Study: Tattoo Removal Climbs 32% in Competitive Job Market

IRVINE, Calif., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study looking at tattoo removal demand over the last two years, The Patient's Guide® reports that laser tattoo removal procedures climbed 32% from 2011 to 2012. Survey data cited "Employment Reasons" as the new leading factor driving demand. The study looked at patient appointment data from 205 of the top aesthetic medical practices across the country, and 700 patient surveys collected on TattooRemoval.net (see here). "We've seen a marked increase in tattoo removal laser appointments," said Jasson W. Gilmore, CEO & Co-Founder of The Patient's Guide. "The increased awareness of laser tattoo removal (http://www.tattooremoval.net/laser.aspx), economic pressure and the explosion in tattoo popularity have all converged to drive up demand for this procedure."

"There's been a significant increase in the number of patients who desire tattoo removal for career advancement or for employment reasons," says Dr. Eric Bernstein, renowned laser expert and Associate Clinical Professor at University of Pennsylvania.  "I think this is as wrong as any other kind of discrimination, but patients tell me that their tattoos are affecting their professional lives.  Many feel that their body could be holding them back and this has resulted in more folks seeking tattoo removal."

Through The Patient Guide's proprietary appointment tracking system, aggregate data was analyzed for in-office laser tattoo reduction procedures and was collected for 2 years in locations throughout North America (http://www.tattooremoval.net/sitemap.aspx).  Survey data from over 700 participants was then collected to better understand patient demographics and motivations.  Patients were asked to indicate their main reason for initiating the treatment.  The leading selection was 'Employment Reasons' which accounted for a whopping 40% of all submissions, followed by 'Name of Ex-Partner/Spouse' (18%), 'Change of Beliefs' (16%), 'Other' (15%), and 'Unhappy/Don't Like it' (11%).  "Employment reasons is up from 25% on a similar study done last year," said Mr. Gilmore. "It would appear that the economy is driving patients to seek laser treatment that may have otherwise not been interested in doing so."       

For further details on the data, please contact Brittney Roberts at [email protected]

About The Patient's Guide 
The Patient's Guide's mission is to provide the most accurate medical information to enable consumers to make educated decisions about aesthetic treatments. The Patient's Guide team includes leading physicians in the fields of laser and dermatology. These experts are the innovators in skin care and cosmetic dermatology technology breakthroughs, including hair removal, skin rejuvenation, fat reduction and cellulite treatment. Each month over one million visitors go to The Patient's Guide, a family of 25 web publications, each dedicated to a specific condition or treatment. Visitors rely on the information The Patient's Guide provides because the information is written by leading experts. For more information please visit patientsguide.com.

SOURCE The Patient’s Guide