Owie

Not a whole lot has happened since the last post. I got lazy, and also busy with other things. The frequency that the salicylic acid needed to be applied was annoying. It was just enough time between applications to forget it was time to apply it again.

After some research, the decision was made to switch from salicylic acid to glycolic acid. The solution is a strong one of about 70% active ingredients. It will eat off many more layers than salicylic acid, in half the time. The heal time should be similar, at about a week.

Glycolic acid hurts no more or less than salicylic acid, it just takes a lot longer to reach maximum burnage. After applying it with a cotton ball as close to the borders of each tattoo was a two minute pause. It started off as a noticeable sensation. Within a minute, it was tingling. At two minutes, it pretty much just burned like hell.

On standby was a neutralizing solution made of 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and some water to wet it into a thin paste. A cotton ball soaks in the bowl, waiting to be called into action.

With a gloved hand, a cotton pad is soaked in glycolic acid. After wiping all of the reachable tattoos, the applicator is discarded. A very long two minutes passes, and the burning becomes unbearable. I dipped my fingers into the neutralizer and picked up the saturated cotton ball. As soon as the cotton ball touched the tattoo, the reaction between the two chemicals causes the skin to seem like it is being melted off. Frightening, but relieving. The burn was gone instantly. Ahhh.

Both tattoos get a thin later of neosporin to keep any potential infection away. I am not sure what to expect from this two-minute application. I may have severely burned my skin, or it may not have been long enough. We will see.