Seeking a less painful alternative to laser tattoo removal to erase an unwanted chest piece of brightly colored roses, Pasuda Reaw, a student from Thailand, turned to Rejuvi. Rejuvi, a cream based removal system applied in a similar manner as a tattoo, boasts the ability to remove any tattoo color in a faster, less painful manner than laser removal. Reaw got more than she bargained for, in the form of a shoulder to shoulder scar similar to that of a burn victim.
Rejuvi is marketed as an extraction cream. It is applied under the skin across the surface of the entire tattoo using a tattoo gun. Rejuvi then thickens between the layers of skin and, according to the manufacturer, forces its way through the top layer and brings the ink with it. Manufacturer materials state that, once the ink has been ensnared by Rejuvi and leaks from the skin, the tattoo is nothing but a memory.
Reaw’s experience was not at all as the manufacturer of Rejuvi described. After application, often associated with infection. Instead of pushing the ink through the skin, the skin lifted and separated from her chest. Her rose tattoo peeled off, taking the top layer of skin with it, and left a raised scar almost as bright as the original tattoo.
Raew’s experience with Rejuvi offers two important reminders to . First, always used tried and true removal techniques when getting rid of an unwanted tattoo. Second—and most importantly—never put anything on your body that you may someday regret!