Children across the world are more and more likely to get a tattoo than generations before them were. This doesn't mean that young people are more likely to get a tattoo after reaching the age of eighteen than their parents were. It means that there are actually more teenagers getting tattoos today than there were in the past.
"In the pediatric age groups 8-13 percent of children, 12-18 years of age have a tattoo and those who do not, about 50 percent considered having one. The age of the first tattoo in children is getting younger from sixteen years to 14 years of age." (source)
This shift towards a decreased age for getting a tattoo could have a direct effect on increased rates of tattoo removal in the future. People who get tattoos when they are young are more likely to get tattoos that they will regret in the future. Teens are known for making impulsive choices that can lead to regret down the line. Tattoo regret is not uncommon among teens who get tattoos and therefore tattoo removal for teens and young adults is likely to rise in direct proportion to increased tattoo rates among younger age groups. Question of the Day: How young is too young to get laser tattoo removal?
