Tattoo Removal: The next big business boom

Increasing popularity for tattoos means growing opportunity in removal was written by Megan Martin in July 2010 and published by Infomart (a division of Postmedia Network Inc) in CanWest News.

Summary
In the last decade, the tattoo industry has seen a spike in their business. Due to this steady increase, it seems to just “makes business sense” to offer tattoo removal services (Martin, 2010).  As the number of people getting tattoos increases, so does the number of people getting them removed.  Tattoo parlours have since caught on, and as such many of them now offer removal services right in their shops, a “unique revolving-door business model” so to speak (Martin, 2010).  Customers come in, pay to get inked, come back and pay (again, and again) to have it removed.  

As it usually takes several sessions to remove (10-12 depending on the tattoo), paying upwards of $200-400 dollars per treatment can get very expensive.  Tattoo removal doctors have gone from seeing one or two patients a week to seeing one to two A DAY, even in spite of these steep costs.  The removal process is extensive, using beams of light to explode the ink particles into the skin, which is then absorbed by the body.  Weeks of waiting is required between treatments to allow the skin to heal, and there are some medical risks involved including scarring or changes in skin pigmentation.

Tattoo parlours have taken advantage of the removal surge by having technicians come in with machines to do them in shop.  Many people aren’t putting as much thought into getting tattoos anymore; not only is it easier to get one but their social acceptance is growing.  Laser treatments are more mainstream now as well, for hair removal and other treatments, so there is less hesitancy about the prospect of having a tattoo removed at some point.

However, not everyone likes the idea of the shops offering removal services.  Doctors caution about having them removed in non-medical setting.  They state that it should be done under medical supervision because if there is a complication, tattoo shops aren’t necessarily equipped to deal with it; the laser is a serious machine and potentially dangerous.  Even so, there are no regulations requiring they be used in a medical setting, as long as the laser operators are trained to use the machine properly, their use in tattoo shops are perfectly acceptable.

Opinion
As I sit here writing this, flicking through channels trying to find something to watch on TV, I've stumbled on a marathon of “Tattoo Nightmares”… clearly the name of the show speaks for itself.  This is the perfect example of the current tattoo fad that is among our generation.  Whatever the reason may be, tattoos have become so common you don’t think twice about seeing someone with one…or two or twelve.  I don't come across many people nowadays without a tattoo…and if they don’t have one they have at least thought about getting one.  Me, personally, I feel like its almost an addiction.  You get one, say you’ll never get another and 6 months later there you are, spending an hour or so in the chair with a needle in your skin.

Removing tattoos in the same place you got them to begin with just sounds like a smart business move. As the article put it, “returning to the scene of the crime” (Martin, 2010).  But it makes me uncomfortable to think the technicians operating the machines don’t actually need to have any medical training whatsoever.  What if the machine were to malfunction mid-procedure, and someone got injured? What if someone had a reaction to the laser? The technician would not know what to do (at least not in the trained medical sense).  I’m not arguing the fact that tattoo parlours aren’t clean…because they are.  They are possibly as clean as hospitals, or even cleaner with the standard they have to uphold.  But with a procedure that extensive and dangerous, I would rather have it done by a medical professional.  But maybe I’m just paranoid.

In any case, tattoo parlours have quite the business regime going. It’s expensive to get a tattoo…but nearly twice as much if not more to have it removed.  Some tattoo artists don’t like seeing their hard work and time going to waste -- but hey, if they’re going to make double, triple the amount of money taking it off, who cares? Half the time it’s still visible anyways.  Business is business, no matter how personally it’s taken. Yes it’s artwork and every piece is meaningful, but they still need to feed their kids and put a roof over their heads.

Too scared to face the pain and expenses of tattoo removal laser surgery? No problem.  Kat Von D, television personality from LA Ink, has created her own cosmetics line… “Lock-it Tattoo Foundation” and “Tattoo Concealer”, specifically formulated to cover up tattoos (and under eyes, blemishes, and discolouration…but let’s be real. Its not really for those things). Another smart business move.  Remember the story I mentioned about the tattooed guy in Sephora applying coverup? Guess which product he used.  Not nearly as expensive, definitely not as painful, and is perfect to cover up those tattoos you still want, but “shouldn’t” show during job interviews or at work.  It’s a good alternative, even if you have to slave over applying 10 coats of it to your skin.

Although they’ve adopted this idea of a revolving-door business, I feel like most tattoo artists try their best to please the client, while still offering friendly advice when someone wants something they'll probably regret at some point. On the waiver you are required to sign prior to getting inked, you even have to check a box stating you are not under the influence of alcohol. So they do their part in making sure there is no regret (or as little as possible)… as well as avoiding any lawsuits of inebriated ink.

Citation
Martin, Megan. (2010, July 9). Increasing popularity of tattoos means growing opportunity in removal. CanWest News. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/607150379?accountid=3455

Questions
Do you think offering tattoo removal services right inside the tattoo shop is a good business opportunity for the artists?

Should tattoo removal be left to the medical professionals who can appropriately deal with any complications that may arise?