Are Tattoos an example of a Demerit Good?

Listen, I'm an old curmudgeon. I don't wear patches on my jacket elbows nor do I wear corduroy trousers but that's because I don't like newfangled things. So when I said to my students today that I think that tattoos may be an example of a demerit good they responded with "well, you would say that, wouldn't you!"

The question I asked arose from an article about how up to a third of people who have tattoos regret their decision to have the indelible artwork imprinted on their bodies later on in life. I created the document below and asked the question: "Are tattoos an example of a demerit good?"

Are_Tattoos_a_Demerit_Good.docx

The article refers to a report that recently came from the British Association of Dermatologists (yes, they do call themselves B.A.D.) who indicated the high proportion of people who regretted having their tattoos.

I asked this question because I was trying to reinforce my AS Economics students' understanding of the phrase 'demerit good' and, more importantly, getting them to analyse a question and respond with a more extended answer. I wanted them to de-construct the phrase 'if left to market forces the good would be over-consumed and have negative externalities' and apply this to the case I presented to them.

I was pleased with their response:

• There is some evidence that the government is worried about the market for tattoos and attempts to regulate by having age restrictions (I was told, apparently, that 16 to 18 year old people are allowed to have tattoos in the UK providing they have parental consent - which sparked a wholly different debate!)
• There is evidence that there is over-consumption - up to a third wishing that they hadn't had their tattoos done
• There is little evidence that tattoos have extensive externalities. Whilst the report indicates that some tattoo wearers become unhappy and their tattoo impacts upon their life choices, there is little evidence of large-scale societal issues created by the wearing of tattoos (I've challenged them to find out if you can get a tattoo removed on the NHS and thus create an external cost)