According to the British Association of Dermatologists, one in five British adults now has one or more tattoos. But how many of those will go on to regret them? Given that most people with tattoos get inked in their youth, at a time when no one can imagine love for a partner or a circle of barbed wire or Rebel Wilson’s Mexican Worm (as seen in Bridesmaids) ever fading, the potential for remorse is high.
The professional stigma lingers in many careers and cultures: one City of London broker tells me his colleagues get theirs done in areas that are easy to cover up, like on the wrist where the watch goes, or on “the butt cheek”.
“I’ve had people coming in to get tattoos removed because they have an interview for a Middle-Eastern airline,” says Dr Vishal Madan, president of the British Medical Laser Association, who specialises in tattoo removal using a laser, which is still widely considered the most reliable method.