Tattoo Removal Is The Newest Trend For Job Seekers

More people are getting rid of their tattoos in hopes that an ink-free appearance will help land them a job.
Tattoo removal is up 32% over the last year, according to The Patient Guide, a website comprised of 25 skincare publications.
The site reports that many of the patients say they’re undergoing the treatment for employment-related reasons.
“The trend I’ve noticed the most is usually college students who have finished their education, and [the tattoo is] a mistake they made a few years ago, and they’re looking for a job,” Dr. Jen Mundt of Delete Tattoo Removal in Phoenix told ABC News.
“And, people who have lost their jobs and are trying to get back into the workforce and gain an edge.”
Mundt says she sees about 20 people a day who are inquiring about tattoo removal for a prospective job — many worried about tattoos on their wrists or neck.
“A lot of businesses have a policy that does not allow tattoos that are visible,” she told ABC News. “Sometimes you can’t have them at all.”
One of her patients, Gregory Barkley, got a tattoo removed from his neck after a former boss complained.
“It was basically an eyesore,” he told ABC15. “It was not professional-looking at all.”
Barkley said his boss was unhappy when customers referred to him as “the guy with the tattoo.”
“He didn’t like me to be recognized or the company to be recognized that way,” Barkley said.
Tattoo removal isn’t a cheap — or quick — process. Mundt says most tattoos take about ten sessions to remove with laser treatment, and each session could cost as much as $200.
But she suggests job-seekers view the hefty price tag as an investment.
“It’s like going back to school — yes, you can go into debt, but removing your tattoo might help you get along further in your career,” Mundt told ABC News.