440% increase in tattoo removal - is love skin deep?
Getty Images Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas at a movie premiere. Actress Melanie Griffith is going through a painful divorce. But the removal of her tattoo with the first name of her husband Antonio Banderas may be almost as painful. And she’s not alone. Revenue for tattoo removals has surged 440% to an estimated $75.5 million over the last decade. The tattoo removal industry is still growing and expected to hit $83.2 million over the next four years, keeping pace with growth in the overall tattoo industry, according to research firm IBISWorld . Revenue for the industry overall is estimated to be $3.4 billion in 2014, an annualized growth rate of just 2.9%, though there is strong demand for tattoos with intricate designs, such as 3-D tattoos, says IBISWorld lead analyst Andy Brennan . There are nearly 8,000 tattoo businesses in the U.S., with no dominant player. Tattoo removal can also be a public statement. Griffith was recently photographed leaving a skin speciali