Over the years I have collected 12 tattoos. And now I remove each one of them. Like many people flexing their newfound independence, I got my first tattoo – a small cross on my hip bone – the day I turned 18. The rest are dotted all over my body, a mural of my life over the years: palm trees from A Trip to Hawaii, a olive branch on my forearm to celebrate my family line, a bunch of cherries on my ankle simply because I thought they were cute, and the list goes on. But in the last two years I’ve had a big shift in my mind about my tattoos. For starters, I stopped getting them, a marked change since I normally jump at any chance to get new ink.
More importantly, my tattoos didn’t really suit me anymore. While I still love the artwork, they no longer match my personality or style. It may sound silly, but they even interfere with how I wear certain clothes, and as someone who expresses myself through what I wear, this was a significant indicator that something was off. I would become self-conscious that the bladders made up my arms in sleeveless dresses because of my tattoos. Looking back, I may have chosen a few them to be smaller or placed differentlybut I was young and, sure I say it, a little naive. Do I have any regrets? Not at all. Each tattoo represents a fun, special time in my life, and I was lucky enough to work with amazing, talented artists. I will always cherish the memories attached to them, but I am simply ready for a fresh start.
Experts in this story
Josh WeitzMD, is the medical director of Recurrent.
Evan WheelsMD, is a psychiatrist and dermatologist at 36 North Moore Dermatology in New York City.
Roy G. GeronemusMD, is director of Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York.
Why we change our minds about our tattoos
I am not alone in my feelings. “We are seeing the demand for tattoo removal growing at a remarkable rate as the process becomes increasingly demystified,” said Removery Chief Medical Officer Josh Weitz, MD. “As of this writing, we have completed 1,441,215 successful treatments and have seen approximately a 25 percent increase in new clients starting treatment over the past year.”
Two things are likely driving the increase in removals. “With tattoos gaining popularity and becoming more common – for example, Americans will get over 11 million new tattoos this year – we are seeing a corresponding increase in tattoo regret or, in people who have multiple tattoos, a desire to make room for a new one artwork by a favorite artist, he says.
For something that feels so permanent, it’s hard not to roll your eyes at someone like me, whose main drive behind removing my tattoos is a change of heart and shift in aesthetic preferences. But after speaking with dermatologist and psychiatrist Evan Rieder, MD, there’s a lot of validity to it. “Just as our taste in other aspects of our lives evolves and matures, so can our taste in tattoos. A tattoo is an art form, and we know that our views on beauty and art are not static and change according to a variety of factors, including our surroundings, the people in our social sphere and our time in life,” he says. “It’s not hard to see why a decision to have a romantic Partner’s name tattooed On the skin during adolescence can be seen in a different light 20 years later, especially if the partner is no longer in the picture. Similarly, thematic material that may have been top of mind earlier in life may not resonate the same way years later. “
Of course, beyond simply not favoring tattoos anymore, there are some other more obvious reasons why someone might choose to remove theirs, like the fact that tattoos can fade and look weathered over time. “They can also represent a time in life that we’d rather not be reminded of on a daily basis, or in retrospect, bad decisions that we regret quickly after making them,” says Dr. Rieder. “Remember that while we traditionally view tattoos as desired artistic adornment of the skin, not all tattoos are voluntary, and there are certainly cases where people remove tattoos that they were pressured or coerced into receiving.” Or in my case, it could just be someone who grows up, moves on and wants a clean slate, whether for a personal or professional reason or both.
My experience with tattooing by tattooing
To start my tattoo processI Consulted Roy G. Geronemus, MD, Director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center in New York – The Doctor Who Treats Pete Davidson for his tattoo removal. We reviewed the process, which goes like this: At consultation, each tattoo’s color and size are evaluated, as these determine the type of laser and correct wavelength of light to use. A local anesthetic is given to eliminate pain, although Dr. Geronemus warns that some medics do not or cannot use local anesthesia, giving the impression that The procedure is painful.
“With a local anesthetic, removal is not painful,” says Dr. Geronemus. “The concept is that the lasers target and eliminate the tattoo ink while sparing the normal skin. That’s why multiple lasers are required for tattoos with different ink colors,” he says. “After each procedure, there is crusting for a week or so, which shortens with subsequent visits as the tattoo becomes lighter.”
The feelings I felt removing my tattoos
I have officially started the removal process. In terms of pain level, I would say that each session is not pleasant but manageable; It’s not as bad as you might expect. But I feel all the feelings. My first reaction was relief – I instantly felt lighter, like I was finally taking a big first step into a journey I’d been thinking about for a while. I was excited to begin the process, but there was also a tinge of sadness, knowing that I was erasing memories tied to fun and meaningful times in my life. “For many of our clients, tattoo removal is a deeply transformative process—one that symbolizes personal growth and a chance for renewal. For some, it’s about letting go of the past and for others, an opportunity to embrace new beginnings,” says “says Dr. Weitz.
My journey with tattoos has taught me to be more intentional about long-term decisions. Tattoos are such a unique way to express yourself — but they’re also permanent, and it’s OK to admit that you’ve outgrown them. Overall, I feel so grateful for the chance to start over. Who knows – maybe I will newly colored on the road. At the moment this feels like the right move to me.
Victoria (Tori) Oliva is a New York-based PR professional with over eight years of experience in the beauty and wellness industry. She brings her strategic communications skills to her writing and leverages her deep understanding of brand history to create compelling narratives that offer insider perspectives on wellness trends and industry developments.
