DON’T SPEND GOOD MONEY AND TIME ON A TATTOO YOU’LL REGRET
There are many ways to regret your tattoo. Many of us already have a tattoo that we’d like to go back in time and stop ourselves from getting. It could be due to subject matter, location of the tattoo or who did your tattoo. One thing that is certain is that there are a lot of tattoos out there that people regret getting. With a little info, maybe we can help you avoid that problem.
SUBJECT MATTER
Sometimes the subject matter can be the reason behind your tattoo regret. Maybe it’s a name, or a portrait, perhaps a band logo. To be blunt, that ONLY safe names to get tattooed on yourself are your family, specifically those you share DNA with.
Not all marriages last forever, so maybe getting your wives or husbands name tattooed on you isn’t the best choice. Definitely don’t get a boyfriends or girlfriends name. This, by far, is the most commonly regretted tattoo type in the industry, hands down.
When it comes to names, the absolute safest are of your children, parents and siblings; in that order. You’ll never regret your children, and it’s unlikely you’ll regret your parents or siblings. So, with that said, go ahead with their names, it’s a safe bet.
Another thing to avoid is a passing fad. It’s not advisable to get a tattoo of something that is temporarily popular in culture at that moment. Most of these things go away as quickly as they come. An example of this would be Gangnam Style, The Macarena, fidget spinners, ANY meme, and so on. If it’s something that’s just suddenly and weirdly popular, you can bet that it will vanish just as fast. If you want a tattoo that’s pop culture, an established band logo isn’t a bad way to go, or a timeless movie quote/scene.
TATTOO LOCATION
Another common tattoo people regret is body placement. This biggest culprit would be face and neck tattoos. Unless you work in an industry that simply doesn’t care, and you’re happy working there for quite a while, there aren’t too many businesses that hire people with face/neck tattoos. Obviously there are quite a few places that it’s not a factor, such as working in the tattoo industry, as an example.
Sometimes, hand and finger tattoos can also fall into this category. It’s not nearly a big deal as the previous examples, but sometimes it does matter. If you have “TUFF” and “LOVE” on your knuckles, it’s unlikely you’ll get that banker job, but who knows?
Perhaps your location regret is simply that you and nobody else really get to see it. Part of the enjoyment from a tattoo is showing others and admiring your tattoos yourself. It can sometimes be a bummer to spend a bunch of money on something you can’t even see.
Many of the tattoo location regrets are due to choices made in haste in youth, and later on as an adult, and you’ve matured, and no longer want those ‘in your face’ tattoos. They realize that you don’t have to have controversial tattoos to be a rebel, and there’s nothing wrong with being a rebel.
QUALITY
Another big factor on a tattoo regret is the quality of the tattoo. Far too many people have gotten basement ‘stick and poke’ tattoos, or their buddy got their hands on a tattoo machine and had an impromptu unpracticed tattoo party. Not only is this very unsafe due to blood-borne pathogens and a recipe for other infections, but it’s a huge factor in regards to tattoo cover-ups. Quite often, a completely unskilled person can cause major scarring, making cover-ups trickier.
A tattoo ‘scratcher’ artist can also be very problematic in regards to the quality of a tattoo. He or she may be skilled just enough to give a tattoo without complications on the onset, but they may be completely clueless on the right needles to use for particular tattoos, causing excessively thick lines or the inks “bleeding out” beyond the intended results. They also may use low quality materials, such as the needles, inks, aftercare and the tattoo machine itself.
Low quality inks can fade faster than expensive inks. A colorful tattoo will likely not look nearly as rich and bold not too long after the tattoo was finished healing. Keep in mind, even tattoos done with high quality inks may need some touching up after a while to make them vibrant again.
COST
Cheap tattoos aren’t good and good tattoos aren’t cheap. This is simply a fact. Quite a few regrettable tattoos are a result of the price. Understandably, sometimes you can get a bit of ‘sticker shock’ when you hear a quote from a quality artist. It may be tempting to take your tattoo idea to Joe Shmo down the street to get a $50 tattoo. However, that’s exactly what you are going to get, a $50 tattoo. You are not going to get the amazing realism of Jared, the beautifully hand drawn historically accurate Norse work of Vitalii or the beautiful watercolor blending of Leah. You will get a slap-dash $50 tattoo.
When it comes to your body and getting permanent art put on it, this is not the time nor place to skimp on the price. You want the best work done possible by the most professional people around. You’ll get a great tattoo and it will be done with quality materials in a safe and sanitary fashion.
IMPULSIVENESS
Another leading factor to a tattoo regret is simply that you were impulsive when you got it, and you really didn’t think it through. You’re out with friends, out of the blue the subject of tattoos comes out in the conversation, and next thing you know, you’re in a tattoo chair getting matching Tasmanian Devil tattoos on your shoulder. The next day, you realize, you don’t even like the Tasmanian Devil, or any Looney Tunes, for that matter. Now you have this glaring regret following you around because you were impulsive.
It’s always best to plan things out a little and not just jump at the opportunity to get a tattoo, any tattoo. Many regrettable tattoos are a result of the very reason of being impatient. If you are just wanting a tattoo, but don’t have the money put together to invest in the best quality version of that tattoo you want, don’t just rush it. Save a little and get the tattoo you actually want, and not one you settled on because you were short a couple hundred bucks. Remember, you’re investing in professional and permanent art on your body. It’s worth the time and money to do it right the first time around.
If you’d like to meet with one of our artists to help you with a tattoo inquiry and so that they can help you avoid regrets, you can call the studio directly or click the link below to our inquiry form!
ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR NEXT TATTOO?
If you’re ready to get your next tattoo done, schedule an appointment with an award-winning tattoo parlor. Here at Lucky Bamboo Tattoo, we have some of the best and most experienced tattoo artists in the Salt Lake City area. We can tattoo any style you’d like, and our artists can even design your next piece as well.