Tattoo artist based in London, Suze Canham, tells Bored Panda that when people come to her regretting their tattoo, it's more common to rework it than to cover it up completely. "To give it a new lease of life or refresh the colour," she says.
"In my experience, tattoo regret usually comes from associating a tattoo with a specific person. Whether it be a friend or a relationship, tattoos should be personal. When we get them to symbolize a bond with another person, things can always go wrong," Suze explains.
Suze's experience seems to be in line with the general trend, as statistics show that one of the most common reasons that people regret getting a tattoo is because they got someone's name they're no longer with, or lost the connection to its original meaning.
Other reasons people regret their tattoos include simply no longer liking them, the tattoo not fitting their personality anymore, the tattoo being poorly done, or having been too young when they got it.
Since the likelihood of regretting getting someone's name tattooed on is high, Suze often tries to talk their clients out of getting their partner's name or getting it tattooed in very obvious places, like hands, neck, or face, for their first one.
It's important to really think through your tattoo choices, as those who regretted their decision had mostly made a spontaneous one.
To reduce the chances of you regretting a tattoo, Suze advises sitting with the idea for a few months.
"Get a temporary tattoo or draw it on with a Sharpie to see how it moves with your body and consider how your body/style may change over time, but the tattoo will be a part of you forever, so make sure you’re comfortable with that. Tattoos can be so empowering, try to focus on how it makes you feel rather than how it looks or what others think of it."
Other tips that might help you avoid tattoo regret include considering the tattoo's location, as some places don't heal as well as others (e.g., fingers, underside of hands, and feet), and tattoo style, as colorful tattoos usually fade and age worse than black ones. It's also important to ask yourself if getting a tattoo of your current lover's name is really necessary.
In general, make sure you're doing it for you and not because of the current style or trend. And as Suze said, if you're not sure about it, wait a few months—this will ensure that you won't regret it.
And even if you do come to regret it, there are ways to fix the damage, like covering it up or removing it. But do keep in mind that if you choose to remove it, this could be done only after 6-8 weeks from the time you got the ink on your skin.
“This allows for delayed tattoo reactions to be resolved that can occur with some pigments,” Dr. Richard Torbeck, a board-certified dermatologist, explained.
