AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Getting tattooed has been a growing trend for years and it seems to be continuing. This past weekend's Ink Life Tour at the Amarillo Civic Center seems to be good evidence of that.
Local tattoo artists said besides growth in numbers, they've also noticed a wider variety of places people are putting tattoos on their bodies.
"People want their ribs and their heads and behind their ears and my throat and the spots have gotten a little bit more crazy," said Tattoo Artist and Owner of Sugar Daddy's Tattoo, Scott Stinnett. "But commonly, guys still like to get their arms tattooed and girls either their ribs or lower back."
But as the number of people getting "inked" continues to climb, so does the number of folks wanting to get them removed.
"There's a huge increase in tattoo's", said Cheryl Haynes, owner of Amarillo Tattoo Removal Clinic.
"It seems as long as I've been doing it every year it seems like more people are doing it," added Stinnett. "I think as the industry grows that's just going to be a side effect of it. If more people are getting tattooed, well yeah, that increases the chances for more laser removal and that sort of thing."
Haynes said she sees anywhere from 15 to 20 people each week to have tattoos removed. A lot of times, she said, the reasons for the removal surround employment.
"There are many places that will not hire them because of visible tattoos and even going into the armed forces you cannot have a visible tattoo in uniform. They just want something different. They're tired of looking at that one or perhaps it was a name of somebody they're no longer with," she said. "That's a pretty popular one."
Stinnett agreed many people who get tattoos often rush into it, leading to more people wanting to get them removed.
"I do think people jump into something, 18, 19 years old thinking this guy is forever and I'm going to get his name and then two years down the road they need it removed," he said.
Another reason they said, it's important to "think before you ink".
