Ink, Identity, and the Conversation We’re Not Having

Tattoos Have Become Mainstream, but Regret Still Exists

Today, more than ever, people are getting tattoos for a variety of reasons. They range from self expression and making a statement to following trends. Hello, fine line tattoos and tramp stamps. People also get them to freeze a specific moment in time, to remember a place or a person, or as a way of healing from a closed chapter. Tattoos can also serve a medical purpose, such as 3D areola tattooing for breast cancer survivors.

As it sits currently, about 32 percent of adults in the United States have at least one tattoo. Society has become far more receptive to visible ink, and what used to be considered inappropriate in the workplace is now often accepted as a form of self expression. Interestingly enough, though, about one in four people with tattoos regret at least one of them. So why are we not talking about this more?

The Fear and Reality of Tattoo Removal

There are different forms of tattoo removal that I will not go into deeply here, but in my opinion, the most effective method is laser. Removing old ink does not mean it is going to be an easy lift. If you are in the industry, you already know some colors are easier to remove than others, and there is no guarantee that a piece will completely disappear.

There is a lot of fear surrounding removal. People worry about whether the tattoo will blister from treatments, how many sessions it will take, the cost, the risk of scarring, whether the ink will actually lift, and the overall safety of the process. That concern is showing up not only from clients but also from tattoo artists themselves.

Cover Ups, Collaboration, and a Missed Opportunity

When someone has a piece they want to get rid of, they tend to do one of two things. They either pretend it does not exist, or they start entertaining the idea of a cover up. While I am on the receiving end of tattoos, I am not a tattoo artist, so I reached out to my artist, Christina Walker, to get more information specifically about cover ups and to explore whether there is an opportunity for better collaboration between tattoo artists and aesthetics providers.

To me, it makes perfect sense. Both professions are service based, work closely with clients over time, and, in my opinion, complement each other quite nicely.

In communicating with Christina, she said, “Typically the biggest challenge with a tattoo cover up is coming up with a cover up design that will work, and that they will be happy with.” She also said that another hurdle is that “the cover up has to be much bigger, darker, and more detailed to help distract from the existing tattoo.” We both agree that tattoo removal has come a long way, but we also agree that the conversation around it is still incomplete.

Vetting Providers Matters in Every Industry

In aesthetics, there is already a growing concern about providers having proper credentials, staying within their scope of practice, ensuring legal and appropriate medical oversight, and avoiding black market products. What I found fascinating is that Christina said, “I feel like no matter what service, people should be vetting who they are working with.” The same issues we see in aesthetics are clearly present on the tattoo side of the house.

She also shared something specific about pigment safety. “One of the tattoo pigment brands on my half sleeve is actually banned in multiple countries for the amount of acrylic in the ink. Due to the knowledge of the laser technician I talked to years ago, she was not comfortable and did not recommend trying the laser on the acrylic based pigment, as she did not know how it would react.” That stuck with me.

Just as we vet the people we partner with and trust to provide services to our clients, tattoo artists are doing the same on their end. This could be a huge opportunity to build connection through a common goal of helping others and educating each other to benefit the clients we have the privilege of working with.

Loving Tattoos and Regretting Them at the Same Time

I got to thinking about this topic because, as an ink lover myself, I have lived both the love and the regret side.

Years ago, when I was in a life transition, I had the great idea to go to a tattoo shop on a whim out in the great state of Texas and get an armband that was purple and black. At the time, it was something that I thought was kind of cool, but as it healed and as my life shifted and changed, it more so became a conversation of “I do not like this piece.”

Before I officially admitted to myself that I did not like my armband, I felt like something was missing.

When I got home, one of my good friends and I decided to go to a tattoo shop together. We were looking at different symbols that we could get. We laughed at the idea of getting the symbols for love and friendship, but instead we decided to do something slightly more random.

Scanning with our eyes through the different symbols, both of us looked at each other and laughed and said, “Eggplant. That is the one.”

So my friend Ali and I decided to get a tattoo together. It was his first, and I had the symbol placed inside my armband because I felt something was missing. What did that do? It added a bit of humor. That moment and that inside joke were probably why I kept my armband for so long. It turned into a fond memory, even though I no longer loved the actual tattoo.

My Experience With Tattoo Removal

Years later, when I got into medical aesthetics, the clinic that I worked at brought on laser tattoo removal. Selfishly, I was glad we brought in the device so I could finally do something about my armband, but I was also entering a new phase of my life. I was no longer in my twenties. I was in my mid thirties and wanted a piece that reflected who I was then, who I am now, and who I am evolving to be.

What Nobody Talks About Enough

What is not talked about enough are realistic expectations when it comes to removing ink.

Not all colors remove at the same rate. Not all tattoos lift at the same pace. The number of sessions can be longer or shorter than the average, and there are many variables at play, including ink type, depth, placement, and how each individual body processes pigment. At the clinic where I worked, the device manufacturer said the average was about six treatments for a tattoo to be gone.

I was not that average. I did six treatments, and my skin held onto that ink so tightly that while you could tell it had lightened, it did not vanish. It honestly just looked more aged, like it had faded out in the sun.

Tattoo Removal Is Bigger Than Aesthetics

There are clinics that offer tattoo removal, but in my opinion it is still a missed opportunity when it is not integrated into a bigger conversation about confidence, identity, and change. As providers, we already work around tattoos during a variety of treatments. Even making an impact on one person by improving one thing can be life changing and help them feel more like themselves, or it can make space for something new.

Aesthetics is already on its way to fully integrating into wellness as a whole, instead of just “performing microneedling” or “just performing injectables” like neuromodulators, dermal fillers, and biostimulators. Many clinics are adding hormone support and other wellness oriented services. While I cannot speak for everyone, my joy as a provider was being part of the client’s journey. Even when we had to switch gears, it was wonderful to see how the changes they noticed gave them confidence and excitement.

So why are we not doing this same thing for tattoos more intentionally?

If one in four people with tattoos are dissatisfied with at least one piece, why are we not having this conversation more often?

From Armband to Full Sleeve

Since my removal journey, that armband slowly evolved into a full sleeve. The short version is that it became a visual timeline of who I was then, who I am now, and who I am becoming. It also reflects my journey of healing from medical trauma.

I love my piece. I often joke that if I could rip the sleeves off all my shirts and just rock out with my guns out every day, I absolutely would. I have yet to have one person look at my arm and question whether it is a cover up. Honestly, I do not know if the piece I have now would have been possible without first going through treatments to lighten what was there so we had a better canvas to work with.

Do I have tattoos I might not get again if I could redo everything? Absolutely. If I could go back, I probably would not have gotten that original armband. But that experience taught me a lot.

Not Every Artist Will Touch Someone Else’s Work

One thing many people do not consider up front is that, depending on the artist, they may not be willing to go over someone else’s work. This brings up another important question. Why are we not more intentionally partnering with tattoo clinics and specific artists?

I do not mean any tattoo clinic. Just like in aesthetics, if we are running our own business and building our own brand, we want to make sure that the businesses we partner with and the people within them align with our standards and truly serve our clients. The same is true when aligning with tattoo artists locally, especially for clients looking to get bigger or more complex work done.

The life lesson I learned years ago is that not everybody is going to be willing to work over somebody else’s work. I was lucky. I found an artist who was not only willing to touch up my old work but also willing to add to it and help transform it.

Why This Collaboration Could Matter

I think this kind of collaboration can be hugely beneficial for tattoo artists as well. They have to be strategic when planning and executing cover ups. At the end of the day, just like us, their clients are their brand walking out the door.

We often see vendors partnering with aesthetics practices in ways that are more about novelty than transformation. Permanent jewelry is a good example. It is fun for awareness, but it is not necessarily going to create a significant, life changing experience for someone.

Tattoo removal, on the other hand, can.

There is real potential to build referral systems between aesthetics providers and tattoo artists. The industry already tells us we need to be educating on sunscreen and skin health. We know sun exposure affects tattoo longevity. If we can help clients protect their investment, either in removal or in new work, we can help preserve the pieces they love.

I have heard from some clinics that “tattoo removal just does not do well.” But what is possible will not become actual if we are not having the conversation, educating people, addressing their fears and barriers, and working together to create solutions that feel safe and supportive.

A Shared Opportunity

To me, this is a shared opportunity. It is about clients who may be carrying regret or discomfort over something on their body, and it is about two industries that both care deeply about helping people feel more at home in their own skin.