527-564

Physician to the Byzantine court who described a method for removing tattoos. Aetius advised applying saltpeter and terebinth resin (or turpentine) to the tattoo and then abrading the skin with salt a week later. The process could then be repeated if necessary. Variations of Aetius's method of tattoo removal were used for centuries until the 1990s, when laser became the method of choice to remove tattoos.