tattoos: any regrets?
 

I've always had this obsession with tattoos and body art ever since I was in the 4th grade, and I know for sure that I will get a tattoo someday. So I was wondering how many TFPers out there have tattoos, and to please share any stories about them. And, as stated in the title, have any of you regretted the decision and had it removed? Thank you for all of your opinions. I would love to hear your experiences, and hope to be joining the club soon.

Getting my tattoo was not so much fun--it hurt like hell, and I blacked out for a few seconds. However, I'm glad I got it. It's my own personal memorial for my brother, so it's not something I'd ever regret.

I've considered getting another one, but it's a matter of finding something I wouldn't mind on my body for...well, pretty much the rest of my life. My husband and I have discussed getting matching ivy designs (or something similar), but I'd want to get something like that on my ankle, which of course, would hurt a lot more than say, my arm or something.

When it comes to needles, I'm a huge wuss...so if I can do it, I'm pretty sure anyone can :)

I am regretting one that I have only because I have to keep it hidden with clothing so much. It is in a pretty odvious place (my upper arm) and it is a pain in the ass finding clothes to cover it up during the spring and summer months.
I was actually thinking about getting it removed but it is so damn expensive.

i designed more tattoos than i can count... but only one finally made it on to my body... and not until i was 30 years old (i'm a pretty big procrastinor ;))
... i am VERY glad i waited... only because it seemed that i changed my mind alot... not only about what i wanted... but WHERE... and i do think the WHERE is most important.
if you are female anyway.
i would never get one that i couldn't easily cover up when necessary...
and it's not that i don't like to show mine off or talk about it... just that in certain situations, job interviews, etc. you might not want to show it.

as far as the pain... mine didn't hurt at all... but i got it on my rear hip... so it's pretty fleshy there... from what i'm told, places right on the bone hurt worst of all.

if you really want one... just do ample research... find a QUALITY tattoo artist... and go for it! :)

I have never gotten a tattoo. I did want to about 16 years ago when I was living in Singapore. I'm glad that I didn't because like the ear piercings I have, well they don't really represent who I am anymore.

I would consider getting some sort of celtic knot, designed by myself. If I ever do it, it will be on a trip or something, so that I have a memory to associate with it, not just becasue it looks cool.

I considered getting a tattoo for a while, then I was in Key West and they had people on the sidewalk selling temporary henna tattoos. So, I paid a few bucks and got a temporary version of what I was thinking about.

I quickly forgot it was even there, and would only notice it occasionally. And I wasn't impressed. So, I saved myself a bunch of pain. I highly recommend a henna tattoo as a way to consider your next step.

I waited until I was 32 to get my first one and I dont regret it or the two I've gotten since then. All three are designs that I did myself (or rather conceptualized and had someone else draw, cause I couldnt draw a straight line if you put a gun to my head lol) and I had them placed in areas where they only show if I WANT them to, the tops of both of my thighs and the back of my shoulder..all three say something about who I am, and even if in 30 years I'm not that person anymore, I wouldnt be whomever I was without being what I am now (if that makes sense)..my point in saying that is that I wont ever regret the designs I got.

Also, there is something vey cathartic (sp?) about the pain from a tattoo, and the fact that I managed to get thru all 3 of them without crying or making them stop hehehehe

The only tattoo I have that I regret is the only one i got while drunk. I did the classic white trash "knuckle" tattoos.

Now it's not so much that I hate having tattoos on my hand. But it's the fact that they suck. The first tattoo I had there sucks and the cover up I got sucks, the cover up was free so I wan't arguing.. i need to get the statement off my fingers. I wanted siloette bones or card faces (spade diamond....) but he talked me into this crazy shit that has now blurred out to all hell.

That is my only tattoo regret.

I've got one tattoo, i've had it for a few years, thought about it for a few months before getting it.

designed it myself, then had one of the artists 'refine' it.

the placement is perfect, on my lower back.

no regrets.

*if* i were to get another one...i've considered a little star on my belly. :)

I have had a few henna tattoos done, and they are so much fun!! I've mostly stuck with the flash that they have already, so I haven't really seen what I'm looking for (half sleeve - polynesian/japanese influence).

I was thinking about getting one of those henna kits and try to make it myself. Anyone have experience with them?

I got a tattoo on my ankle in September. Still having trouble with it itching and forming a rash. It's 95% gone, but odd that its taking this long. I just have that skin type where if a leather watch strap is bothering me and i start itching it quickly builds up a heat rash of some sort. My ankle just seems to be so dry. If I put lotion on it it feels much better. Not sure why its wanting to stay so dry and itchy since the tattoo??? But i do love it and no regrets. :) Full color and hurt like hell too.

Three tats.. Didn't hurt. Don't regret it.

Hell, I don't even notice mine any more. They're just a part of me now. Kinda like an ear. Something that's there that'll never go away. ;)

nope, no regrets. the key is to pick something that you know you will enjoy the rest of your life. Mine is original- i designed it in college and got it when I was 18. I plan to get another one, probably a japanese symbol.
Two things that usually never last: cartoon characters & names.

That sounds backwards! :crazy: I didn't start college until 18.

I also designed mine. I just brought the guy a sketch of what i wanted and he re-drew it. I didn't like his first rendition. It didn't hold true to what i was after. So i made him re-draw it closer to what i wanted. I think it's VERY cool to have art permanently on your body, and even cooler if it is somehow your own.

I dunno. I met some old man on the train he showed me pics of his burly self when he was younger, the green splotch on his waif of an arm was a tatto that he had when younger. He had to stretch out the skin to read it, but yes, it was still there.

A long time ago I had an old man working for me at a store. He was retired, and just making some extra money. Anyway, he had a lot of old green tattoos on his arms from when he was a kid on the streets. Dice, skulls, daggers, naked women etc.

Hard to explain this but what was kind of funny is that this guy was one of the smartest people I knew, and talked like it while at the same time he constantly amazed some "former" gang-bangers with his street smarts. He was very embarassed by his tattoos now, but at the time about the only way to erase them just left light or white spots in the shape of the tats.

He always told me to make sure I knew what I was doing if I ever got one because it was there for life. Still haven't made up my mind! :)

Family crests of my surname in both English and Gaelic (Irish), one on each arm. Haven't regretted it, and I got it knowing that... well, I'll always have the same last name, so it's a safe bet that I'll still be happy with it when I die. As far as covering it up, it's... well, a conversation starter at the gym. It's not a tattoo that I would even worry about if a prospective employer saw it. Good stuff.

The first one I got is a Maple Leaf on the base of my neck, I got it when I was 18, and I definitely don't regret it. I also have the Japanese character for strength on my left arm and a dragon on my right, I don't regret those either, but the Maple Leaf is my favorite.
I kept my tattoos small and easily coverable for employment purposes. I'm thinking about getting something larger done, but I don't know what yet.

I've got 2. For the two bands whos music has been a huge influence in my life, and had got me through the hardest times in my life. I don't regret getting either tattoo.

On my right arm, I have The cover of Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare. I had the tattooist add Alice's face makeup (He doesn't have any on the original cover) to make it more original.

On my left arm, I have the Overkill Skull Bat. I took a picture of it and drew the wings out and made it a little different than the original picture.

I plan on getting probably 2 more, haven't totally decided what I'm getting though I have a bunch of ideas.

A friend of mine got a spongebob on his pec about 2.5 years ago. I said from day one he was going to regret it. While he doesn't admit he does now, I suspect he might, and if not, then I'm sure he will one day.

I've got 3 (two hearts on my left shoulder), and a half-sleeve on my right arm.

The only thing I regret is a tribal piece (now re-done). Not because of the tattoo itself, but just because it was very poorly done.

I got a tattoo when I turned 18 and I love it. It was a fun experience, and there are no regrets...granted, it wasn't even a year ago yet.

A lot of younger people i know got animals tattooed and regret it now that they are older. Really thing about what you want before you do it,! and the more you see your tattoo the more you might regret it later.

To be honest, had I my druthers, I'druther have a tattoo. The wife won't cotten to the idea.

All that being said, I am reminded of a bit from Red Vs. Blue that says, roughly...

Reasons not to get a tattoo.
You are a dumb ass.

10 years ago you were a dumb ass. Think about it, if you got a tattoo 10 years ago, would you think it was as cool now? Now project 10 years forward.

But I'd still get one in a second if I could.

I have a dragon across my back. It's in a position that nobody sees it except me in the mirror, or when i take my shirt off. It is an awesome tat and im thinking about getting another, but I still have to cover it up everyday, tats haven't exactally become mainstream in the business world.

I was going to link to that public service announcement, but I couldn't find it.

I was in the Running Start program my Senior Year of HS, so I was able to attend & get credits for both college and high school.

I'm too indecisive and picky to put bumper stickers on my car. There's no way in hell I'd get a tattoo. If I got things that I would have gotten three years ago, I'd have stupid shit all over my body. Three years from now, I'll think whatever I would get now is really fucking stupid. No matter what I got, there would be some point in time at which I'd have to cover it up, and I wouldn't want to have to bother.

Just keep in mind that whatever is drawn on you is going to get dull and wrinkled when you're old.

i only have one and i dont regret getting it. i got it as a way of always remembering a friend who killed himself last year. it is a phrase that he gave me years ago.

as for getting another one, i probably will get one when i know what i want. not going to rush into it.

I have two and don't regret them.
They are both things that represent me and are both covered with a t-shirt.
So if I didn't want you to know that I have them, you wouldn't.

I have 5 tattoos and do not regret them at all. I am having a artist friend working on making some additons to one of them. If i had the money I would have more. They are addictive to me.

Same here. I love the feeling I get when getting a tattoo. I have 2 already (one on each upper arm) and I plan on getting another one in Japan, but I still haven't been inspired yet. I do know that it won't be a Japanese / Kanji character. These things have run their course.

Never did and never will. The idea of puncturing myself to leave a perminent scar on my body isn't a very pleasing one.

No tattoo here. I was never one to decorate my body. I did 21 years in the military and had numerous chances. I never could see it as other than a waste of money and possible expensive mistake.

I also watched a friend marry a girl with numerous tattoos. They spent a fortune getting rid of her past. She actually looked 100 times better without them.

The "most tasteful" tattoo that I have ever seen was a guy I knew in Okinawa. He was Irish and had a Leprechaun about 1-1/2 inch tall on his ankle. Very nicely done with vivid colors. Great guy to have a beer with.

It's not that I regret getting any of mine (I have lots) it's just that the only reason I have so many is that I bever knew what I wanted so when I came up with an idea I had to get it done because I know if I never did I would never have a tattoo.

Did that make sense?

I have two.

My though were that I can hide them with shorts and a t shirt and no names.


I saw a guy back in 2001 who was a large 'new age traveller' type who had U2 's jopshua treee on his back. I now wonder how he gets on that they have become a pop band rather than the angry Irish lads they were.

By being able to hide them then they are for people to see when I want them to see, it makes it more personnal.


Always think hard about where and what, spur of the moment is not cool, nor drunk, although I have friends who had to get drunk to get them done ( on their lower back, it is ment to kill).


Take time over the selection, like clothes you do not want everyone to have what you have.




;)

I hear you - this is exactly like me, although I haven't taken the plunge. I have wanted to get one for a while, but nothing in particular has grabbed my attention. I guess we solved the problem in opposite ways!

An artist friend of mine made a comment about tattoos, that hadn't occurred to me, but now, is one of my main arguments against tattoos. She said that she hates them because the colors are so bad. And she's right.

I got one after my first year of college...it represents a time in my life. I don't regret it yet...I don't know if I will, because I think that every mark, every scar, every tattoo I ever get will help tell the story of my life. I have a small (maybe one square inch) four-leaf clover on my right hip. Represents my Irish heritage...oh, and always gives me something to show off when I'm drunk.

I'm just curious as to how the colors are always bad?

I'm studying fine art at school, and I've seen tattoos to rival almost any painting as far as design, color, etc.

I do agree that there are some tattoos, especially older ones, that didn't have great color, but some of today's most talented artists can replicate any color needed, and can blend colors as well as a fine painter working with oils.

If you'd like examples, PM me and I can send you a few links.

I regret the one on my pecker in honor of a one time girlfriend. We met in Jamaica.

It says: "Welcome to Jamaica man and have a nice day."

Sometimes it says Wendy (her name) and other times the whole sentence.

ROFL, this one made my day.

I have no tattoos so no room for regret there. My SO has on one her shoulder. Its not very good and I don't like it. I wish she didn't have it. Its not a deal breaker but it sort of bothers me. Oh well, my hang-up.

my friend tried got the idea of getting a tattoo of ALF on his ass when he was drunk. we went to the sleaziest place in town, i.e., the one that was mostly likely to tatt a drunk kid. fortunately for him, the place was closed. that's one most people would regret...

Tattoos never held any appeal to me. I have seen a couple that didn't look too bad when first done, but I have never seen an old one that has held up. I know you can have them refreshed, but if it's me, I would rather buy the image and hang it on the wall than have it permanently on my body.
I know too many people who wish they had never gotten the one s they have, and many more who just won't admit they are sorry because there is nothing they can do about them. Also there is the idea that they used to be novel, but now it seems more people have them than not.
Just my opinion though, apparently many people find them appealing.

One thing I love to see in tat mags is the Metallica logo big across someones back with pictures of the band; things like that never get old.

I've got one small one that i tapped into my ankle with a straight pin stuck through a pencil eraser during highschool. I used the wrong ink and it scabbed up and fell off, then i used the right ink and it scabbed up and fell off. By the fourth time I did it it was ontop of scar rissue and it stayed. I still have it and while it doesnt really resemble what i intended (a four-leafed clover) it was a big part of who i was at the time. I am glad that I didnt give myself sleeves or a big calf piece. It doesnt hurt, it didnt hurt at the time. I'll almost certainly get another one. Family crests are something that wont go out of style, I've thought about getting my mother's and father's crest on my shoulder blades or a portion of our family tree on my back.

As far as getting one in relation to a SO go with something ambiguous if you do, like a rose, or maybe a heart inside your buttcheek. One thing I don't get is people having asian caligraphy on themselves when they have no ties to asia. I just dont understand it. The only cool asian tat i've seen outside of the yakuza was on a member of Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies, it said bean curd with green beans.

I have the devil on my back. It's my "scary" tattoo and I have occasionally gotten comments about it when my shirt is off.

I'm not sure if "regret" is the right word because most of the time it doesn't bother me. In fact sometimes I really like it. It's just the occasional old guy asking me about it that bugs me.

Thusfar I have this answer to this question:

"What does that tattoo mean?"

Me: "It's there so you could ask me about it." -with a big smile usually wins them over.

I'm actually getting one in a week. Viva la youth!

I have a Coop devil as part of my half-sleeve, and I've gotten some the same reactions. Especially from people that know me pretty well.

"Why'd you do that?"

"What's it mean?"

"Are you a Satanist?"

It's hard to explain to some people that I'm just an art major that's greatly inspired by Coop's work. The tattoo is my homage to his work, and to the hotrod/tattoo scene in general (two of my biggest passions).

Mine is based on Charles Burns cover illustration for Hell with the Lid off. At the time I WAS an art major I was inspired by Burn's work and MC 900 -forgetaboutit.

Here's the inspiration:

http://www.theendoftheworld.org/900/hell-lid01.gif

P.S. Coop Devil

http://www.tattoostuff.com/images/ARTOFCOOP.jpg

That was actually the one I was going to get, but later decided on one of his more obscure renderings that I found in the "sketchbook" portion of his page.

I figured that since I had found a devil that was actually a small portion of an unfinished piece, that I'd at least have a semi-original Coop piece...then, Sunday I found someone with the same idea.

Yep, they had the exact same devil, although done differently enough for most people never to notice.

I got one when I turned 18. I had an idea for a long time of a tiger and a dragon but I am not a good artist at all. When I went to Toronto for my Uncle's funeral, I was talking with my cousin about it. He helped me get it onto paper, told me he knew a good place, and talked me into it. It turns out with the exchange rate for US$, it was a lot cheaper than if I had gotten it done here.

My artist was this big, intense looking guy who turned out to be one of the nicest people I've met (ahh those Canadians...). I was getting it on my left shoulder blade area. When he started, it felt like he was cutting me open. After a while it started tickling in certain spots. I don't remember exactly but I think it took 3 to 4 hours straight. Unfortunatly someone decided to put Kid Rock in the CD player because I told them I was from Michigan. I think that was the worst part.

But seriously, it wasn't that bad, and right after I felt like I wanted more. My cousin said I looked like I was going to cry though. 3 years later, I still like the way it turned out.

I have two. I got the first one when I was 19 and still living at home with my mother. She hates tattoos. So I got it on the back of my left hip, just below the pant-line. Well, I made the mistake of wearing low-ride jeans and an short tank top one day and she saw it. It was quite the production.

Honestly, that one really hurt. It took me a little over 3 years to suck-it-up and go back for my second which was the one that I had always wanted. It's an anklet and I designed it myself.

I've been considering getting a third on my upper back; something tribal but, I haven't decided on a design yet. I love the one on my ankle so much and I'm glad I did it. The one on my lower back...I like the design but, I regret it slightly only because of the placement. Now it would be stupid if I got something across the middle of my lower back, with that one being on the left. Also, it is a tad too high. You can see just the tip of it over most pants and it was really ment to be hidden.

No regrets though. I would suggest getting a tat somewhere you can cover-up if necessary or display if you like. (like the one on my ankle...and that one did not hurt nearly as much as my first).

I have one on my upper right shoulder. Got it in 1968, in the Navy. It is just a banner with my initials in it. I was fixing to go to Vietnam and thought it would be a good identifying mark. ,just in case. A lot of the guys in my Patrol Boat group got them. Now, i don't think much about it. It's there and i don't care if anyone knows.

I don't have any that I think would officially count as the kind of tatoo you are speaking of. My eyeliner is permanent. A very thin line on both the top and bottom lids. And I don't regret it one tiny bit. Nuthin' better than having a touch of accent on my eyes when I don't have time to do my makeup.

When my niece was 16, her 17 year old boyfriend had her full given name, middle and all, tatooed across the whole upper part of his back in 2" high letters. Hulloooo!?!??!
When he so proudly showed me his brand new tat in front of everybody, I said "man your wife isn't gonna like that."
He obviously didn't like my response.

My mom and my aunts have that done as well. I think that the eyelid tattoos seem like the most painful and dangerous. Just one slip and your blind. ::shudder:: I have nothing but respect to anybody who has those done.

Actually, mine wasn't done in a tattoo place. It was done in a cosmetic surgeon's office who specializes in doing facial re-construction on accident victims and facial deformities but he also does the general public. So it is different. And it is done in a series of 3-5 treatments (depending on how well your pigmentation takes it) and there is no bleeding or scabbing or anything like that. It is truly an entirely different process.

And the guy that did it, well, I can say I knew him when, he's in Hollywood with the big time now. ;)

I've decided to go ahead and get a tattoo this Friday. I figure instead of going for something intricate for my first, I should get a smaller one to see if I really like it. Henna is alot different from the real deal, and the results aren't always the same. I talked to the guy and he agreed that it's best to get something small before "collecting" more art. It's a waste to spend all that time and money inking something that you'll end up hating. Any last minute advice I should know? What not to eat before hand? How much to tip? I'll try and post pics when it heals.

I don't have any regrets. I would recommend that you really know what you are going to want before you make it a decision that is going to last forever. I picked what I wanted 2 years before I got it. I wanted to make sure my mind wasn't going to change about it.

So are there any biodegradable inks that would give you a tat that would disappear after 5-10 years? I know half of the mystique is to commit to a permanent disfigurement, but hasn't someone come up with something a little more practical that still demands more commitment and pain than henna?

I have 5 tats and no regrets. Still in the process of finding another dragon tat. If you do plan to get a tat please don't drink alcohol it thins the blood and makes it harder for the color to take. Because the color will bleed out of the skin. Make sure you can live with your decision for a lifetime....because that's how long they last.

Got myself "inked" last Friday at <a href="http://www.mytats.com" target="_new">My Tattoo</a> here in Alhambra.


I guess I can best describe the pain as scractching yourself really bad with a safety pin/cactus/rose thorn/etc. The actual scratch itself doesn't hurt as much as the stinging and soreness that arrive right after. That's kinda how it felt to me. Just really uncomfortable, but bareable. Your body naturally wants to tense up and curl up, but you gotta control yourself otherwise it'll be a mess. One he got going, it wasn't so bad.

Every so often he would take a break to spray some medical cleaning solution and wipe away the excess ink. Maybe it's because I chose an area where it wouldn't hurt so bad. Another Asian guy came in wanting some Asian kanji on his abs/lower abs. Man smiles and tells him to prepare for the worst. The guy looked like he was in total pain, and had to stop him a couple times. His friends were laughing and taking pictures.

I thought the actual filling in part would be the worst, since he would have to go over it more than once. But maybe it's because my chest was already numb, but it felt better than the outlines. He did them nice and smooth, without putting too much pressure. No blood during the whole procedure, but a little bit after the scabs started to form. The whole tattooing itself probably took around 1:30 - 1:45 or so, not including the sterilizing, transfer or interruptions.

It was a great experience for me. I've loved tattoos for a while, but barely got the courage to get one now. If there ever comes a time that I regret it, it'll be the time when I regret life and living itself. I'm not going into any bs about what the tattoo symbolizes, or any crap like that. I genuinely like tattoos. Yes, I've wanted one for more than just a week. Yes, I know it's permanent. Yes, I know removal is expensive. Yes, I'm taking a chance. And yes, I'm funking satisfied.

<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/deathpop5000/182980.html#cutid1" target="_new">LJ tattoo pics</a>

Glad to hear that you're happy with your decision! :)

It's definitely something that you need to think about before doing, and it sounds like you did just that.

In response to what was said earlier about starting small: for some people this may be a good idea...but if you're planning on getting extensive work, sometimes a small piece can be in the way of larger more intricate work later on (I've got that problem on both arms, and I'm having to find ways to integrate the smaller pieces, which I love, into the larger designs).

I was a varsity athlete in college, and got my college athletic logo tattooed on. I've never regretted it, and may get another. The important thing, for me, is that it is easily concealable, so most of the time it isn't an issue at all.

I have a good friend that had his girlfriends name put on his shoulder...she turned out to be a total bitch...screwed him over pretty bad...but he had it covered up.

i have one, my little girls name, with love written below it near the top of my arm.

I don't have one that I really reget, just one I wish looked better. I got it when I was around 20 or so, it was free since I helped the guy build his shop. The linework is pretty bad, as is the coloring. I guess I could get it touched up, but I gotta get my sleeves finished first :D

I have three tattoos---First one, is of my father's name (he died when I was 10)...I got it when I decided to drop out of college and trying to find myself, it represented his being with me through the struggles of my life that I knew I would have.

#2--Japanese symbol for spirituality, also is my wife's name---represented my gaining new status in life and new committments, when I graduated college and got married.

#3--private design--after being married for 2 years, it was just a reminder to keep things in perspective and out of the ordinary to keep my marriage strong. Didn't work, though.

Getting ready for another, either it will be to describe my life after marriage or because my marriage has been saved after 2 years of struggling with trust and fidelity issues.

I have 2 (for now) and they are:

my middle name (Kiyoshi) in Japanese on my right shoulder and the other is a celtic knot design on my left shoulder. Being that I am half japanese and half irish, it works.

I have three tattoos, two fairly small and hidden (hip and ankle) and one large and visible (lower back). I don't regert any of them...I still love the look of them, and each one brings back memories of certain times, and happy days, so i love that. one of them actually has deep meaning to me (its a kanji symbol that means 'to live for today' - my motto in life) but the others are just designs that I love. So ya, I would say no regrets and I recomend it for anyone who really truly wants it. btw, keep us posted, did you end up getting a tattoo?

I have one of a dragon on the back of my shoulder.

No regrets. sometimes I even forget it is there. I have even forgotten which shoulder its on sometimes.

I have one and it's fairly stupid and was a stupid thing to do.

Seeing how one can change through the years, I'd venture to predict that the overwhelming majority of the tattoos sported by young people today will be the objects of "what the hell was I thinking" -type regrets.

The difference between being young and getting beyond being young is a vast and unanticipated eventuality.

And, in other news, everyone is either Asian or Irish, or a member of a Native American tribe. Or all of the above.

And, 98% of females aged 18-25 have tattoos.

For those of you considering a tattoo, please don't take this the wrong way. If you want a tattoo just to be different, you should reevaluate your motives.

For those of you with tattoos, I'm glad to see that most of you are putting personalized art on your bodies, instead of the cookie cutter tribals and butterflies.

This is not meant to be a flame. This is an honest opinion, as I've seen quite a few people doing things for the completely wrong reasons.

I've got three tats and zero regrets. The tats were of personal stuff in my life that will always be there, not items simply for decoration.

I've been wanting another one though and have been thinking what to get for a long time now. I'm now a father and would like something to honor my new child.

I have five tattoos, my favorite is seven stars that go over my left shoulder and down my back.

I only have one that I regret, a very small canadian maple leaf on my right hip. More or less, it was "trendy" and I will be getting it covered up with something else in the future.

Well, right after my daughter's dad was killed I had his name tattooed in a band around my arm. It was an emotionally driven decision that I made because I loved him so much, and I wanted to have or keep a part of him... It sounds kind of weird. Anyway, it's his nickname that I called him. The only problem is that now, people ask me about the tat. "What does that say/mean?" It puts me in a position to make us both slightly uncomfortable for a moment, and people always say, "Oh, I'm so sorry, which makes me feel bad for being too personal with a stranger. However the deep significance of the meaning of it forces me to explain it's meaning instead of just saying, it's my daughter's dad's name...

I'va always loved tattos, however, I would never actually get one. They are just far too permanent for me. I might love it now, but maybe not in ten, twenty years. My sister learned this lesson the hard way - she got a tatoo in college that she was certain she wanted at the time. However, now she's married with children and she hates it and wishes she no longer had it. Unfortunately she doens't have the time or potentially thousands of dollars to get it removed. So I would just say if you're going to get a tatoo be sure you want it with you for a good long time. :p

I am of the thought that, if they dont know you well enough to know what is what, they have no right to ask a personal question. An answer of, 'it's personal to me' is so much easier than trying to explain something so deep and sensitive. It relieves everyone of being put in a position they'd rather not be in. I don't understand why people just can't say, 'beautiful tattoo' and leave it at that.

Now, back on track-I have only had mine since July and I love it. I will eventually add a small detail to it I had wanted but could not figure out how to do-the roses were supposed to have my children's initials on them, but I and the artist couldn't figure out how to do it without distorting the design. Someone suggested small dewdrops with their initial inside each and I hope to have that done very soon. Absolutely NO regrets at all. I love it.

I do not regret my tatoos as "art", however, they are a constant reminder of a time I would rather forget. Be wise in your choice. Also, make sure that if you end up in a mgmt role or high level profession, you get your tat where you can cover it with no problem. Nuff

i have one on the inside of my right foot (if it were on the outside it would be just in front of my ankle, not above it as most ankle tats are). i got it for me and i'm very happy with it. if i don't tell you it is there, chances are you'd never know. and i can cover it easily with socks (even anklet socks cover it). the guy who did it told me it would hurt like hell (not a very fleshy area) but it felt like he was drawing on me with a ballpoint pen--no pain and very little bleeding. it has faded a little, but because of my color choice it doesn't look bad. i've thought of having it touched up and having a second color added to the center of the design (currently the center is open).

someone asked about do-it-yourself henna, it's very easy to use the kits. i played with henna for years before actually getting my tat and i chose a reddish/brown color for my tat that is very similar to what henna looks like on my skin. a lot of them come with stencils, or you can freehand the design if you have any artistic ability.

I'm wondering if anyone here has changed their mind. I got very close to getting a tattoo when I was about 22 but chickened out in the end. Really, it was probably for the best considering that what I wanted would have been stupid now.

Anyone?

i almost got my now ex-SO's name tattooed on my ass a few months ago.
as a symbol of our committment. i changed my mind.

i like most of mine. the swedish flag was a little dumb and i designed a coverup that now is also in need of tweaking since part of my life isn't there any more. i've been blessed most of my life with a sense of procrastination that really saved me from dumb ideas over time.

As I've always said: MISFITS RULE!

I'm never going to grow outta bad horror-rock-jazz-punk.

...

OP: That would be, "No." And I'm probably getting the face to the left tattooed on my carcass later this year... larger than life and twice as ugly.

I'm glad I never got one. They are too permanent and peoples tastes change. Mine does...

Seems to be such a huge "fad" & too many people have some real ugly ones that I wonder why they want those types.

Plus, I know 2 different guys who've missed out on great jobs because the company owner said he doesn't want anyone with tats on the neck, face or hands ( i.e. that show) while working at his company. Yep - Seems narrow-minded but he's just one of several business owners who have mentioned the Tat Issue to me. (I used to work in HR). It's their company and they're the ones paying the salaries so I guess they can make those "unwritten rules".

My wife is considering getting a small symbol she designed on the inside of her wrist (probably only 3/4" to 1" square). She's wondering about the pain (of course) but doesn't seem worried about its visibility (despite being a business woman)

Turns out I don't see any problem with this. It's part of the uniform, essentially. Getting tattoos all over your body is no different than insisting on wearing a ratty Motley Crue t-shirt to every important social function or maybe sporting that dreaded VPL. Ya gotta fit through the cookie cutter sometime.

As punktacular as I wanna be, I'm still a sellout to The Man's needs for uniformity... no tattoos below my knees, beyond my shoulders down my arms. Nothing above the collarbones or base of the neck. That leaves the thighs, shoulders, chest and back as art space without looking like a "druggie outlaw gangsta biker emo kid." I may end up having an extensive amount of ink done by the time I'm 40, but as someone who is looking at a federal law enforcement career, I'm not going to kick myself to the curb with garish tattoos. I can do Agent Smith as well as the next guy even if I'm a goofball inside.

So much of tattooing is old hat anyway. Seems like they've become whimisical, McDonalds'ized fashion statements... vain garish decals on our flesh.

And I say this as a guy with one of the most garish tattoos on TFP.

I don't regret any of them. They all were done during different times in my life and its a good reminder of those times. Mine are all business hidden so that's not an issue.

I want more including a full back piece just haven't finished the design or had time to go get it started.

My wife is in HOUR and doesn't have any, but she wants a couple that are "business friendly" as long as its not a tramp stamp I'm cool.

I have 3 tats so far. I have 2 rules for tats.
1. Nothing goes on my body unless I've thought about it for at least a year and still want it.
2. Everything inside the shirt line. I like my tats, but I like being able to get a job more.
I know some of them won't be "who I am" when I am older, but they will always be there to remind me of who I was and where I came from. So no, no regrets.

Similar here.

At 18, still a senior in high school, I got a fucking parrot tattooed on the inside of my left ankle. Well, I'm far from a Jimmy Buffet fan today. If I could do it all over again, I'd have a sexy viney thing going down my foot. Adding it now would just be too much. And if I were to cover the parrot, the work would be way too big. I'm not going to bother with Wrecking Ball as I have a lot of red dye - it's my understanding that's the hardest to remove. So I guess I'm stuck with it.

I got my first one just last week....I wanted one for about 4 years but I really needed to find something that had meaning. I got an idea for mine about 8 months ago, still thought it was a good idea, and I love how it came out. Couldnt be any happier with my first tattoo.

I regret the fact that I have two sessions left to go on my left ribs, given the absolutely ungodly searing pain I had to endure for it. It's the most unreal pain I've ever felt.

That aside, it's HUGE, and my other tattoos aren't exactly tiny either, but they're all easily covered, and I like it that way. They're all very personal in meaning, and it doesn't take long to realize that when you see them, which is rare, because they're just for me, and I don't give a shit what others think of them. None of them are trendy, fads, etc, so it'll be hard to "go out of style" even as my tastes in things change.

I've got a few, no regrets as such. Problem occured with one tattoo that was a large design with several sessions, during which time i joined the military. As one part had my name in it, i had to leave it out, which means that i have a socking great big space and no clue what to put in it.

I'm like sixate - I love eachand everyone of my tattoos and piercings

Up to 4 tattoos ranging from one which is about 5cm squared on the inside of my ankle to one which goes from the nape of my neck down to the top of my buttocks and covers my entire back.

They're part of me, each one of those tattoos represents a promise I have made myself, not to do something specific but about who I want to be as a human being and how I want to be viewed by other people and myself in the after life if one exists.

My only advice is to be VERYcareful if you get any form of other language writing on you - I have seen alot of kanji characters on people that definitely do NOT mean what the person with the tattoo thinks it does.

I just got back from having one of mine touched up!

No regrets at all.

Unlike most people, to me, tattoos don't have to mean anything. I like them purely for the art and decoration of the body... geometric patterns... that kind of thing. But I'm really, really fussy... so no goofy, trendy, fad, band, name type tats, or anything that might look out of place in the future.

And I won't get anything that can't be covered with jeans and a tshirt.