seeing the product`s ingredient list there`s no way to tell for sure.)
Does Wrecking Balm Work?
Well, we did find a reference from the American Academy of Dermatology that said chemical peeling can remove tattoos in a cost-effective method. But, they made no specific mention of TCA. Most dermatologists seem to recommend laser treatment, maybe because it’s more profitable for them. If we shift into paranoid mode we could make up a story that the evil Academy of Dermatologists is suppressing the truth about the existence of an easy to use tattoo removal cream much in the same way that the Air Force is suppressing the truth about existence of crashed UFO aliens. But to be honest, the Internet has more evidence for the aliens than it does for tattoo creams. Still, this reference seems to indicate the stuff may work.
The Beauty Brains Bottom Line:
Don’t get your hopes up. Most people who have commented back to us say the stuff isn’t worth it. But check with a dermatologist about your options and be sure to ask about chemical peels. It’s just possible that TCA might help. We also suggest contacting a reputable tattoo parlor for their insights on this topic. After all, they’re the experts when it comes to ink!
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Hi, I work for a chain of laser tattoo removal clinics called Dr. TATTOFF. You might have seen us on TV – we’ve been on “LA Ink” and “Dr. 90210″ a few times this year. Speaking only from personal experience, we’ve seen more than a few people come into our clinics who have used any number of tattoo removal creams, and I have yet to see a good result. In nearly all cases, there has been no fading, and in many cases the creams have caused scarring. I highly recommend speaking with a dermatologist before trying one of these creams out. There’s also plenty of information on the Dr. TATTOFF website (www.drtattoff.com), as well as our Medical Director, Dr. Will Kirby’s blog (http://rethinkyourink.blogspot.com). He’s a board certified dermatologist, an expert on tattoo removal, and he generally responds to questions and comments left on his blog within a day. Hope this helps!
-Ian
I tried the entire expensive set. face wash, toner, serum, peel, lift, day cream, eye cream, and night cream. I used them exactly as instructed by consultant. They were to harsh for my skin. My friend had the same reaction. I don’t recommend this product at all.
Actually Wrecking balm does work when people use it. Definitely not an overnight fix, still searching for that one, but it will fade away tatoos if people can stick to it and use it.
oh.. and I found the ingredients listed on the http://www.wreckingbalm.com tattoo blog
Just another resource for tattoo removal, this one from a tattoo site. Especially helpful is their info on detecting fake photoshopped tattoo fading pictures.
http://mytattooink.com/tattoo-removal
Tat B Gone worked good for me. I do not think all the people with good results write in to often.
Yeah, In my experience,it’s really useful for removal of tattoo.
The FDA does not recommend self-removal products, and none have been FDA approved.
See FDA bulletin
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048941.pdf
I have used both the chemical peels and the laser treatments. The chemical peels from Tat B Gone, all though this was painful and was gross to see the peeling it did fade some. I have a tattoo on my hand that is large and has alot of color so to see some of it come off I was pleased. I’ve also had two Q-laser treatments. This was extremely painful..to the point that I vomitted. I was amazing on the results though. Most of the black is gone and the color faded alot. It is costly and that is why I have not persued it further. I am going to try the Wrecking balm…I’m willing to try anything to get this 18 year old thing off my hand. Hope this info helps someone.
I used Tat B Gone for about 6 months on a butterfly tattoo I got on my hip when I was younger. I wasn’t sure if it would work but thought, what the heck. Well, I’m glad I did because it worked for me. The colors of the tattoo have really faded away and now only a dull outline of the butterfly is visible. You have to follow the routine every day as prescribed, but it works if you do.
Also, Tattoo Camo works really good to cover up a tattoo – it stays on all day and the shades they offer are great. Check out this video they made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9OfSj4UGWM
Are you not happy with the tattoo inked on your skin? Laser treatment tattoo removal process is the best idea then. Though costly ($200 to $500 per session) to some extent, laser treatment tattoo removal does not generally harm surrounding skin and completely remove the tattoo.