The survey, which polled more than 500 people with tattoos, found that 31 percent expressed regret about their tattoos. Men were twice as likely as women to regret getting a tattoo, especially those who got their first tattoo before the age of 16. However, women regretted getting their tattoos less than men, especially if they got their tattoo after the age of 21.
Surveys were taken from 580 people, all at least 16 years old and almost half of them older than 40. The survey attained information about the age at first tattoo, whether the tattoo was produced by a professional or amateur artist, the length of time since the first tattoo, total number and location of tattoos, whether they regretted their tattoos and whether they would have the tattoos removed if they could.
“A significant number of people regret having a tattoo,
and the longer they have had one, the more likely this becomes,” said Aslam and
Owen of the Royal Blackburn Hospital in Blackburn, England. “We feel that this
should become an important health message, as tattoo removal is not freely
available, and unwanted tattoos can affect life chances and cause significant
psychological morbidity.”
The popularity of tattoos and other forms of body art has
increased dramatically over the last couple of decades. South Carolina has more
than 100 tattoo parlors, and there are more than 21,000 tattoo parlors in the
United States. Despite the number of tattoo parlors, places that offer tattoo
removal are scarce, and the procedures to remove tattoos can be expensive (and
aren’t covered by insurance!).
If you’re determined to get a tattoo, make sure the
tattoo parlor is registered and up-to-date with health and safety regulations. Do go to a professional tattoo artist
and do take caution when picking the
location of your tattoo. The study found that tattoos in visible locations were
more likely to be regretted, as were upper body tattoos.
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