More Americans Removing Tattoos in Hopes of Employment

Robert Ginn/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Got a tattoo?  Thinking about getting rid of it?  You're not alone.

According to a survey conducted by The Patient’s Guide, an online skincare reference center, laser tattoo removal procedures have soared by 32 percent this year compared to 2011.

One of the major factors behind this sudden flurry of Americans seeking to remove their ink is the search for work.

Dr. Eric Bernstein, a renowned laser expert from the University of Pennsylvania, says that patients have been telling him “their tattoos are affecting their professional lives.  Many feel that their body could be holding them back and this has resulted in more folks seeking tattoo removal.”

Collecting information from 700 participants in the survey, The Patient’s Guide reveals that employment reasons accounted for 40 percent of those who had tattoos zapped -- up 25 percent from last year.

Other categories included "Name of Ex-Partner/Spouse" (18 percent), "Change of Beliefs" (16 percent) and "Unhappy/Don't Like it' (11 percent).

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