Tattoo popularity grows, but so does demand for removal

BATON ROUGE, La. (Aging Untold) — Tattoos have surged in popularity, with 32% of Americans having at least one, including 13% of baby boomers, according to a 2023 Pew Research study. But for some, the ink doesn’t age the way they hoped.

The artist’s perspective

Tony Parisi has tattooed hundreds of clients.

“I like to draw it as we’re doing it,” Parisi said. “We are making a sacred connection, you know.”

Clients getting tattoos now include “rocket scientists, doctors, nurses, lawyers that have gotten me out of traffic tickets,” Parisi said.

Parisi said the tattoo business has changed, and body art is now more mainstream and no longer a deal breaker in the work world. But he said not all tattoos are treated equally by employers.

“If they’re trying to get something on their hands, we call that in the industry, that’s the job killer,” Parisi said.

An officer’s decision to remove his ink

Baton Rouge Police Department Officer Dylan Sherman, a five-year veteran of the department, got tattoos on his hands and arms years ago. At 30, he is now covering his arm tattoos and removing the designs on his hands.

“How you keep your boots shined, how you keep your uniform clean, everything has an effect on how they perceive you,” Sherman said.

Perception for Sherman plays a role in getting promoted.

Sherman turned to Abbie Woodard, owner of Louisiana Laserderm, for laser tattoo removal.

“We’re seeing a much younger crowd trying to get tattoo removal than we ever have before,” Woodard said.

How laser removal works

Laser tattoo removal uses a laser to deliver energy to the skin fast enough to shatter the ink molecules.

Woodard said tattoo removal makes up a large part of her business, with most clients removing ink they received in high school or soon after.

“Most people’s tattoos that we remove are from the ages of 16 to 22,” Woodard said. “And then I feel like something switches in your brain.”

Tattoo removal often takes two to 15 treatments to produce optimal results, with several weeks of healing time between each session. The ink, age and application of a tattoo can affect how difficult it is to remove.

“Blues — ocean blue, teal blue — that is one of the hardest colors to remove,” Woodard said. Black is the easiest color to remove, she said.

“I tell my kids that I’m like, get a black tattoo,” Woodard said. “Don’t get it on your arms or your neck and you’ll be OK.”

Cost and pain factors

Laser tattoo removal starts at $150. Pain management options include topical or injectable lidocaine or cryotherapy.

“So tattoo removal in general, it does hurt,” Woodard said.

For Sherman, quitting the removal process is not an option.

“That chapter in my life is over, and I’m ready to move onto the next one,” Sherman said.

Sherman said he plans to get more arm tattoos that he can conceal at work.

“Eventually, everything is going to be sleeved up,” Sherman said. “And I’ve always loved the bodywork and the esthetic of them.”

Parisi said he continues to help clients like Steve Frechou, who is getting an American flag tattoo, make decisions he hopes will last a lifetime.

“This is forever, so it’s going to look as good as it can look,” Parisi said.

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