Design dissatisfaction, quality concerns and ex-partners’ names all cited as some of the top reasons that Brits are considering getting their tattoos removed!
New research* released today has revealed that Brits are bidding farewell to their tattoos with four in every ten adults (40%) considering getting their body art removed.
The new study by leading laser specialist – LaserHQ, found that half of the young adults (52%) aged between 20 and 30 admit to living with tattoo regrets, leading the pack in considering tattoo removal and underscoring changing perceptions of tattoos in this age group.
With the legal age for getting a tattoo in the UK set at 18, the study found almost one in 10 (9%) of freshly inked 18 and 19-year-olds were already planning to potentially get rid of their tattoos, demonstrating the importance to ‘think before you ink’ your body with a permanent piece of artwork.
The top reason cited for individuals opting to get their body art removed was due to individuals falling out of love with the design, with 27% of those surveyed wanting their outdated designs removed.
A quarter of those (25%) said they were unhappy with the quality of their tattoos demonstrating the importance of doing your homework before going under the needle, with blurring and fading another key reason (21%) people wanted rid of their body art.
Tattoos featuring an ex-partner’s name accounted for over one in 10 (14%) admitting this as a top reason to wave ‘ta-ta to their tats’. 17% of those surveyed also admitted ink regret over a drunken or holiday spur of the moment inking.
Helen Quayle, Founder of LaserHQ comments on the research findings: “I’m not wholly surprised by the findings of this study as in the past 12 months we have witnessed a steady increase in enquiries and bookings from people wanting to get their tattoos removed. This stretches from individuals falling out of love with their body art, to an increasing number of women deciding to get their semi-permanent makeup removed from areas such as the brow as beauty trends shift to more natural solutions and looks.”
The report also revealed that 43% of tattooed individuals have experienced negative reactions from their families, with 12% specifically facing disapproval from their mums, indicating a generational divide in attitudes towards tattoos.
Ten percent of tattooed people also reported that their body art has impacted them in their place of work. According to the research seven percent have been advised to cover up at work for appearing unprofessional.
A further three percent went as far as to say they are convinced they have missed out on employment after being judged on their tattoos, highlighting a notable tension between personal expression and workplace norms. Men are particularly feeling the pressure, being twice as likely as women to be told to keep their tattoos under wraps.
Helen continues, “Thanks to a slew of celebrities from David Beckham to Beyonce, body art has massively risen in popularity. Tattoos can be a great form of self-expression and individualism, but they are permanent, so my advice is to think before you ink your body with any tattoo or semi-permanent make-up. To avoid disappointment, also make sure to do your homework on the artist by checking out online reviews and even asking them to share example photos of their previous work.
The good news is that laser removal is now much more available, affordable and delivering better results than ever before so tattoo regrets over getting ex’s name should soon be a thing of the past.”
* Survey data taken from a Census Wide Study of 1,004 people in January 2024.
For further information please see our dedicated page, and further details on pricing and how to book in for a FREE consultation and patch test.
