Although the numbers are not insignificant, they are also not staggering. Not all of us are marked. According to several studies between 2003 and 2005, an average of forty-five million tattoos were displayed on the bodies of Americans between the ages of nineteen to fifty years old. During this time period, 36% of Americans sported at least one tattoo, with the main customer base being between the ages of twenty-five and twenty-nine.
Tattoos are, in fact, becoming less popular. Especially for the age group 25-29, tattoos were on a definite rise between 1936 and 2005. However, the numbers are currently beginning to turn backward. Whereas in 2005, 36% of the population was tattooed, The number in 2008 had dropped to 32%. Perhaps people are growing up and out of their tattoos. According to a survey taken by the American Society of Dermatological Surgery in 2004, 17% of tattoo customers regretted their decision to permanently mark their skin, and expressed a desire to have the tattoo removed. Over 100,000 laser tattoo removal treatments were being performed each year.
People express multiple legitimate reasons for what is commonly known as “tattoo regret.” All of them seem to relate to growing up and moving on. Dissolution of relationships, changes in interest, more professional career opportunities, desire to void unnecessary attention, changes in body type, change in sexual orientation, change in religious affiliation, and general maturing are all cited. As people mature, the old things pass away, new things come, and they move on. Tattoos don’t pass away gracefully, new pure skin doesn’t magically appear, and those markings are a constant reminder of the past.
At this point, those who wish to start over with a “clean slate” have only a couple of options. I don’t have the expertise to describe the processes in detail, but I found these sites after scouring the internet for options:
Wrecking Balm Tattoo Removal System
Dermasel Tattoo Removal Solution
Tattoo Removal E-Book (Amazing Secrets Revealed!)
Get Rid Tattoo - Natural Tattoo Removal Solution
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Unfortunately, at the time many people make the decision to get a tattoo, they don’t think about the long-term consequences of permanently marking their bodies with something that may actually haunt them in the future. Thankfully, there are reasonable options for correcting a regrettable error in judgment. It’s okay to grow up.
