It is estimated that 25% of all people who have gotten tattoos will change their mind and want tattoo removal. At Shore Vascular & Vein Center, a leading center for laser treatment of vascular conditions and tattoo removal, we see this every day. The reasons that people no longer want their tattoo are numerous. Here are the top five, in no particular order.
The person got the tattoo on an impulse and he or she never really liked it. Maybe this happened during spring break in college. Maybe it felt “liberating” at the time. However, as time has gone on, the tattoo no longer reflects how the person views him or herself.
This reason pertains to new moms. When the woman was younger and had different priorities, the tattoo was fun and interesting. However, when the first child comes along, Mom doesn’t want her new son or daughter to ask questions about the tattoo and seeks treatment to have tattoo removal.
There is too much attention drawn to the tattoo and away from other things that the person finds important. At times, this is due to the location of the tattoo. At other times, it may be due to the content of the tattoo itself. The picture or words might be controversial. Or, the tattoo might be in an area that draws attention to that area or body part. For these and many similar reasons, people often want their tattoos removed so that less attention is drawn to them.
The person is seeking a new job that does not permit visible tattoos. Many people do not realize until it’s too late, that certain jobs, including some military and law enforcement positions, have restrictions on visible tattoos. The person may apply for such a job and is told that they will not be a candidate for the job until the tattoo is removed.
One of the most common reasons that we see for people requesting removal of a tattoo is because the tattoo has either the name, picture, or other symbol that represents a previous relationship. Sometimes it is the person him or herself who wants the tattoo removed. Other times, it is a new spouse or significant other who does not want to constantly look at the other person’s name or image. In either case, the only way to safely and permanently remove the tattoo is with laser tattoo removal.
