A postdoctoral student at Dalhousie University in Canada is developing a tattoo removal cream that can fade unwanted tattoos over time.
Thousands of people around the world get tattoos etched on various parts of their bodies. However, on many occasions, people want to get rid of their tattoos, and this could be tricky. Tattoo removal can be costly and at the same time also have health effects.
Alec Falkenham, a PhD student at the Dalhousie University's pathology department, is the one who is developing the tattoo removal cream. He reveals that people in the U.S. spend over $75 million each year to get rid of their unwanted tattoos. Tattoo removal may involve laser treatments, which breaks down tattoo ink particles, which is absorbed in the body.
Falkenham reveals that his tattoo removal method is called Bisphosphonate Liposomal Tattoo Removal (BLTR), which involves simple application of an external cream that fades a tattoo without any laser treatments.
Falkenham explains that when a person gets a tattoo done on the body, the ink pigment is consumed by a type of white blood cells called "macrophages." He reveals that there are two types of macrophages that react different when a tattoo is made on the skin.
"One set of macrophages transports some of the pigment to the draining lymph nodes, removing it from the area. The other population that has 'eaten' the pigment goes deeper into your skin, becomes inactive and forms the visible tattoo. Over time, the macrophages that formed the tattoo are replaced by new macrophages, which cause the tattoo to blur and fade," per the university's press release.
When a person applies the BLTR cream it removes the new macrophages, which results in the fading of the tattoo.
Falkenham is working with the University's Industry Liaison and Innovation (ILI) office for patenting the novel technology. The researcher is expected to get more funding, which will enable further research work and also in the development of a commercial tattoo removal cream.
Falkenham suggests that he is not anti-tattoo and has several tattoos on his body. Falkenham reveals that he got the idea of a tattoo removal cream when he got his first tattoo done and thought of it from an "immune point of view."
Many people regret after having a tattoo done on their body, sometimes accidently. These people will keenly wait for the tattoo removal cream to be made available so that they can get rid of their unwanted tattoos at the earliest.
