Recent surveys have shown that nearly 36% of young Americans between 18-25
have tattoos. The numbers seem astronomically high in comparison to just a
decade ago, when tattoos still carried a taboo. But with the accessibility
of tattoo removal, teenagers know they can easily remove it if they have a
case of buyers remorse, or worse their parents find their mark of
rebellion. For most parents of teenagers the dreaded words are "I want a
tattoo," but clearly it seems as though parents have lost the leverage to
forbid body art. As tattooing has boomed in popularity many of the
stereotypes of gangs, drugs and deviance have disappeared while also the
opportunities to remove them are just as prevalent.

The New York Daily News said of this phenomena, "That tells you all you need
to know about the changed cultural meaning of the American tattoo. It has
become just as common among women as among men. Most of all, though, it has
gone 100% mainstream. If even Barbie is getting inked, and it's totally
stylin', we can be sure that there's nothing remotely rebellious about it."

So if you're one of the thousands of parents fretting your child's
inevitable tattoo, then perhaps explain to them now the options, prices and
time involved in tattoo removal, so they are aware alternatives do exist
when you want to remove the tattoo.

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