Why pay for a tattoo, and then pay later to have it removed?
Alan Petersen
Professor of Sociology
This is a question I asked when I first wrote on the tattoo industry 10 years ago. As my research uncovered, while tattooing has a long history among certain groups, the practice has become popular among a growing segment of the population, which has underpinned an extensive market for tattoo removal.
Since then, the tattoo removal market has undergone further expansion, albeit disrupted during the first few years of COVID-19 as tattoo parlours, clinics and hospitals closed due to lockdowns.
The tattoo removal industry may seem only a small part of a much larger body modification industry. But the numbers of those who decide to have their tattoos removed appears to be substantial.
Tattoo regret
While there are no official statistics on the numbers of people who have tattoos removed, a survey undertaken by McCrindle suggests that about one-third of individuals who have been tattooed subsequently say they have some regret about the decision, and one in seven (14%) have either “commenced or looked into tattoo removal”.
What may account for this common experience of regret?
Because the tattoo removal phenomenon hasn’t been studied in any depth, little is known about why people decide to have their tattoo(s) removed.
But anecdotal reports suggest that changes in relationships and self-identity are contributing factors. For example, couples who decide to get matching tattoos may come to regret their decision some time down the track, when the tattoo provides a constant reminder of a failed relationship.
Or people’s tastes may change, or they may worry that having a tattoo is a “job-stopper”.
Another potential factor is advances in technologies of tattoo removal. A recently published report suggests the tattoo removal industry has been bolstered by the growth in the number of available procedures – especially non-invasive ones – including laser removal, surgical excision, and dermabrasion.
Technological advances no doubt explain in part the growth of the market, by providing options that are perhaps more effective and/or less painful than those available in the past.
For example, developments in laser treatments have enabled the removal of certain colours, such as yellow and white, which were difficult to remove with earlier technologies.
Commercial exploitation of insecurities about appearance
But a focus on advances in technologies diverts focus from the factors that contribute to people’s hyperattention to, and insecurities about, their physical appearance, and the commercial interests that aim to profit from this.
The growing popularity of tattooing and of tattoo removal reflects ideologies of individualism and consumerism whereby one’s physical appearance conveys symbolic and cultural capital, and hence social distinction, that can be acquired through market transactions.
The tattoo removal industry is expected to expand in the future in line with the growth of “tattoo regret”. The projected compound annual growth of this industry was recently estimated to be 16.4%, and reach a market size of more than US$14 billion by 2030.
For industries to survive, however, they need a sustainable market, and it’s important to examine its underlying mechanisms.
An important element, I suggest, is social media, which, as I explain in my recently published book, is part of an online emotional economy designed to attract users to keep them engaged to harvest their data for purposes of advertising.
The role of social media
Instagram (owned by Meta Platforms) is one platform that arguably generates insecurities about appearance. In September 2021, it was reported that a whistleblower had revealed the company knew from its own research that “teenage girls on Instagram reported in large numbers that the app was hurting their body image and mental health” but “didn’t tell anyone”.
TikTok – which has quickly become a favourite for young users as well as advertisers, is also likely to contribute to body image insecurities.
Described as the “digital crack cocaine”, with about 1.8 billion active users at the end of 2022, TikTok has become a platform for online creators to serve as “de facto therapies for millions”, filling a healthcare gap.
But, as critics argue, the apps aren’t designed to prioritise accurate information but rather draw the most reaction, and young people’s struggles may “become fodder for advertisers and self-promoters”.
Interestingly, both Instagram and TikTok are also sources of much information on tattoo removal.
Physical, mental health and social harms
Drawing attention to the potential physical harms of tattoo removal is important. Both tattooing and tattoo removal carry risks, including pain, blistering, pigmentation changes, and potential scarring.
But to address the related mental health and social harms, it’s crucial to increase awareness and education about the mechanisms supporting the tattoo removal industry.
With estimates that about one-fifth of Australians have one or more tattoos, it’s important to increase community understanding about their downsides, without blaming individuals for what tends to be considered as “body art”.
Paying for a tattoo and then paying again to have it removed may be expensive. Living with regret is enduring.
