The Rise of Tattoo Remorse: Heavy Cost to Erase What’s Often an Impulse Decision

By Brad Tuttle, September 8, 2011 

Most fads are relatively harmless, inexpensive, and, by their very nature, short-lived. Tattoos, however, have become remarkably trendy at the same time they’re as long-lasting as purchases get. If and when you have that sweet $80 tattoo you got on a whim in college removed because it now looks silly, the procedure will wind up being far more painful (“like getting burnt with hot baking grease”) and way more expensive ($3,600!) than when you got tattooed in the first place.

The Boston Globe recently profiled a few of the many tattooed Americans who regret their decisions to go under the needle and now just wish their skin was ink-free. According to a 2008 poll, 16% of the inked suffer from “tattoo remorse,” and the number of people electing to have tattoos removed—like the number of people choosing to get tattoos, by no coincidence—has been on the rise in recent years. In 2009, there were 61,535 surgical procedures performed to remove tattoos.

That doesn’t necessarily mean 61,535 tattoos were actually removed that year. In some cases, it takes 15 or more sessions to remove a single tattoo. Each of these sessions can be an ordeal. In order to scare his kids away from getting tattoos, actor Mark Wahlberg had them observe when a few of his tattoos were removed. This is how Wahlberg described the experience:

“It’s like getting burnt with hot baking grease,” he told Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” in February. “There’s blood coming up, it looks like somebody welded your skin. Hopefully that will deter them.”

Of all the tattoos that can be later regretted, perhaps none is worse than the name of one’s ex. One 25-year-old student told the Globe that, naturally, he wished he didn’t have the name of his now ex-girlfriend (Kate) tattooed on his buttocks:

“I was in love,” he explained, a warm smile spreading across his face as he recalled how he felt when he impulsively went to the tattoo parlor. Now? The smile disappeared. “It reminds me of her.”

And obviously not in a good way. Talk about a pain in the butt.

Some tattoos don’t age well for other reasons. The 31-year-old marketing director described in the story’s introduction got her ankle tattoo—a Chinese symbol supposed to symbolize a warrior and scholar—when it seemed like the cool thing to do in college. Later, she found out the mark translated as something like “mud pie.” Embarrassed—because the mark was basically meaningless, and because the tattoo was a mismatch for the professional world she now worked in—she wound up spending $3,600 to have the tattoo removed over the course of two years. She too is spoken of as a cautionary tale:

“At work, I’m the poster child for not getting a tattoo,” she said. “One of my colleagues has told her children all about me.”

Where some see fads and regret, others sense opportunity. This month’s Money magazine profiles Marci Zimmerman, who had an idea while scanning a crowd of tattooed fans at a 2003 baseball game:

Surrounded by sweaty fans shedding their shirts, and “looking around at all the bad tattoos, I thought, ‘Someday, tattoo removal is going to be a huge business,’” she says.

After researching tattoo removal as a business, she leased space in downtown Phoenix, purchased a $100,000 laser, contracted with a doctor to operate that laser, and opened up Delete—Tattoo Removal & Laser Studio last year. This year, the salon expects revenues of $400,000, and Zimmerman plans on one day running some 50 tattoo-removal studios.

Brad Tuttle is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @bradrtuttle. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

Credit: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/09/08/the-rise-of-tattoo-remorse-heavy-cost-to-erase-whats-often-an-impulse-decision/

Tattoos & Permanent Makeup (Information from the FDA Website)

Published: November 29, 2000; updated June 23, 2008 and February 1, 2010

FDA considers the inks used in intradermal tattoos, including permanent makeup, to be cosmetics and considers the pigments used in the inks to be color additives requiring premarket approval under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. However, because of other public health priorities and a previous lack of evidence of safety concerns, FDA traditionally has not exercised its regulatory authority over tattoo inks or the pigments used in them. The actual practice of tattooing is regulated by local jurisdictions.

During 2003 and 2004, FDA became aware of more than 150 reports of adverse reactions in consumers to certain permanent makeup ink shades, and it is possible that the actual number of women affected was greater. The inks associated with this outbreak were voluntarily recalled by the company that marketed them in 2004. In addition, concerns raised by the scientific community regarding the pigments used in these inks have prompted FDA to investigate the safe use of tattoo inks. FDA continues to evaluate the extent and severity of adverse events associated with tattooing and is conducting research on inks. As new information is assessed, the agency will consider whether additional actions are necessary to protect public health.

In addition to the reported adverse reactions, areas of concern include tattoo removal, infections that result from tattooing, and the increasing variety of pigments and diluents being used in tattooing. More than fifty different pigments and shades are in use, and the list continues to grow. Although a number of color additives are approved for use in cosmetics, none is approved for injection into the skin. Using an unapproved color additive in a tattoo ink makes the ink adulterated. Many pigments used in tattoo inks are not approved for skin contact at all. Some are industrial grade colors that are suitable for printers' ink or automobile paint.

Nevertheless, many individuals choose to undergo tattooing in its various forms. For some, it is an aesthetic choice or an initiation rite. Some choose permanent makeup as a time saver or because they have physical difficulty applying regular, temporary makeup. For others, tattooing is an adjunct to reconstructive surgery, particularly of the face or breast, to simulate natural pigmentation. People who have lost their eyebrows due to alopecia (a form of hair loss) may choose to have "eyebrows" tattooed on, while people with vitiligo (a lack of pigmentation in areas of the skin) may try tattooing to help camouflage the condition.
Whatever their reason, consumers should be aware of the risks involved in order to make an informed decision.
 

What Risks Are Involved in Tattooing?

The following are the primary complications that can result from tattooing:

• Infection. Unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can transmit infectious diseases, such as hepatitis and skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus ("staph") bacteria^*. Tattoos received at facilities not regulated by your state or at facilities that use unsterile equipment (or re-use ink) may prevent you from being accepted as a blood or plasma donor for twelve months.
• Removal problems. Despite advances in laser technology, removing a tattoo is a painstaking process, usually involving several treatments and considerable expense. Complete removal without scarring may be impossible.
• Allergic reactions. Although FDA has received reports of numerous adverse ractions associated with certain shades of ink in permanent makeup, marketed by a particular manufacturer, reports of allergic reactions to tattoo pigments have been rare. However, when they happen they may be particularly troublesome because the pigments can be hard to remove. Occasionally, people may develop an allergic reaction to tattoos they have had for years.
• Granulomas.These are nodules that may form around material that the body perceives as foreign, such as particles of tattoo pigment.
• Keloid formation. If you are prone to developing keloids -- scars that grow beyond normal boundaries -- you are at risk of keloid formation from a tattoo. Keloids may form any time you injure or traumatize your skin. Micropigmentation: State of the Art, a book written by Charles Zwerling, M.D., Annette Walker, R.N., and Norman Goldstein, M.D., states that keloids occur more frequently as a consequence of tattoo removal.
• MRI complications. There have been reports of people with tattoos or permanent makeup who experienced swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This seems to occur only rarely and apparently without lasting effects.

There also have been reports of tattoo pigments interfering with the quality of the image. This seems to occur mainly when a person with permanent eyeliner undergoes MRI of the eyes. Mascara may produce a similar effect. The difference is that mascara is easily removable.

The cause of these complications is uncertain. Some have theorized that they result from an interaction with the metallic components of some pigments.

However, the risks of avoiding an MRI when your doctor has recommended one are likely to be much greater than the risks of complications from an interaction between the MRI and tattoo or permanent makeup. Instead of avoiding an MRI, individuals who have tattoos or permanent makeup should inform the radiologist or technician of this fact in order to take appropriate precautions and avoid complications.

A Common Problem: Dissatisfaction

A common problem that may develop with tattoos is the desire to remove them. Removing tattoos and permanent makeup can be very difficult.

Although tattoos may be satisfactory at first, they sometimes fade. Also, if the tattooist injects the pigments too deeply into the skin, the pigments may migrate beyond the original sites, resulting in a blurred appearance.

Another cause of dissatisfaction is that the human body changes over time, and styles change with the season. The permanent makeup that may have looked flattering when first injected may later clash with changing skin tones and facial or body contours. People who plan to have facial cosmetic surgery are advised that the appearance of their permanent makeup may become distorted. The tattoo that seemed stylish at first may become dated and embarrassing. And changing tattoos or permanent makeup is not as easy as changing your mind.

Consult your healthcare provider about the best removal techniques for you.

What About Temporary Tattoos?

Temporary tattoos, such as those applied to the skin with a moistened wad of cotton, fade several days after application. Most contain color additives approved for cosmetic use on the skin. However, the agency has issued an import alert for certain foreign-made temporary tattoos¹.

The temporary tattoos subject to the import alert are not allowed into the United States because they don't carry the FDA-mandated ingredient labels or they contain colors not permitted by FDA for use in cosmetics applied to the skin. FDA has received reports of allergic reactions to temporary tattoos.

In a similar action, FDA has issued an import alert for henna intended for use on the skin². Henna is approved only for use as a hair dye, not for direct application to the skin. Also, henna typically produces a reddish brown tint, raising questions about what ingredients are added to produce the varieties of colors labeled as "henna," such as "black henna" and "blue henna." FDA has also received reports of allergic reactions to products applied to the skin that contain henna.

Reporting Adverse Reactions

FDA urges consumers and healthcare providers to report adverse reactions to tattoos and permanent makeup, problems with removal, or adverse reactions to temporary tattoos. Consumers and healthcare providers can register complaints using the contact information in Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA³.

For more information, see Tattoos and Permanent Makeup⁴.

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^* For related information on infections from tattooing, see the following documents from the Centers for Disease Control: Viral Hepatitis B Fact Sheet⁵ and "Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infections Among Tattoo Recipients --- Ohio, Kentucky, and Vermont, 2004-2005"⁶ (published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 23, 2006).

Credit: http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/productinformation/ucm108530.htm

If You're Considering a Tattoo, Read This

By Lindsay Lyon

Tattoos may deposit more than color underneath the skin. Like car paint pigments. And lead.

These are just a couple of the substances that scientists have discovered taint some tattoo inks, raising safety concerns over the widely popular but loosely regulated industry. "Consumers should be aware of the fact that we really don't know what's being injected," warns Linda Katz, director of the Office of Cosmetics and Colors at the Food and Drug Administration. At the moment, the FDA doesn't regulate the inks and pigments used by tattoo artists, even though it's within the agency's authority to do so, and no inks or pigments have been approved for injection. While state and local authorities do oversee the practice, their rules vary, and they're mainly concerned with ensuring sanitation, experts say.

But reports of itching, swelling, rashes, bumps, and other skin reactions have caught FDA scientists' attention. "I'm scarred now," says David Surman, 49, who still suffers the consequences of his $2,000 tattoos two years later; roses on vines that snake up his arms became blisters that itch, bleed, and sting to this day. "I played the guinea pig, more or less."

Agency studies are underway to determine whether tattoo inks pose any hidden health risks.

Meantime, Delaware Valley College chemistry Prof. Ronald Petruso has found what he says are potentially carcinogenic substances manufactured solely for car paint in a yellow-orange pigment he tested. And traces of lead turned up in ink samples analyzed by a Northern Arizona University colleague, Jani Ingram. "It just boggles my mind that the federal government has never set regulations for anything like this," Petruso says. Experts believe these materials are being mixed into ink because they endure. "Look at your car—the color is there for 20 years," says Wolfgang Bäumler, assistant professor of experimental dermatology at the University of Regensburg in Germany. His own study of some 40 inks revealed that most contained potentially hazardous chemicals.

Bäumler and Petruso both note that it's still unknown whether the tainting chemicals actually have health consequences. "We have no clinical evidence that these substances in the long run are either safe or not," Bäumlersays. "It could turn out there's nothing to worry about, but to make this statement at the end of the day, we have to follow up with research." Also worrisome: Animal research has shown that pigment in ink doesn't stay put where it's injected but rather roams to the lymph nodes.

Such concerns have prompted the FDA to investigate. Research is aimed at analyzing the chemical makeup of the inks and how they break down in the body; pinpointing what might be causing certain peoples' reactions; finding out where ink goes when it fades following exposure to sunlight or lasers used in removal; and ultimately determining the short- and long-term safety of the pigments used to color inks, according to an agency report out in December dubbed Think Before You Ink: Are Tattoos Safe? Regulations could follow, depending on the findings, Katz says.

Some experts remain skeptical that the inks can be harmful. "My gut feeling is that we're probably not waiting for the other shoe to fall," says Hilary Baldwin, an associate professor of dermatology at the State University of New York and an American Academy of Dermatology member. Even if these chemicals are questionable, she says, the amount injected is probably small enough to render harm a nonissue—though allergic reactions to pigments are fairly common. Her message: "If you're going to get a tattoo, be cognizant of all the risks," Baldwin says. But "I don't think they're going to kill you."

Credit: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2008/04/15/if-youre-considering-a-tattoo-read-this

The Dangerous Art of the Tattoo

Consider the health risks of this invasive procedure before getting—or removing—body art

By BERNADINE HEALY, M.D.

Tattoos are fast becoming a mark of the 21st century, with one quarter or more of those under the age of 30 adorning their skin with at least one. Whether driven by the urge for personal expression or just plain youthful impulsiveness, most people get tattooed without a clue about the health implications of this invasive skin-puncturing procedure. I'd suggest that all tattooing require a signed consent form outlining risks—the most obvious one being a major case of remorse.

Upwards of 50 percent of those who get tattoos later wish they hadn't. Their regrets become medical when they visit a dermatologist to have the tattoos removed, which is both painful and expensive. In the July issue of the Archives of Dermatology, researchers at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center report on what's behind the change of heart: moving on from the past, problems wearing clothes, embarrassment, and concerns that tattoos could adversely affect job or career.

But tattooing is designed to last forever, delivering permanent ink deep under the epidermis. The skin reacts by protectively encapsulating the alien clumps of pigment in dense fibrous tissue while a few nearby lymph nodes collect what migrates out. For a long time, removal meant surgical excision or deep abrasion of the skin, invariably causing scarring and sometimes the need for skin grafting. In the preferred approach now, the tattoo gradually fades away under many months of laser treatments tailored to the wavelength of the pigments. Sounds easy. But with disruption, the fading tattoo becomes more like a toxic chemical dump.

Chemists from several laboratories, including the government's National Center for Toxicological Research, have identified low levels of carcinogens in tattoo ink. But the laser removal process, which demolishes the pigment by scorching it with heat, triggers chemical reactions that generate carcinogenic and mutation-inducing breakdown products, which are then absorbed by the body. Recently, German scientists reported that concentrations of toxic molecules from red and yellow pigments increased up to 70-fold after laser irradiation. And the bigger the tattoo, the greater the toxic release. This can only make one wonder whether it's better to let the sleeping paint lie, walled off by the body's own protective devices. Only time and a lot more study will tell.

We know so woefully little about tattoos. The Food and Drug Administration, which goes after cosmetics with a vengeance, does not regulate the tattoo industry. In fact, no one really knows exactly what's in the numerous commercial and homemade inks. But they do contain solvents and metals like lead and mercury and a range of impurities acceptable for computer printers or car paint—but not for human injection.

Allergic reactions and skin infections can occur after tattooing. And though they may be coincidental, skin cancers, including melanomas, have been reported within tattoo sites, bearing very close watching. The FDA warns about the risk of tattoo parlors transmitting viruses like HIV and the cancer-causing hepatitis C. Because of this, blood banks typically ban donations from people who have been tattooed in the previous 12 months. The FDA also warns patients that if they have an MRI scan, their tattoos can swell or burn, presumably related to the metal in some inks.

Stigma. Once mainly a guy thing, tattoos now decorate men and women equally, and increasingly they are a women's health issue. It should be obvious that getting or removing tattoos during pregnancy is not a good idea. And some anesthesiologists have expressed concerns about performing epidurals, used during labor, through those symmetrically designed female lower-back tattoos because of the slim possibility that the needle might carry pigment into the spinal canal. Perhaps not surprisingly, most patients seeking removal are women, prompted by a disproportionate level of psychological distress and even tattoo stigma. Witness the tasteless moniker used to describe those lower-back tattoos: "tramp stamp."

I asked a few of my U.S. News colleagues about their take on women and tattoos. One said there was something trendy if not sexy about them—but maybe not for his fiancée. Another said he'd date a girl with one if it were not too obvious. A third saw only harmless self-expression. I'm with one young reporter who visited a tattoo parlor for a piece she was writing. She's down on tattoos because of the murky risks—and the idea of looking at the deeds of her youth for 80 years.

Credit: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2008/07/25/the-dangerous-art-of-the-tattoo

Screwed, Blued, and Tattooed

I truly don’t know what to do about this current situation. If you refer back to my post about the lies my daughter has told me thus far, I wrote that post while in a tongue-in-cheek mood, as if I was only “looking back” on bad times and that they were over. Well, I just bit my tongue and it hurts.

There was a big juicy lie on that list—the one that says she doesn’t have a tattoo; after all, she said, she’s not 18 yet and it was against the law unless she had parental consent (which I would NEVER give). I asked and asked and asked and she denied and denied and denied. Then this girl, who used to run around in her underwear because it’s always been just us girls, was suddenly locking her door when changing or showering. New behavior. While most teenagers are private about these things—and I totally respect privacy—she has always been practically a nudist.

Well, last night, as I do most nights, I checked on her before I went to bed. Every night, I turn off lights, phones, TVs, and so on, and make sure she’s okay. I’ve been doing the same thing since she was born. I used to check that she was breathing and I would whisper, “I love you, OK?” in her ear while she slept, hoping it would provoke beautiful dreams.

Last night was warm and she was lying on top of her blanket, on her back. Her shirt was up to her ribs, and I was shocked to see a tattoo that started at the elastic of her panties and scrolled down from there. This sprawled out position also revealed a belly button piercing.

The slew of adjectives, expletives, and panicked directives spewed from my mouth. She was dead-asleep, needing to get her eight hours before her 4:45 am shift at work, and I didn’t wake her up. Better not to, because I need to precisely and flawlessly measure out my words, thoughts, feelings, and actions before I can even look at her.

I’m tremendously disappointed, disgusted, appalled, afraid, confused…

Disappointed because she has the gall to lie so BIG to me, to fuck with my trust, and to thumb her nose at the one person who would walk through fire for her (and pretty much has).

Disgusted because I think people who ink themselves in this way are gross and want to present a fringe-level, dangerous persona to the world, as if they think the world they live in is a joke. It looks dirty, low-class, and has long-term ramifications. My daughter borders on brilliant, yet who the hell will take her seriously now? She’ll regret this, and the undoing will be expensive and painful and HER PROBLEM.

Appalled that some tattoo shop (that my kid would argue is reputable and everyone there is an “artist”) broke the law and tatted, poked, and pierced my underage daughter, though I would buy it if they said she had a fake i.d. She hangs out at these gross dens of the underbelly, often describing the young tattooist as “hot.” Then when she describes them to me, I want to vomit in my mouth. Something about gauges and objects jammed through their noses, lips, and other unnatural places.

Afraid because I don’t know where, when, or how this sneaky shit started or when/if it’s going to end. I can’t stand this “slice of life” and I don’t want it around me. I naturally want her away from it, but she is so attracted to the people in this subculture and I’m not the shiny object that can take her attention away. She’s months away from being a legal adult, when she can do what she wants. I’m afraid of her choices and where they will lead her. It’s not just tattoos and piercings, it’s drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, crime, violence…this is my daughter’s fascination. I know there are people with tattoos who are perfectly nice, but those aren’t the people my daughter gravitates towards.

Confused because I don’t know the right thing to do. Do I HAVE to put up with this because she’s 17? I have the right to run my household any way I see fit—and I see it conservative, quiet, safe, law-abiding, and free of riffraff. My daughter has become riffraff in my eyes. I have always told her that if she got a tattoo, she wouldn’t be allowed to live with me. I don’t want it in my house and I don’t have to have it in my house. But I truly thought that she’s follow the law and wait until she was 18, then I could tell her that, as an adult, you can move out. On the flip side, I’ve also given her the message that she belongs with me, saving money, going to college, supporting her car…but now what do I do? She’s still 17. Do I throw her out? Do I wait until she’s 18 and show her the door?

She has defied me, lied to me, and now I need someone to guide me.

Mama You’re Crazy

So the fall/early winter is birthdayville in my family. Me: September; older daughter: October; my sister: November; toddler nephew: December; and “troubled teen:” December. As my girls get older, it’s more and more impossible to be creative with gifts. A set of nail polishes in a cute box or a CD of a pop band used to go pretty far—now the gifts need to be meaningful and that often means expensive.

Troubled teen made it easy for me this year by selecting her own gift—and an early one at that. She requested VIP tickets to see some rapper named TechN9ne. VIP tickets means you get to be part of a small group who is invited to a “meet and greet” the afternoon of the concert, first entrance to the venue, first choice of seats, back stage passes, and a huge box of cheap swag. Yep—no iPods, perfume, or high end dinner certificates—more like bandanas, stickers, a pendant and chain with his name, a sweat towel, and a backpack thing.

I agreed to it, knowing full well that this performer is not my thing and to me he’s gross—but I read up on him and he seems like a pretty good businessman to me. He’s quite successful of late, and his music is on the soundtrack of a couple of movies. He’s worked his way up over the years, and he’s found the right gimmick and the target audience he needed. Since my daughter is mad for him, despite how rough and stupid his lyrics are, I guess his target audience must be white teenage girls who put on airs like they could handle “the hood,” but they’re really from educated, middle-class families and would be eaten alive.

I take this with a grain of salt, because my daughter’s tastes changes from minute to minute. One month she’s frilly and froofy, and another month she’s tough and wearing tight jeans and t-shirts with pictures of crying Cholas on them, and drawing in her eyebrows with jet black ink. Another time she might be preppy and borrow my clothes! She’s always been a chameleon and probably always will be. She may like this music now, but I also know she loves Disney tunes and old Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys from when she was in elementary school. She still watches cartoons, talks baby talk to her kitties, and cuddles with her grandmother.

So she got her early birthday present, which set me back $150, but she’s already been to the concert and was able to show off in front of her other goofus friends and feel like a big shot. She met the “stars” and made friends with their manager and was thrilled when they not only invited her to their next show, but told her how pretty and smart she is. She was on cloud nine for days, and it was a nice thing to see. It’s been over a week, and she’s been lovely.

You live to see your children be happy and smile, and she sure smiled BIG. She wasn’t stoned or drunk when she came home, she didn’t get into any accidents, and I didn’t get a phone call from a police officer; in fact, she was the driver and she took that responsibility very seriously. It was sort of a test of her maturity and she passed. As a reward, I let her decorate her bathroom (which doubles as our guest bathroom) with her TechN9ne hand towel and wall hanging. Oy—I am crazy.

Uglification

Nothing really too mindboggling has gone on with my kid in recent weeks (could be months). No police calls, no catching her with dope, no arguments, no new piercings or tattoos…

Her appearance is baffling me. My daughter is beautiful, exotic, you could even say sexy and voluptuous (G-d help me). Why is she uglifying herself?

One thing I wonder about is why she changed her gorgeous, thick, black mane to a freaky red/auburn/violet muddle. She’s done it herself and it’s not nice. I don’t like it. It’s not flattering. I tried to bribe her to change it back, I tried saying it directly, I tried coming in the side door…but she says, “It’s my hair and I’m not changing it.” Well, she’s right, and my philosophy has always been that hair is an easy fix. If it’s too short, you let it grow; if it’s the wrong color, change it to a new one; if it’s too long; cut it…Not the same as tattoos and other disfigurements (which are permanent-ish).

The other thing is her eyebrows. She has to draw them in each day, like a chola. She claims her real eyebrows just fell out and never grew back in. That’s a little hard to believe when I see little razors on her dressing table and stencils for eyebrow shapes. It looks like she grooms a little too much. Sometimes, they’re entirely too dark and she looks mean. Other times, she’s spot on. I guess you can decide what you want the world to see each day—a surprised look, happiness, anger...She’s planning on getting permanent makeup done to fill in the area—a sneaky way of getting an acceptable tattoo, I guess.