There are many reasons why people choose to get tattoos removed. As the medical director of Tattoo MD, I can attest that there is no single category that people can be easily lumped into. However, there are some patterns that emerge that are interesting to comment on. One is the differences I have observed between men and women getting their tattoos removed. The following is based on our experience at Tattoo MD Laser Clinic in Los Angeles.
There are some characteristics that are much more common in men who are getting tattoos removed. Men appear to be more likely than women to have just part of a tattoo removed rather than the whole thing. For men, it seems to often be due to a change in the technical appreciation of the tattoo. For instance, they may want some letters or a component of a drawing removed. It seems that men are more likely to be become dissatisfied with the particular appearance of the tattoo rather than the entire tattoo itself. This is not universal. A man, just as a woman may want to completely remove a symbolic tattoo, such as one that is gang-affiliated, once they no longer identify with that lifestyle.

Another characteristic that appears to be more common in men is teenage self-administered tattoos. These are the homemade tats done with pen ink, india ink, homemade charcoal or other locally available materials. The needle used may be a sewing needle, guitar string, or other sharp object. The tattoo typically has no artistic quality and is frequently removed later, often at the demand of parents. Interestingly, women who get an homemade tattoo often get one from another man, particularly a boyfriend. They may get the guy’s name tattooed on their chest as a mark of belonging to him. This is common among gang members.
Both men and women get names tattooed, but it seems that women get them removed more often than men. Perhaps there is a greater tendency among women to be labeled as belonging to a mate. This might also play into the “all or nothing” tendency that I believe functions more strongly in women than men. Thus men are more likely to tolerate a name on their body that no longer holds significance for them, while women want to be completely rid of it.

There are of course the expected differences. Women more often get tattoos of flowers, butterflies, cute animals. They more often get ankle and lower back tattoos. Unsurprisingly, these tattoos present for removal more often in women. Likewise, men often get upper arm or neck tattoos and more often get these tattoos removed.

These observed differences are not absolute. They do reflect underlying societal values, differences in the way that men and women think, and the interrelationships between men and women. These forces express themselves in tattooing and in choices made to remove a tattoo.