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Jack Tame: The tattoo trend has run its course

Author: Jack Tame ,
Publish Date: Sat, 30 May 2026, 10:07am

It will come as little surprise to anyone who knows me: I do not have any tattoos.

I’ve never been inked.

It’s not that I don’t think they can look great. More than anything, I just don’t trust my taste. I’ve looked at old photos. I’ve seen my haircuts and clothing choices from even a few years ago.

When you’ve burned up and crashed out in the low stakes minor leagues, there’s not a huge incentive to put it all on the line in the majors. That fish dunking a basketball might just have to wait.

Of course there are many reasons to get a tattoo. Cultural reasons. Utilitarian reasons. To remember a loved one or a traumatic event. I’ve got a friend who’s tattooed a medical condition, kind of like a permanent and more fashionable medic alert bracelet. But I don’t have any of those reasons. And I’d still suggest the dominant reason that most people get tattoos is because they think they look cool.

And don’t get me wrong, my tattooed friends. A lot of people look great with tattoos. But then again, a lot of people don’t.

There has been an explosion in ink in recent years. You see them everywhere: sleeves and intricate designs. Patchworks. Delicate stick-and-pokes. It’s impossible to watch a game of professional football without noting that a majority of the players are covered tip to tat-toe.

New Research estimates that in the United States alone, a third of adults have at least one tattoo. For those aged 30-49, it climbs to 46%. But get this – for young women between 18 and 29, more than half have at least one tattoo!

So I’m calling it today. This trend cycle is officially over. The unique has become the ubiquitous. People who seriously love tattoos will continue to get tattoos. And fair enough. You do you. But all those people who jumped on the bandwagon because they thought a few tats would look cool on Instagram are no longer queueing for new ink.

Except unlike skinny jeans, you can’t just chuck your tattoos in an old shopping bag and drop them in a clothing bin. The cruel reality of the tattoo trend is that even though clearly ‘trend’ is the right word to explain the surge in tattoos, the results of this trend are very much permanent.

The global tattoo removal industry is valued at $11 billion today. By 2035, it’s forecast to be four times that. If I had a spare bob, I swear, I’d be investing. Tattoo removal is from all accounts a pretty painful experience. But it’s also big business.

And of course, the trend-setters who consciously or otherwise have contributed to some of the demand are among those who are first in line to get their tattoos zapped off. Pete Davidson, Mark Whalberg, Pharrell… Watch this space. The list is only gonna grow.

I started by saying I don’t trust my own taste. Those who disagree with me will say I’m a hypocrite. How can someone who admits to having questionable taste be so certain in his judgement? The only thing that’ll save me is I reckon deep down, whether they admit it or not, most people will agree.

No tattoos is the new tattoos.