Ethnic, tribal or figurative. Coloured flowers, snakes, butterflies and dolphins, but also oriental writings, names and effect phrases. Those who thought that the tattoo fashion was disappearing must change their minds.

Even if remorse increases, from beaches to gyms, tattoos expand, boast, expose themselves. But there are some differences compared to the past. Now it’s more refined, less evident, more imaginative. Nothing to do with the naked women of truck drivers or things like that.

Now we have allegorical figures in strategic and sensual points such as the groin, the neck or the ankle for girls, arms and shoulders for boys. But the tribe of those with remorse increases day by day. They all have the same bothering feeling of that trace on their body that does not represent them anymore, a memory of bad things, names of former partners, weak moments or, even worse, a sculpture on a falling buttock, a flabby abdominal and a shrivelled up muscle.

So? The solution is called laser. The medical structures specialized in the removal of tattoos are making a fortune. So much that, in southern California the business of a mini-chain established by Dr. Tattoff (from “tattoo off”, his real name is Will Kirby) has grown at the point that Wall Street wants it on the stock exchange. On its website there is a price list according to the size of the tattoo (from two to ninety squared centimetres), to the colours used and the depth. An example? In order to eliminate a coloured tattoo you can spend up to 1,500 dollars, half if it’s just black.

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute