The NHS has spent nearly £350,000 on removing tattoos after people changed their minds about their body art . More than 2,000 people have been given free laser treatment – courtesy of the taxpayer – in the past four years , described by MPs as a ‘ sheer waste ’ of scarce NHS funds . Tattoo removal is not routinely provided by the NHS , but guidance states it can be carried out ‘ to protect a person ’ s health ’ if their doctor believes it is causing them ‘ significant distress or serious mental health problems ’ . The NHS has spent £350,000 on removing people 's tattoos for them once they have second thoughts ( file image ) It would also be considered if the dye had caused a ‘ significant allergic reaction or infection ’ or if someone had been tattooed against their will . A patient must be referred by their GP . Figures obtained by The Sun under Freedom of Information laws show 2,016 people had tattoos removed since 2010 at a cost of £330,182 . However , the true cost is likely to be much higher , as many trusts did not provide breakdowns of the reasons for laser treatments . The number of tattoo parlours in the UK has soared from about 50 in the 1970s to 1,000 today . Their popularity has been boosted by celebrity fans , including David Beckham and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini . Even the Prime Minister ’ s wife , Samantha Cameron , has a small dolphin tattoo on her ankle . However , four in ten people are said to regret having a tattoo and one in six want them removed . Laser removal uses beams of different coloured light to break down the ink into minuscule fragments , which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted via the liver and digestive system . The popularity of tattoos has been boosted by celebrity fans , including David Beckham ( pictured ) , Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and even Samantha Cameron . Private clinics charge around £150 a session for a small tattoo and up to £800 for a larger one . Typically eight to ten sessions are needed for large tattoos . One patient to benefit was John , 22 , who had a large swastika removed from his chest and hoped to have other Nazi symbols removed from his back and arms . He told the BBC he wanted them removed so he could move abroad and take his top off while working out . He added : ‘ You can ’ t really do that with something that is going to offend everybody ... I want to move on in life . If I got them removed I ’ d be able to change my image. ’ Jonathan Isaby , chief executive of the TaxPayers ’ Alliance , said : ‘ Taxpayers will be furious that they ’ re funding what amounts to cosmetic surgery . You can ’ t go a day in politics without someone calling for more money for the NHS , but it ’ s clear that too much is already wasted . ‘ With Britain ’ s finances so stretched we have to prioritise spending on essential services , not on covering up ill-advised body art. ’ Shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said : ‘ People will struggle to see how this sheer waste of precious NHS money can be justified when hospitals do not have enough staff . ‘ Patient care is already heading downhill and more nurses could be lost under Tory spending cuts . ’
one people have had tattoos removed by NHS since 2010 . The cost of the laser treatment is more than £330,000 , figures reveal . MPs last night slammed the expenditure as a 'sheer waste ' of NHS funds .