People with tattoos were once looked down upon. But these days, tattoos are widely accepted — and even celebrated.
According to MarketResearch, the tattoo industry grew by nearly 10% every year for more a decade prior to 2018, and industry analysts believe this trend will continue well into the 2020s.
David Gant and Aaron Olivo are tattoo artists at Grimm Tattoo in Kansas City, which has been around for four generations. Olivo credits Wes Grimm, who's been tattooing since the 1980s, for helping him develop his career.
"It's been one of the best experiences that I can say," Olivo says. "I am learning so much more of tattooing than just the process."
Even though tattoos are widely popular, there are still some professions that don't allow certain tattoos. Dr. David Ores created the Fresh Start Removal Program on the Lower East Side of New York to help people who've been traumatized or faced significant barriers because of their tattoos. For example, he helped one of his clients remove a face tattoo so the client could be eligible for a promotion.
- David Gant, tattoo artist at Grimm Tattoo
- Aaron Olivo, tattoo artist at Grimm Tattoo
- Dr. David Ores, founder of the Fresh Start Removal Program
