Los Angeles — The tattoo boom of recent years has spawned an additional growth industry. The ranks of tattoo removal practitioners have increased substantially over the past five years, with revenue rising at an average annual rate of about 21 percent to $65.6 million in 2012, market analysis firm IBISWorld reports.
Analysts predict that the number of tattoo removal businesses will continue to grow over the next five years, although probably at a slower rate.
IBISWorld theorizes that the increased social acceptability of tattoos has driven demand, which in turn has increased the number of potential customers who later may regret their initial decision and want to have their tattoos removed, according to PRWorld. The analysis notes that tattoo removal also is being driven by the nation’s unemployment problem, which has led to increasing demand from job-seekers wishing to cover their tattoos to help improve their chances of being hired.
Analysts also note that the increased use of Q-switching laser technology not only has resulted in higher demand for tattoo removal, but also has led to increased demand for initially getting tattoos — since potential customers are aware that the markings can be removed relatively easily with this device.
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