The cheapest tattoo removal option is probably tattoo removal creams, including TCA. These cost around $100 for a one month supply. These are one-time applications. It takes many months to successfully fade a tattoo, and often will take a year or longer. So you are looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000 or more to remove a tattoo.
Dermabrasion, "sanding off" the tattoo is more expensive than tattoo removing creams but less expensive than laser treatments. Each dermabrasion treatment can run from $100 to $500. Plan on at least three treatments to remove the tattoo, and plan on having a scar in its place.
Tattoo excision, where the tattoo is cut out and the skin is sewn back together, could be less costly than laser treatments, or it could be more expensive. It depends on the size and depth of the tattoo. Generally, only one visit is required, but if the tattoo is large, two or more visits may be required, and skin grafting may be required, which will run up the cost. Cost is too variable to even give a ballpark figure here.
IPL (intense pulsed light) therapy is similar to laser tattoo removal in that an intense light is pulsed on the tattoo, breaking up the ink. This is probably the most expensive removal procedure, costing as much as $10 per pulse. The number of treatments depends on the size and complexity of the tattoo.
Laser removal is probably the most popular removal option, but that doesn't mean laser tattoo removal cost is cheap. Treatments can run from as little as $200 to as much as $800, depending on the tattoo being removed. The number of treatments can also vary, depending on the size, colors, and complexity of the tattoo, but figure on five to ten treatments. As with any treatment, results can vary, but most people have been happy with laser removal results.
