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In today's young America, getting tattoos is as common as obtaining a driver's license or going to the senior prom.  Sports figures, singing idols, reality and movie stars routinely display their body art, some in outrageous numbers, designs and locations .

According to the Pew Research Center, over 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo, there are over 21,000 tattoo parlors and the industry as a whole made over $1.65 Billion in the U.S. alone last year.  These numbers are expected to continue to grow over the next few years.

The one negative aspect of getting a tattoo is that, for all practical purposes, they are permanent.  They will be imbedded in your skin for life unless the person undergoes an expensive and painful removal process known as Q-switched laser, or QSL, applied over a number of sessions. This is the most commonly used laser removal procedure.

A new study published online on Monday in the American Medical Association's Archives of Dermatology, has determined that several factors can interfere with the successful removal of what may be a tattoo.  The study has found that tattoo removal is less likely to succeed if the person is a smoker; the design contains colors such as blue or yellow and is larger than 12 inches.

The study is believed to be the first research that has looked at several factors-which included tattoo size and location on the body-involved with successful tattoo removal, according to the researchers.

In order to remove tattoos, patients must undergo about 10 laser treatments several weeks apart. The light from the laser targets pigments in the ink of the tattoo and helps the ink break down. Over time the ink is removed through the body's lymphatic system. Overall, the study found about 47% of people had their tattoos successfully removed after 10 laser treatments and it took 15 treatments to remove tattoos from 75% of patients.

Black and red pigments in tattoos were most easily removed. All-black tattoos had a 58% successful-removal rate, while tattoos with black and red pigments had a 51% success rate after 10 treatments. The presence of other colors such as greens, yellows or blues reduced the chances of effective removal of a tattoo by as much as 80%, the study found. Other factors that reduced the procedure's success included a design larger than 12 inches or one located on the feet or legs.

Dermatologists have always known that certain colors are easier to remove than others from a person's skin, but the study proved that removals can fail 70% more of the time if the patient is a smoker.

So before you get the name of the "love of your life" emblazoned on your neck for the world to see, make sure you get it on your ten year wedding anniversary... just to be sure.