Shanghai's veteran tattoo artist Hu Deliang is encouraging people to do something that seems unintuitive for his business: have fewer tattoos made.

He even said so during last weekend's 2016 Shanghai International Art Festival of Tattoos.

But he's not a traitor to the industry and art that he loves. He made his name in a competition in 2007, and today is head of the China Association of Tattoo Artists' Shanghai branch.

Not a fad

Instead, he says, he recommends it because he has seen too many tattoos end up being lasered off. In fact, he told the Global Times, in recent years he removes more tattoos than he makes. He said he finds it sad.

"Many people see it as just a fad, and it is natural for a fad to come and go. Therefore, they tend to take the whole thing casually; they do not think it over before they make the decision, because they think it can disappear anyway," Hu said.

He said this is exactly the opposite of what tattoos are about. They're meant to last, to be immortal.

"Tattoos are very personal, and they are like a diary written on the body that says something about the soul within. That is why I believe a real enthusiast ought to be very serious in every step he takes in terms of tattooing, and respect it as a ritual," Hu said.

Chen Jiaqi, a 26-year-old client manager with a car manufacturer, agrees that tattooing must be far more meaningful than just simply cool.

He said they can also be inspiring. Chen, a marathon runner longing to take part in the Boston Marathon someday, had the event's symbol unicorn (pictured above) tattooed above his left ankle; he said when he is exhausted training, he sees it as a reminder of the marathon spirit. So far, he could think of no reasons that would lead him to have it removed.

Meanwhile, for people who are having second thoughts, advancing tattoo-removal technology means they can cure their regrets with more ease.

Internet searches show a long list of removal services, as well as endless inquiries on the best places to have tattoos removed. The reasons are almost unanimous: out of regret.

Tattoo artist Hu Deliang (above) advises those interested in getting a tattoo to take their time chatting with different artists to find out if they really connect. Photos: Courtesy of Hu Deliang and Chen Jiaqi

Laser gone

Today, hospitals, plastic-surgery clinics and tattoo shops themselves are the most common places to remove the body ink, mostly using a laser machine.

In a plastic-surgery clinic like Tianda, the base cost for the service is 500 yuan ($76.91), plus 250 yuan for each square centimeter.

The process usually requires a number of sessions that are two to three months apart.

"Black is relatively easy to remove, while bright colors like red can only be reduced," a Tianda doctor surnamed Wu said.

Some go back to the same tattoo parlor where they were inked only a few months or a few years ago.

Jenny Ye, a 27-year-old woman working in overseas real estate investment, went back to the birthplace of her first and possibly last tattoo, after her future in-laws deemed it inappropriate.

She had a semi-abstract snake, consisting of dots, on her finger. The removal is fairly complete because of the simple form and color, but many others with much larger and more complex patterns eventually are left with scars.

"I went to the same tattoo shop because I trusted the venue very much, but I asked another tattooist to do the removal because I am sure it hurts an artist when he undoes his work," Ye said.

Finding the right one

Another way to eliminate the possibility of finding your tattoos a mistake, of course, is to find the right tattoo artist in the first place.

Jiang Weikang, an auto restorer and long-time tattoo enthusiast who has both his arms fully tattooed, said it can be difficult to find the right artist out of a large and highly diverse pool. He said the best way is to trust word of mouth.

Meanwhile, Hu has some tips. Besides an excellent art background and technique, he said, a good tattoo artist needs to genuinely respect the differences in people.

"Tattooing is not painting; it is like writing a letter for someone else, and an artist has to be able to tell another person's story," Hu said.

He advised those interested to take their time chatting with different tattoo artists to find out if they really connect, instead of jumping straight into cost inquiries.