TCA Tattoo Removal

asked 3 years ago by JLJ78 in Chicago
Latest answer by Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Question viewed 21,608 times
Tags: fade, peeling, scarless

I am using TCA (currently at 20%) to fade/remove a tattoo on my arm. My question is, do these peels go deep enough to fade/remove a tattoo? If not (other than laser) is there another approach with minor risk of scarring?

6 answers to TCA Tattoo Removal

Lasers are the safest and most effective way to remove a tattoo

The TCA peel probably won't work because it only effects the superficial dermis and does not target the pigment of the tattoo. Older methods that didn't produce scarring include: excising the tattoo and putting a skin graft on it dermabrasion Lasers are the safest and most effective way of removing tattoos even though they can cause skin discoloration.

Usha Rajagopal, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Tattoo removal with TCA Peels

Don't do it. A TCA peel will not remove the tatoo pigment. Although TCA peels have a place in dermatology, they do not remove tattoo pigment from under the skin.

Steven Hacker, MD
West Palm Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

Maybe but I don't recommend a TCA peel for tattoo removal

Light TCA chemical peels (10-20%) probably won't do anything to a professional tattoo since they are deep in the dermis. A homemade tattoo is usually more superficial and deep both since you can't keep the needle at the same level as a professional machine can. Doing 4-6 TCA 20% peels at 2 week intervals will lighten a homemade tattoo but not remove it completely. Lasers are so great at removing tattoos with almost no scarring that it is the only way to go. Stop peeling and go get the... more

David Hansen, MD
Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

TCA won't completely remove tattoos.

Regardless of whether or not the tattoo is professional or self-applied, TCA (trichloro acetic acid) is a mild acid (used mainly for superficial facial peels) that will not go deep enough (at this 20% strength) to remove all or even most of the tattoo ink. TCA removes only the epidermis and very upper dermis. Healing takes about a week or so, and unless the patient develops an infection or damages the tissues while healing, there is usually very low risk of scarring or pigmentation... more

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

Light Therapies Work Best For Tattoo Removal

Prior to the introduction of light-based therapies, a variety of procedures were used for getting rid of them. These included dermabrasion, salabrasion, cryotherapy, chemical peeling. and surgical excision. Each of these techniques relied upon stripping away the epidermis, the topmost layer of the skin, and exposing the pigment-laden dermis. Following exposure, the ink would be extruded as part of the healing process. Unfortunately, chemical peeling with TCA 20%, which abrades the... more

Nelson L. Novick, MD
New York Dermatologic Surgeon

Won't Work

A TCA 20% peel will not penetrate deep enough into the skin to noticeably affect a tattoo. Tattoos are placed into the dermis, usually the mid to deep dermis and TCA just will not reach that depth. You are much better off having your tattoo removed with a laser.

Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD
Virginia Beach Dermatologist

Ask a question

Get Free Email Updates