Here are some statistics about the tattoo industry in the United States. According to U.S. News & World Report, tattooing has become one of America’s fastest growing categories of retail business. There are an estimated 15,000 tattoo studios in operation. It is also estimated that at least one new tattoo studio opens for business everyday somewhere in the country.

Harris Poll has conducted a survey in the summer of 2003. The results were pretty amazing! There are approximately 15% of Americans (or about 40 million people) have at least one tattoo on their body. Back in 1936, there were only 10 million Americans with body tattoo or approximately 6% of the population. The number of people with tattoo in the United States has almost tripled in a span of 60 years. To break it down even further, 16% of American males has tattoo and about 15% of American women has at least one tattoo.

Harris Poll also revealed that 83% of people that got a tattoo had no regrets on their choice to get a tattoo, while 17% said they did regret having chosen to get a tattoo. Those that regretted getting a tattoo, 16% said it was because of a person’s name being the tattoo, or being included within the tattoo.

What does all this figures mean to someone who is planning to get a tattoo? Avoid getting the name of a person as your body tattoo! You may be in love with your partner right now, and you think by tattooing their name on your body is a way to prove your love. That may be a mistake. You do not know what will happen 2 or 5 years down the path. You may have a new partner. Imagine the pain you have to go through to remove the old tattoo from your skin. Stick to graphics or abstract design if you are planning to get a new tattoo. Spend some time browsing on the right tattoo design before you ink.