Something dramatic happens when people hit their 40s. Perhaps it's the reality of age setting in, fear of not living life to its fullest or sudden awareness of unfulfilled dreams – but the midlife crisis is a very real phenomenon. Everyone deals with this stage in different ways. Some might go out and make an impulsive purchase, like a sports car or a beach home. Others might be tempted to change their appearance, whether through cosmetic surgery, dying their hair or getting a tattoo. The problem with getting body art in response to a midlife crisis is that it's often not a well-thought-out decision. While in the moment, getting inked may seem like a great way to declare you're still young and rebellious, it's a choice that could very well lead to tattoo regret down the road.

Rethinking the ink
The fact is that while tattoos have become increasingly common, so has laser removal of said designs. According to The Daily Mail, a new survey by Escentual.com found that four in 10 people with tatts regret at least one of them. Not only that, but one in six admitted that their tattoos bothers them so much, they want to eliminate their ink entirely. Half of the survey participants feel that when body art is visible, it could hinder their professional growth. Meanwhile, another 34 percent expressed concern that the designs might not look so good as they get older and their skin sags. It's a valid worry, and a major cause for reconsidering a tattoo during a midlife crisis. So what was the reason behind the research? The Daily Mail noted that when sales of makeup to conceal tatts spiked by 32 percent in just the past year, the company wanted to look into what could be spurring these second thoughts.

"A number of reasons can influence a person's decision to seek tattoo removal," director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, Dr. Roy G. Geronemus, told Medical Daily. "Young women become mothers, people experience changes in work status and sometimes it's just a matter of maturity. We call it 'Tattoo Remorse.'"

Resolving past mistakes
Medical Daily reported that a new Harris Interactive poll highlighted the link between the midlife crisis and body art. Results demonstrated that nearly one in five adults had at least one inking, with the majority of them falling between the ages of 30 and 39. Interestingly, the news outlet noted that research by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has determined that tattoo removal is becoming an increasingly popular procedure, with many inked individuals willing to shell out a lot of money to blast away the designs that have lost their meaning, allure or relevance. In fact, there were over 4,000 more removal procedures in the U.S. in 2013 compared to two years prior.

Fortunately, developments in laser technology have allowed people to get rid of unwanted ink more easily and more successfully than ever before. Medical Daily revealed that 35- to 50-year-olds represented a whopping 19,046 – or nearly half – of the removals performed last year, according to ASAPS' data. Dr. Geronemus, who is also a clinical professor of dermatology at NYU Medical Center, told the news outlet that the state-of-the-art PicoSure laser is one advancement that has made the removal process a lot easier. For example, he pointed out that blue and green pigments, which are traditionally stubborn colors to eliminate, are much easier to dissolve with the PicoSure PressureWave Technology.

The truth is, a midlife crisis presents the perfect opportunity for reinvention. Instead of getting inked, it makes a lot more sense for adults to embrace their maturity and get rid of the tatts that no longer express who they are.

Do you want to erase your tattoo? You are not alone; 20% of inked-individuals regret their tattoo*. Now permanent ink can be a thing of the past. PicoSure® is the latest breakthrough technology in laser tattoo removal providing faster results in fewer treatments. Visit www.picosurear.wpengine.com to learn more and find a PicoSure Practitioner near you.

* Source: Harris Interactive, 2013