A method of removing a tattoo from skin of a human subject. The method has the step of applying to a region of the skin having the tattoo a reducing composition that includes a reducing agent and a penetration enhancer in admixture. The penetration enhancer is present in an amount effective to effect penetration of at least at least a portion of the reducing agent through the skin to the location of the tattoo. The reducing agent is present in an amount effective to at least partially decolorize or break up a pigment of the tattoo. The reducing agent can be selected from the group consisting of sodium oxymethylene sulfoxylate and sodium hydroxymethane sulfinic acid.
