It appears sexism is alive and well when it comes to tattoos. Although just about as many women as men get tattoos nowadays, a  new study shows that women seek removal of tattoos more than men because of negative social fallout.

About 25% of people ages 18 to 30 have tattoos, and that number is expected to rise to about 40% in the next few years, according to the study, published today in the Archives of Dermatology. Previous studies have shown that about 20% of people end up dissatisfied with their tattoos, and about 6% seek tattoo removal using laser treatment.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from two surveys of people undergoing tattoo removal. One survey was taken in 1996 and a second survey in 2006. In both surveys, men and women said they wanted the tattoos removed because their identities had changed and they had grown to dislike the tattoos. But in the 2006 survey, women also reported that they felt stigmatized by the tattoos. For example, 93% said having to hide the tattoos on occasion was a factor in the removal compared with 20% of men. About 40% of women endured negative comments at work, in public or in school compared with 5% of men.

So, ladies, think about that tattoo before you get it. And when you get it, think long and hard about where you're putting it.

"Societal support for women with tattoos may not be as strong as for men," said the authors from Texas Tech university. "Rather than having visible tattoos, women may still want to choose self-controlled body site placement, even in our contemporary society."

-- Shari Roan

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I have my own opinions as to why more women than men choose to have their tattoos removed; if anyone thinks I'm wrong, feel free to disagree, I'd like to hear your opinions...

I think men and women get tattoos for different reasons.  I think men are more likely to get tattoos for sentimental reasons, to mark milestones in their lives or as a tribute, and women are more likely to get tattoos for aesthetic reasons.  That's a very broad generalization--there are plenty of men who have tattoos just because they look cool, and their are plenty of women who have tattoos to signify an event in their lives.  But a lot of the tramp stamps out there are nothing more than a permanent spring break hangover.  And of course that's part of the stigma itself;  the lower back tattoo, almost exclusively the domain of women, will forever be known as a "tramp stamp," while generic arm bands on guys are unoriginal, but they're not known as "douchebag garters."

And then there is the perpetual double standard when it comes to gender and aging.  Men are allowed to grow old and grow hair out of their ears while they lose the hair on their heads, and while young people laugh and get a kick out of it, no one cares, because that's what men do.  Women, on the other hand, are raised to put a higher price on their appearance.  They are taught to wear makeup and shave their legs; grooming and looking good are much higher on a woman's list of priorities than a man's.  That's not to say women are shallow or vain, that's just what's expected of them, right or wrong, at least in the culture we live in.  That being said, a man who gets a tattoo at 22 years old doesn't really think about it when he's 52--that's just the way it is, like his bald spot.  A woman who gets a tattoo at 22, however, is more likely to regret it at 52--the skin has lost its elasticity, things that were firm are getting soft, and that tattoo that used to emphasize strong points may be drawing attention to areas she doesn't want to emphasize any longer.

I don't believe tattoos actually improve anyone's appearance, male or female.  You don't become better looking with ink; but depending on quality and placement, you could come out worse.  That's not to say ink isn't attractive; I am a big fan of women with well done ink.  But if a woman is attractive with ink, she was already an attractive woman; the ink didn't make her attractive.

In the end, the first question anyone should ask themselves before they get ink is "what will this look like when I am sixty years old?"  If you can't picture it, or don't take it into consideration, or don't believe it is important enough at the time you get your tattoo, then you will inevitably be unhappy with it in the long run.

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