At 14, I wanted a tattoo. my father said I could get one when I was 16 but to start looking and let me know what I wanted and he seemed genuinely interested. I started changing my mind on which tattoo I would get. My father would bring up my first tattoos, and I thought they looked ridiculous, so I realized my taste will change as I grew up and therefore I have no tattoos.
Almost the same here. I hardly can believe I am commenting on a tattoo channel even. lol I thought I wanted a big bold lion on my lower back as a young teen. Now a mom and a wife, I really HATE tattoos. I at least knew then that I get sick and tired of things very easily and hate to do or wear the same things all the time. I figured then I would feel the same about tattoos. I'm now so glad I didn't have one.
i’m only 22 but hearing that “i’m 21 and don’t regret my tattoos “ made me laugh so hard 😭 that’s why you don’t regret them. you’re still so young lolol
Old people don't regret em either.... seriously, everyone always talks about " when you get older" but Many people did get old and still have no regrets
Dude I literally am 21 and it made me laugh because they totally missed the point. They may get older and still not regret their tattoos but the statement was the fact that as you get beyond your young 20s is when that regret comes in especially for heavily tattooed people. I also thought Celle's pause and look into the camera after the age statement really helped it hit how funny it was.
I literally started to get tattoes only when I turned 21 because I knew I changed my mind a lot. I thought I would be mature enough, I had all my tattooes listed and planed out and thought about them, nope, I really changed my values and mindset a lot when I turned 23. While I don‘t dislike my tattooes I think nowadays I would perhaps get absolutely NONE because I actually really like a bare body, but hey it is what it is, and I will probably do some cover ups, and I am soooo glad I didn‘t get a lot of them that I planed on getting. 21 is definitely way to young still. The older I get I feel like maybe 35 or so is a good age to start getting tattooes hahah
@@AmiyaD1611 I'd say that's about right. I'm 37 and I would say somewhere between 30 and 35 is where I reached a place where I could make competent life altering decisions. Definitely not in my twenties. I made most of my stupid decisions in that decade :)
I got tattoos while incarcerated and I regret it. Luckily I didn't go too far. The guy who gave me my last one told me to chill out and wait a while. I'm thankful for that advice.
See what I've never heard anyone say is it ALWAYS looks bad when people treat their bodies like their math notes from school and it looks like they've just doodled a bunch of random sh all over themselves. But It looks so cool and everyone absolutely loves it when people have nothing but one full beautiful sleeve (or just one large piece) that's all cohesive and nothing else. I think most people would look better if they just treated tattoo like the art it is and used their body as a canvas for a masterpiece. Instead of math homework. Yeah it would take a lot longer to get the piece because you would have to save up for it. You wouldn't be able to get a bunch of random small pieces. But you're going to look so much better and love it so much more in the long run.
@@WhitneyDahlin I've never looked at a tattoo and been able to quickly discern anything other than trashy scribbling. I know you people want to look trashy and bad-ass but how does it feel now that nerds and homos are the majority of the tattoo market? not so cool now is it
That's one reason I never got a tattoo. My asthetic and interests change constantly and I knew I would probably end up hating any tattoo in a few years. It seemed safer to just rearrange the furniture. 😊
Same. Styles and trends come and go. Some people don't take the long term into consideration. We are going to see a bunch of old people covered in saggy faded tats in the future lol.
my mom was always told she would regret tattoos when she was 40, so she started getting them on her 40th birthday. She's 61 now with a full sleeve! Her advice to me was just to take your time, do a little at a time, don't rush the process.
Right, I see a lot people in their early twenties that are almost fully tattooed. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it but I can’t help but think they might regret a lot of their tattoos in a few years. I think it’s better to go slow and think about the fact that your preferences are definitely gonna change later in life and you’ll want to still have space for those newer tattoos.
The only issue is skin, if you spend all you time under the sun without protection your skin will be shit at 40. I would not want to be a tattoo artist in Florida lol
Your mom is really intelligent. In the military the peer pressure to get tatted is pretty high. You almost feel like you haven’t lived if you don’t have any.
Laser Tech here. I remove tattoos for a living and the most regrettable place for people is the face and hands. It stops a lot of them from getting the career they want. Black is the easiest color to remove but Red takes more time and the most difficult for me is blue ink. Most of my clients are in their late 30s to 40s and got them when they were younger. My business is booming because of all the regret. 💰
Bullshit, i was working in the best job on the planet and tattoo`s where on most my bosses , so please keep your narrow city reality to yourself. Even the ADF never had a problem , the medical examiner even liked my back tattoo. I take your post as derogatory towards me as i do this fail video. Not every body is a wet god dammed hairy pussy.
I remember watching a show years ago on TV where a host of the show interviewed heavily modified people and there was one episode where a man was heavily tattooed like his face and he started getting majority of his tattoos removed first being his face. The host of the show asked him why is he getting the tattoos removed and the man said that now that his a father and has a child, having a child and being covered in tattoo was frown upon in society and it made him regret all this tattoos. He also said that if he knew he was going to be a father which he didn't know before getting tattoos he would not of gotten any.
Am older now (40's), but for most of my life, up until the last 10-15 years, face and hand tatt's in australia were known as 'jobstoppers'. Its a bit different now, but was totally true for a long time. I would say good luck with your work, but I feel that you wont need much luck :)
as someone who has a pretty extreme amount of self harm scars all over my body, i think i'm past the point of regret when it comes to permanent decisions about my body lol. i don't like my scars, but i don't waste my energy on regret because there's nothing i can do to change what i did. some of my tattoos could've definitely been better executed or placed, but i accept my decisions. im just happy to be alive tbh!
I started getting tattooed the day I turned 18. I’m 27 now and I have 11 tattoos. My perspective as someone with stage IV cancer is that I would be happy to live long enough to regret any of them. 💫
I love you my friend. The only advice I can give, living with a chronic illness that is probably going to kell me, is to know when to fight and know when to rest. I love you. And I'm so sorry for you. And I hope for your relief
As someone who waited until I was 34 to get my first tattoo, I can say with full confidence… I’m glad I waited. I always wanted to be tattooed, but the art I was interested in during my teens and 20s has evolved with me as a human. I feel more settled into my identity now, and use my body of an expression of my spirituality and identity. I plan to get more soon too
Same. I remember when I was 20 I really wanted to get a tramp stamp. This was in the early 2000s when this was still a thing. Navel piercing and tramp stamps were definitely the thing especially with jeans being very low cut. I got the navel piercing(which I took out about a year later because it never did heal well) but decided to wait on the tattoo and I’m so glad I did. Never did get that tattoo and don’t regret not getting it.
Same, I was 30+ and I keep getting more and bigger ones. Nothing impulsive. I have the money to actually pay artists and have personal designs. When I look in the mirror it feels very complete, regardless of the clothing 'aesthetic' at that moment. I work at an office, no problems there(won't get them in my face or hands).
Same started at 28 am now 31. I love my tattoos and have been slowly getting more. I have the funds to pay artists I truly love and so much confidence in my bodily autonomy to know I’m making a decision that’s best for me.
this!! if i'd started getting tatted at 18 like i initially planned...i'm sure i'd have regrets cause my taste is so, so evolved//different (thank god) from what it was at 18. you're so right.
I can understand regretting getting heavily tattooed at a young age. I'm very slowly getting tattooed, but taking my time and really considering each tattoo individually, rather than thinking about filling up space, I think has helped. I'm not as tattooed as I want to be, but I also don't feel a hurry to get there. I have my whole life. I feel like being tattooed is sometimes seen as more important than the tattoos themselves. (For context I started I started getting tattooed at 18 and I'm 45 now)
This is how I'm approaching it too! I got 6 or 7 tattoos between 19 and 24, and then stopped for six years (partially the pandemic, but mostly because I moved to a VHCOL area and it was harder to budget for the nice work I wanted). Turning 31 next month, and I got like 7 more tattoos last year hahah. I love all of them. I'm glad I have space to collect over time as my life and tastes change, rather than having gone in for a full sleeve or something at 22
I'm in my late 50s now and began in my early 30s. I'm getting a new tattoo about every 2 years. And although my older tattoos are not exactly all the most fancy ones I still love them and love being tattoed. Maybe it is not the best idea to begin so young.
That's my approach too. I'm 34 now and have gotten seven tattoos in the last four years, so I've been going slowly but surely. They're all on my leg, so they're easily coverable. I'm grateful I didn't start in my twenties when I didn't have the money, relative stability and self-knowledge that I have today. Still, it's gonna take a while for me to decide to get tattooed in a more visible space because it's such a huge step for me. I'm only going to get tattoos on my arms when I'm one hundred percent sure that that's what I want.
@@marielamoyenne I began at the upper arm :D And worked my way around my arms now and migrating to the left shoulder. Now I am so secure in myself and my tats that I am willing to go really visible and I walk around with sleeves shirts all the time :D But I don't worry about job prospects or anything nowadays. And I really like my tats.
I think one factor that leads to tattoo regret is people making tattoo "their identity". When you believe a particular thing (tattoos, piercings, relationships, aspects of your life etc.) defines you, you start to invest beyond reason and get instinctively defensive against any criticisms or advices until either you grow old and have a different onlook of your life, or reality hits you hard and force you to rethink about your choice. I don't have any tattoo, but when I was young I identified myself as a "craft person"...now I have a room full of different craft and DIY supplies that I wish I didn't spend a good fortune on, and I could never squeeze enough time to go through even half of them. The regret is very real.
There is a make up called Thin Lizzy which can cover up tattoos. I don’t feel much for those with tattoos, the body marking is forever. It just doesn’t seem to have occurred to them that they might not like them in 5,10,20,30 years. Too much living in the Now without thinking about your future self.
Great Lakes Naval school 1976. 7 of us went to Geneva on the Lake for the day. 6 came back with tattoos. I did not. Never have regretted that decision. Never.
It does make me feel sad that some people, like Morgan Joyce, seem to have gotten heavily tattooed when they were younger because of external validation and now feel very insecure when that external validation is no longer there. This video did make me stop and reflect if I´m getting tattooed for ME or for other people, and the answer is definitely not the latter.
I agree. I remember watching Snitchery's video and thinking the same thing. Made me ask myself the same question. I've always had a rule for myself - I must consider any big, permanent change to my body/appearance for at least 6 months. I currently have 4 tattoos and none of them are easily visible. I know I did those for myself. But I'm honestly afraid of getting visible tattoos (for similar reasons that were mentioned in the videos), and always admired people who actually got them.
this was my thought I love tattoos because they're beautiful and a form of art if you're doing it for any other reason then you probably shouldn't be getting them.
I think Morgan said she got heavily tattooed due to physical insecurities which is super common when you’re young. Now as a confident adult, she regrets how she went about it.
They’re definitely not for everyone and I do think it’s better to wait till you’re past your early twenties to make big permanent decisions. But honestly, I kinda regret not getting more tattoos when I was younger because as one gets older it hurts a lot more and I wish I had more large scale work.
@@sunnymountainhoneyfountain Wait till you get a lot older and see how your stretched skin from aging will make those that you have now look really ugly. I have seen a couple of people and it wasn’t about the ink, just the tattoo itself.
I’m a heavily tattooed person, started at 15 and 28 now. I personally don’t let my tattoos affect me or how I dress at all, one day I’ll dress nerdy and the next I’ll dress in my death metal shirts, maybe it’s different for men but I will not let my tattoos define my “style”
Yes!!!! I dress how I want, the artwork on my body does not affect that. Most of my ink is bold traditional work. My tattoos are my story and show the phases I went thru. I have lyrics on my leg for a song that helped me a lot when I was 19 and got it. The lyrics talk about God and now I'm an atheist. I don't regret it, it was and will be a part of me. I loooooove the sick artwork on me, most of my stuff now is flash of cool shit lol
My rules are always: I have to be able to wear a suit showing absolutely no tattoos, and I get tattoos only for myself. Chances of regret when you set personal boundaries are close to zero.
This comment made me feel so much less anxious about the fact I experience a bit regret on my tattoos, but I believe I was only feeling that because so many others were. I think it’s safe for me to say I am happy with my tattoos, I just don’t like showing them off that much. Thanks for this comment!
I’ve wanted tattoos since I was 13 and now I’m almost 25 and still have none! And I’m really glad I didn’t. I have piles and piles of Pinterest boards with tattoo styles I’ve liked over the past 10 years & so I get to see my style evolve over time without permanent modification. No regrets!! I do think I’ll get one for my 25th birthday ☺️
At around 17 - 21, almost all of my friends started getting tattoos and i kinda felt left out. They looked so cool while i looked so nerdy almost without any. But i knew i would regret it so i didnt and im so glad 😄 its not for everyone. Don't let social media or friends or someone else pressure you into doing life altering stuff
I have been getting tattooed since I was underage. I am fairly heavily tattooed and currently 49yrs.old. All my tattoos were done below the age of 30. I regret almost all of them at this point in my life. I wouldn't get them again if I could go back in time.
I’ve been getting tattoos since I was 18 and am 41. I also have been professionally tattooing for 16yrs. I don’t regret my tattoos but I do regret not planning them out. But the beauty of it is they all mark a different point in my life. Some were for fun, some to heal from some emotional pain. I still hate sitting on the receiving end of the needle.
Have known two young guys that wanted face tatts. Tried to talk them out of it. Both of them went through with it and pretty much instantly regretted it. Though warned, they were surprised that people treated them differently or made assumptions about them. It's affected their lives in ways they never thought about.
Back when I worked in call centers, quite a few had that same experience. While as far as phone agents went, no one cared what tatts or piercings one had, but if you wanted to advance up to management or higher, you had to be able to cover things with a long sleeved dress shirt because we did have international accounts where some of the cultures don't look favorably on tattoos or certain piercings and we had to present a specific image.
Me and other boomers in the 90s to 2010 to millenials: "you're going to regret those tattoos. Wait until you are older before getting one". Millenials: " what do you know grandad. It's my body" and unspoken "the Internet told me to be like everyone else". That is why older people should be listened to. Life experience. I've no real sympathy for them.
@@michaelcaffery5038it's part of the neo pagan esthetic, starting in the early 80s, with piercings and green hair Tats didn't come until the early 2000s What I'd love, is gor women to start wearing skirts🌷dresses..again
I was watching this video because it was suggested to me and imagine my surprise to find I AM IN IT?!?! I really appreciate your measured take on my video, considering that so many people seemed to have taken me sharing my *own* story very personally. I was VERY much a different person in my teens through my 20s and even into my early 30s; I have worked a lot on my mental health including getting an autism diagnosis in those years. In that process, I realized I did have deeper reasons for getting tattoos than just "I like art and how this looks on my body", and the reasons weren't terribly positive. I was also the only heavily tattooed person in my friend group and that was fine, but I could not have imagined at the time the direction my life would have taken. Professionally it now feels like my tattoos walk into the room and start shouting before I can say a word. I was on tattoo magazine covers, I spent thousands of dollars and cumulative days getting tattooed with the custom art I chose. However, the person I am now is not the person who tattooed most of my body, and up until more recent years I would have insisted I would *never* regret my tattoos, but here I am, and I do.
My video is just my story. At no point did I tell anyone they should regret their tattoos, that’s an inference. I didn’t get my tattoos for trends, that’s an assumption. I went to Fakir Musafar’s piercing intensive in San Francisco in 2006 and learned how to pierce. I have had over 20 piercings in my face alone so I’m not sure what your point is about piercings, I did that prior to being heavily tattooed. I lived in California for years too, but hardly ever saw anyone as tattooed as I was even living in downtown Los Angeles because I worked in marketing and as an “influencer” & commercial model. People just have different experiences, and I shared mine.
@Spaceboy Digital someone sharing their own experience is not telling others to do or not to do. Everyone has their experiences and if you’ve come across many ( over 30’s) that don’t regret it then whoopie doo to you! It’s not the overall consensus of the whole population of tattooed people. Folk are allowed to share their experience but if you don’t like it then it’s obviously triggered you.
Emotional damage!😲😂 Most people do regret their tattoos in due time... we constantly change throughout life along with our taste/style, however, not many will own up to it, I respect your ability to publicly admit your regrets. Anyone who understands basic psychology knows why most people get tattooed, it reveals a lot about a person.
I think a lot of the problem people have came from you saying “I’m an adult and I have real problems now”, like that may be your experience but it’s very invalidating to suggest younger heavily tattooed people don’t have real problems.
My grandfather was in the military and fought in wars overseas. He got extreme tattoos for the time, hands neck and both arms. He always wore full length pants and I never saw him with his shirt off so he probably had more. He always used his tattoos to caution his grandchildren not to get tattoos. He said “I didn’t think I’d be going home.”
He's right, all my tattoos I got in the military. I didn't think I would see 25. I'm 57 years old now, I'm embarrassed by some of them. I'm not that man anymore.
Oh my grandpa said the same. He has some self-made (😮) tats on his hands and arm. Basically his name in kyrillic letters and some symbols. He always told us how we shouldn't do something stupid like that bc he constantly gets approached and asked what the meaning of them is 🤔🤷🏼♀️
@@tuschi8039 I love my “Gramps”he was wise and loved us grandkids. He may have had extreme tattoos but he was so sweet and kind. I’ll hug him again in heaven!
I honestly didn't regret my tattoos until I watched this video and saw the comments of people low-key shaming tattoos. To be clear, it's not the creator that makes me feel that way, but seeing other people be ashamed makes me feel like I should be ashamed too. One thing that's important to remember is that trends come and go. Tattoos aren't in right now, but I guarantee they will be again.
@@chris2790 Why should i be insecure ? About what ? Because i like tattoos ? Dude, it's something you like to wear to add something to yourself. Do you wear trash bags or clothes you like ? I think clothes you like, right ? See, it's that simple. No need to attack tattoed people under videos about tattoos. You know judging other people about their looks is a sign of being insecure, right ? Now gtfo.
I have zero tatts. I don’t want any, but tatts are always in. They will always be a form of self expression. Don’t get ashamed based off of other people’s decisions in their lives. Tatts are not things that are inherently evil or done with the intention to hurt others. These people are separate from you. Don’t let their opinions of themselves influence your opinion of you. I have a big nose and started to hate it when everyone else got a rhinoplasty. Then I realized, wait, I actually love mine. *do not* let others get to your head.
Even older adults can regret tattoos. My husband got his first tattoo in middle age after a traumatic event caused a mild traumatic brain injury and ptsd. He put a lot of thought into what he wanted and had a very talented artist, but now that the trauma has been processed and he is in a different headspace, he wishes he had gone in a different direction.
Is it possible that getting that tattoo when he did helped him get through the trauma he was dealing with to get him to where he is now? (Not being a smart ass, genuinely interested)
@@dontahtme coming from a person to regrets her tats rn, YES. the tattoo gives immediate dopamine rushes like how vaping is addicting. The self awareness brings you to ground yourself, and in turn, a dopamine rush but I too am at different mindsets from when I got mine done & now I see them to be more traumatic than empowering. Big regret on my end
it's rare, but in a way... yes. my mom told me that every time i got a tat, she feels as though i was cutting into her own skin. i laughed and never listened. it wasn't until i was older that i understood. not only is it just simply a reminder of the hard times, but it's a reminder that i used a socially acceptable way to cutting to help me heal something that was going to heal on its own. all of my tats are on a spectrum of regret. one is more embarrassing than the other, but i wish i never not a single one to begin with.
@@tracyvo3 is it fair to say that for you it isn't a reminder of where you've been and how you've overcome whatever you went through? When you say they're embarrassing is that because you just wouldn't want to explain what they mean to you or are they (no offence) dumb or shitty tattoos?
I have no tattoos and I'm happy about it. So many of my friends asked me why I wouldn't get a tattoo. I told them I couldn't imagine anything I would want on my body forever.
Same here but I have one hideous tattoe that was done with a prison tattoe gun and i dont regret it. I look back at that time in my life so fondly and remember how alive I felt at 22 precovid and internet addiction/isolation/chronic illness.
@@steph678 I hope you get to feel better. I made it through because of God and the kids and because hubby and I were a team of rebels at heart : we ALWAYS found a way to keep ourselves and the kids happy no matter what: gardening, changing the garage into a home gym, AirBnb's, museums, hiking... I visited my mom and sister who both stayed home. There was NO WAY IN HELL I would not see my family and support system and fall into depression. I pray you do feel better. And, yes, don't we miss 2019! I understand why you are fond of this tatoo although it may be aesthetically unpleasing.
I've designed many tattoos for people, but I never want one for myself because I know I'll change my mind. If I can't stay with one wallpaper on my computer screen for one week, how can I pick a piece of art on my body until I die?
This video confirms my current tattoo philosophy, that is only getting maybe one tattoo a year and slowly filling my body, letting ideas develop over several years and not making any crazy rash decisions. So far I dont have any big regrets.
That's really the smartest way to do it especially if you are really young. That way even if you choose something along the way that you don't love you aren't fully covered in it and can laser it off or cover it.
I think what I have noticed is that some people think for ages about that first tattoo. It has a story and a meaning…then 5 years later they have a dozen tattoos with less and less thought behind each of them. That and people that have tattoos that they got that didn’t turn out great because they tried to get one artist to do different styles with varying results. Think about every tattoo like you thought about your first. Don’t cheapen the real estate just because you have other tattoos. Pick an artist for each tattoo. Maybe it’ll be the same one if you want one aesthetic, maybe it’ll be the same one maybe it’ll be a collection of different ones. Oh and don’t get tattoo while on vacation.
I was jealous of the people I knew who got full sleeves and chest piece and back piece by 20. I was too broke for all that jazz 😂. Now I’m in my mid 30’s and got my ink slowly (in places I could hide to start, slowly got sleeves and leg coverage). I regret none of it, my only regret is not knowing even better artists existed and settling for mid tattoos before the last 5 years. Everyone I knew with full coverage ink early in life is either blacked out (from regretting their ink) or going thru painful laser removal.
That's a great plan! I personally don't want to get several close together because I love the process. The planning what you want & where, finding an artist and so on. It's so fun, why speedrun it?!
For me, knowing full well I might regret my tattoos has weirdly helped me a LOT with accepting my body/being more accepting of regret and mistakes in general. I went pretty balls to the wall when I started getting tattooed; I have pretty massive matching thigh pieces, a turkey vulture named Frederick roosting on my entire calf, and two fairly large arm tattoos. I do definitely plan on getting more, all of my tattoos are greyscale nature/fantasy themed and very easy to blend together. I woke up in a cold sweat a few days after having my thighs tattooed thinking "oh my god, I've ruined my life, what have I done" and i had to just tell myself that I need to move one, it's a done deal. About a year and a half later, I barely notice they're there, and they're a pleasant little surprise when I do remember them. Knowing that these are on my body forever, and one day I could hate them, has forced me to reckon with the fact that even if I make mistakes it truly isn't the end of the world. I think that's a valuable mindset shift!
I think that the fact that I have only few tattoos and the emotional connexion I have with them I’m not to afraid. But I wouldn’t be too impulsive on a project that will last for ever
I think the same way about mine. I have a leg tattoo that probably won't ever be finished just based on the fact that it really hurt to do lol. It's still a lovely piece and I wouldn't get it covered or removed.
I think there's such a stigma around regretting your tattoos because nobody wants to be wrong. Not only that, but a lot of people hate the idea of someone else being right and having "lost" to them. I think in general we need to work on being true to ourselves and others, and being able to admit when we are wrong about something. I think when we don't allow ourselves to ever admit we can be wrong, we create a lot more problems for ourselves and start doing things to prove our point to others when that really isn't what any of this should be about. Let yourself be right and be humble when you are right, but let yourself be wrong, too.
@@NNic. Oh a thouuusand percent! lol it's usually surprising though how quick the smugness goes away when you face someone and say, "hey, you were right ¯\_(ツ)_/¯" doesn't mean we have to apologize to them, just means we're not down with any pettiness over the situation
The lady who described tattoos as a shirt you put on in the 20s and was never able to take off again is spot on about how I feel about tattoos and why I would never get one that was so conspicuous. I guess when you are in your twenties you are too young to realise how easy is is to tire of fashion trends because you simply haven't lived long enough to know how boring some trends look after a few years. Sad but true, and it has nothing to do with Tik Tok. Fashion has always changed and in the old days before social media existed, it was magazines that dicated what most people wore.
Agree, the shirt is a good image ! everybody can relate to this. I could have been tattooed when I was younger, but I didn't do it, (too lazy) and now with this tsunami of tattoos everywhere I am glad I didn't do it ! Life is short, but with a tattoo you can see every day it would feel very long ... Maybe it is better to avoid body parts that you can see all day long like hands, face, neck ?
No she f-cking isn`t, i don't wear shirts , Your only looking at it from whiners positions, having a few whining whingers on about their personal mistake , NO BODY ASKED THEM TO GET TATTOO`s. If i die before my folks and sibbling`s My back tattoo is to be skinned and put in a frame or as wrap for a lamp , then the rest of my body goes to brain research.
I have tattoo's and a loads of them, but my tattoos are from video games (mainly Zelda) and that because I knew that when I'm 30 (which is the age I'm now) I would love them and I do because I'm a huge gamer and the tattoos I have reflects that
I got my tattoos when I was 19. By the time I was 30, I regretted it. It was not me anymore. As you mature, your preferences change. I was much different at 30 than I was at 19. What I enjoyed in my early 20s was far different from what I enjoyed in my 30s. Thankfully, I was able to remove my tattoos because they were only letters and all in black. However, it was 20 times the cost, and 10 times the pain getting them removed. I am 47 now and vastly different than I was in my 30s. We all change and develop throughout are years. I am absolutely glad that I was able to remove my tattoos. My suggestion is that I don't get them. My issue with the poll you created is what is the age of the 70% that do not regret their tattoos. I am sure that by the time you are 50, what was cool when you were younger is going to be your greatest regret when you are older. In fact, just take a look at how you use to dress in your younger photos. What was stylish back then, looks ridiculous today. Now image if that was inked all over your skin. It's not worth it. Think about it, then think again! Just my two cents from an ex-tattooer! Thanks for this video. We need more honest reflections such as this. You need to personally interview an ex-tattooer like me😂
You're talking about people going along with a trend. If you're a little older and settled into your aesthetic/personality, and you take time to think before getting a tattoo, I think you'll be fine.
@@billmartins5545 More mature people tend to pick out better tattoos than younger people. I worked with a guy who couldn't wait to be 18 so he could get a tattoo. Any tattoo. He had nothing specific in mind. He got one of those puzzle pieces for Autism that cost $5 USD, just to get a tattoo.
@@31michelle64yeah, so you literally did it later in life, not when your brain is still developing. You spent decades pondering tattoos before getting them. That's not the case for most people. If everyone spent years pondering every tattoo then we wouldn't see these regrets. Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is take your time with any major decision, tattoo or not.
I'm 56 and do not regret my one tattoo. I got it in my thirties. It's more foundational to my identity than likes / dislikes that could change with age. That's hard to explain without getting way too personal.
To be honest, I don't believe that tattoo regret has anything to do with being at the wrong age. I believe that we change over time, just like societal biases do. If you get a tattoo in your late 20s, you will likely be a different person by the time you reach your late 30s. You may discover new things to relate to, have a different personality, and be influenced by changing social biases, leading you to regret your tattoos. The path to truly know oneself never ends, and there is no age at which you suddenly arrive at self-awareness 💫
I was going to write something similar, but you put it much better than what I could've said. If you want to live free of regrets, delay your tattoo session until your dying day :)
100%. For this reason, I’ve had a rule since I got my first tattoo at 18 that I only get one tattoo per calendar year. I STILL have gotten a cover up and have a couple tattoos I’ve grown out of, and have gone more than one year between tattoos sometimes. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever stuck to. Sure, I’ll never be a completely tattooed 20-something-year-old but I don’t have any tattoos I regret.
I have two tattoos from when I was 18, thankfully I stopped there (only due to $$$ lol). I would have gotten so many stupid tattoos. Now aim in my late 20s and I think I’ve settled on getting a suit jacket of Japanese style traditional tattoos (Irezumi) and cover up the two tattoos I have.
i mean younger people definitely care more about fitting in though. which is something you stop caring about so much as you grow up. so while YOU are constantly changing and evolving, your sense of self and internal locus of control/ sense of internal validation is something that most people only reach through aging, many through therapy, and some never.
as a pretty heavily tattooed person, I have tattoos I got when I was in my early 20’s that no longer represent my interests or who I am now at 34. But I don’t regret any of them. All of my old tattoos remind of certain times in my life or memories around who I was or certain life events I was experiencing when I got it. It’s almost nostalgic for me in a way.
i'm currently 20 years old with two tattoos and this is the exact mindset i hope that i'll continue to have in my thirties. i look at my tattoos like timestamps of who i am and later will look at them as who i was.
"All of my old tattoos remind of certain times in my life or memories around who I was or certain life events I was experiencing when I got it. " You know they have a technology called "photographs" that accomplish that much better than self harm, right?
Exactly this. I've got tattoos that I would not choose now, but they represent young me and she was so happy with them and I remember that and I would never deny that part of my life by getting them removed.
I relate to that.. I got my first tattoo at 23 and my last at 47 (i'm 49 now.. I got tattooed 7 times for 5 tattoos) they all represent a part of my journey in this planet and i'm not done yet with tattoos.. Just takin my time..
I’m going from being a cook to now going to law school. I don’t regret them, but I have to get these job stoppers removed. Even I wouldn’t hire a lawyer with visible tattoos 😂
I have warning people of this for years!!! People will argue all day that they will never regret them but that's the thing about being young, you don't have the life experience to know that you will change ( you should change and grow throughout your life) and when you change, your style changes as well but you cannot convince someone young to think about the future in that way
As they say: "Youth is wasted on the young" They have their whole life ahead of them; a million paths to choose. However, they haven't yet earned the wisdom that comes with age, and they can't understand just how long some of those paths can be.
Also, people who say "I got tattooed when I was 21, now I'm 34 and don't regret it". No no no. Wait until you're 45. 13 years is still a short period of time
People make mistakes but you must accept it and move on. If you'd regret something at 30 years old will you pity yourself untill 80? I have regrets from 20 years ago unrelated to tattoos but I deal with the consequences till this day. Having regrets doesn't stop you from changing and growing. Having regrets are part of the life experience. You learn from it too. I never said that I will not regret my tattoos. I told myself before I got tattoos: If I regret it will be my own fault. Don't pity yourself but take responsibilty for your actions.
I started getting tattoos at 18 and now am 46 and have over 50 pieces. I've never regretted any of them cuz I planned each one for a really long time. I started planning my tattoos when I was 15, though. Good share. Thank you.
My son was a teenager in the late 90’s. We talked about the tattoo popularity. He’d spent a lot of time around WWII vets who were tattooed in the service. Now they were in their 70’s. The tattoos looked pretty raunchy and that turned him totally off. I realize inks are better now, but skin is skin and still sags and changes with age, weight changes, etc. I wonder what these young people now will think how their tattoos, which look so sharp and beautiful now, will look 50 years from now.
Mine are 30 years old and they look blurred and just awful. I love the Parrot on my right calf muscle but I've had to get it redone twice since. I finally just gave up. I'm 60 and have 8 tattoos, worst ones being on the back of my hands. Huge regret there.
I've been getting tatted for almost 20 years and I love all my concepts. Each one to me is a reminder, a philosophy, a lesson. To regret my tattoos would be to regret myself. Going into each session was somewhat a spiritual journey to me. The problem with most of the people in this video is they chose trends and fashion or obession/addiction with an art that is permanent, tats are not the place for this.
yess this is it! my tattoo i might "regret" is lyrics to a really important song to me. while the lettering is godawful and uneven and hiddeous, i really dont mind it. ive been thinking about having a professional go over it and clean up the lines, not completely cover it, just trace it or something. i like the memory and the meaning, i just dont want it to look like sharpie anymore lmaoo
I got my first tattoo at the age of 42. I'm now nearly 61. I love being tattooed. What I wish I'd known is that I would love it so much and had planned for a cohesive theme and been tattooed in such a way that it could be built on in a way that makes sense and joins them together. I thought when I got my first one in my tramp stamp area that it would be the only one. My little secret. But it became a way to express myself and mark meaningful people and experiences in my life. I AM glad that I was old enough and financially stable enough to research artists and pay for really good ones, so I'm not full of crappy tattoos. And also had the patience to wait 4-6 months for an appointment with the people I wanted. However, as it stands, I do have a lot of random tattoos that aren't connected, just kind of placed where I have open real estate and that's what I wish I had done better with.
@@Melly01 yea, that's where most of my "regret" is. I couldn't have said it any better. I switched styles and got a lot of less expensive tats back in the day, so I'm currently having my new artist add his touch to my older pieces to make everything more cohesive. Still loving the journey
When i was in my teens and early 20s i was in a street gang and my homie that did everyones tattoos for the click and homies at school refused to give me gang or any tattoos at all. He said he messed up his life and will forever be looked at as a gangbanger and a target and when i asked about him tattooing the other homies he just laughed and said they are stupid and will never change and i respect and do appreciate the advice and kept it.
My two cents: I don’t have any tattoos. Strictly because I know my mind and taste will change as I grow. I was born with a ton of freckles and now people are getting freckle tats, which is perplexing. It’s also crazy to me that kids/people will follow permanent trends that are temporary. My rule: nothing permanent, nothing “trendy”. Thanks for listening! I appreciate your soft and clear voice.
My dad told me that your personality, mind set, way of thinking changes every 10 to 20 years and what you might think is cool today, 10 to 15 years from now you're going to be saying what the hell was thinking. I also have ZERO tattoos, this is just a moronic fad right now and boy oh boy are these tattoo freaks going to look stupid 20 years from now.
@@muscleandhate No anger, I'm just telling you how I see it. My older half sister looks like a walking billboard dedicated to stupidity, she is inked up on both arms, both legs, he back, her chest. The thing that ticks me off the most is that I'm related to this nit-wit.
What young people don't even realize is, tats fade and the black lines become a bluish colour after many years. My tattoos are 34 years old. I've gotten a couple recoloured, but I finally gave up since they're way too expensive to go over them now. I'm 60 now and when my dad's friends said I'd regret them when I got older, I just laughed and said "no way". If they were still alive, I'd tell them they were actually right. As I aged, they faded, and as my skin starts losing collagen, they're kinda changing shape and looking warped. They also take on a blurred look. Yes, I can honestly say now...I frickin totally regret ever getting them. 😣
I have a tattoo on my shoulder that was a beautiful colorful peacock and now I tell people 40 years later it's a Vulture 😂😅 BUT... I don't regret it! I love Vultures!💫 Edit for spelling
@@chronic2023 Thankfully mine haven't turned to blotches as of yet. I have a medical alert tattoo because I have heart disease. I got that on the inward side of my wrist in 2005. It still has its shape but the snake morphed into the pole and it's a blotch in the middle. The word "heart" is completely unreadable in the center, so I went to a different artist and he just wrote heart clearly in big cursive underneath the symbol. It looks tacky af, but I don't care at this point in my life since I decided to just put a DNR on my medical chart 2 years ago.
I have the word "PRINCESS" tattooed across my lower back. It was my second tattoo ever at 19. I've regretted for over a decade. I'm 37 now and am so thankful it is covered by my clothing and I do not see it on a daily basis.
@Daniel, please state your age, I'm asking for two reasons, If you think a 37 year old woman is going to be "proud" of PRINCESS? That's Rich! You sound like you're 12...
I don't think anyone is going to be regretting that they never got a tattoo covering their face. If they do regret it, they can always go out and get that tattoo when they feel like it. A lot of people are going to regret that they rendered themselves unable to get a job though. As long as your tattoos can be hidden by your clothes, there isn't much of an issue even if you regret it later on. But parts of your body that can't be hidden by clothes... that's a terrible idea.
I disagree. I'd rather look back and not have regrets. I see what you're trying to say, you're going with that old saying "I'd rather try and fail then never try and regret it." That doesn't really apply to tattoos though. It's not like asking out a girl that you always had a crush on and she says no, cuz you can just move on from that and get on with life. A tattoo is there every second of everyday for the rest of your life, you can't just move on from it.
@@simonphoenix3789 I don’t live in the same world you do I guess. I’ve had uncoverable tattoos for years, head, neck, hands, fingers, sleeved legs and arms. Never had a single problem getting any job
Life is short, better not wasting time regretting such a dumb decision like getting a tattoo. Live life, but is better to live it without a lot of regrets.
I agree with the lady that said its like a shirt that you can never take off. I would also imagine that the large sleeve tattoos would clash with certain fashions if you wanted to change up your image for a classier look or a softer look.
I watch your video when I was starting gettin' tattooed (18 yo) and I also was in my "I don't think I'll be turning 30 ever, so fuck it", I was very very impulsive and unstable and your video really help me to slow down and think better, so I kind of made this deal with myself of not gettin' more than 2 large pieces per year and being really informed about aestethics, tecniques and all of that, so thank you, you really made me think twice before making a lifelong deal and for that I'll be forever geateful.
Aaaw! I was just said "I wish that I could tell her that I am praying for her".. and here you are. 🥰 God bless you for your honesty Morgan. I know it has, and is going to help many people who were thinking of traveling down the same path that you did. I pray that you are saved by the grace of God through the faith in the death burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in him is eternal life and in him is ineffable peace and joy. God bless you! ❤️
I'm 68 and have no tattoos. I understand people getting them, I'm an artist, but I'm way too aware of changing tastes and differing feelings as one ages. Now I feel like I stand out a little as I have none and am so happy I have none.
@@AmethystDew Why is that original and more importantly, why does it matter? Everyone has a body, everyone is human and that can be viewed as if everyone is already original or the other way around. After all, the human genetic code is extremely similar around the world. How many people go around and ask themselves philosofical questions about life, thinking that they are alone in having these thoughts, when the same concepts where contemplated 2000 years ago? I dont know but maybe recognize our similarity is better that striving to outstand the crowd? Happy friday ladies:)
My beautiful daughter wanted to model for a huge chain store, her tattoos made her lose the job and... a ton of money. She regrets every one, not because of the job or jobs she didn't get, but because she doesn't even remember the person who wanted them. She's a mom and studying to be a teacher now, the 18yr old was a different person entirely. She has huge regret and no money for removals if no real job.. think before you leap!! Ps. I have a cute neck tattoo myself, not judging her, just so terribly sad for her 😢
This resonates with me. I luckily managed to talk my daughter out of getting a tattoo when she was in her late teens. I'm amazed I was able to do that and it was a close run thing because she really wanted one. I'm so glad I did though, because if she'd got the tattoo she wouldn't have been able to get her dream job (police officer) in her mid 20s.
When my daughter was 15, she wanted a tattoo because her friends’ parents were signing their kids’ permission slips to get tattoos. I said no. She said, “You can’t stop me.” I said, “When you’re 18, you can do what you want. But that stuff lasts forever, and I’m never going to sign a permission slip.” By the time she was 18, she had moved onto bigger and better things. She never even got her ears pierced (I discouraged it because as a kid, I got them and the lady made a mistake and one earring isn’t centered). I told her she could get piercings later if she wanted, but she needed to go to a professional. But she didn’t. She wears jewelry and rings sometimes. I’m glad she didn’t ruin her neck with tattoos the way her friends did theirs.
Definitely important to have a professional do ear piercing. My parents insisted on me going to an actual doctor rather than to the mall to have it done. I still had a lot of infections in one ear BUT it did eventually get better and in the end it was a quality result.
Good parent! Before 18 it's the parents choice, but something like that should always be the child's choice, but they can't really make decisions like that until they are older.
I fully agree with the tatoo matter but not on ear piercings. I got my first couple of earrings at 9 yo. My second couple at 12. At 16 i got a piercing at the cartilage part of the ear. Im 34 now and i love all my earrings. But im glad i didnt follow through on the urge to get an upper arm tatoo and a nose piercing.😂
I’ve been expecting this tsunami of regret ever since I saw these tattoo businesses spring up like Burger joints in my city over the last 20 years. I have never understood how young people could decide to mark themselves permanently during such a transient period in their lives. They’ve barely even lived let alone matured into adulthood yet, and had life experiences worth documenting on their skin. Social media driven tattoo culture only catalysed the trend, sadly it’s a trend that bled into the lives of even young star struck school children over the past 1-2 decade to the point where some got tattoos as birthday presents under some social media influenced mania.
Yes I know a mother whose child has drug and alcohol dependency issues...and she PAYS for the child's tattoos, even though she's only 17 years old. Appalling lack of leadership and responsibility she just wants to be friends with the child and have the child always like her.
@@TheOfficialArthurMorgan I think mostly to shock their parents, unless they have those monstrosities. When skin shows its age, those tatoos are hideous.
lol how’s it a teenage dream if you’re in your 20s 30s 40s still listening to the kind of music you’ve always liked and vibing with the same artistic styles? Genuine question since you’re talking like you know millions of grown adults you’ve never even met 😅
@@marinazagrai1623lol just more karen energy. I think people driving huge gas guzzling suvs and living in McMansions they can’t afford look monstrous but you’re clearly the expert on what complete strangers you’ve never even met know what they like and don’t like 🥴😂
As a female I had my chest tattooed in my forties. I was very clear as to what l wanted. It symbolised my journey through life and my religious spiritual beliefs. I was fortunate to have an artist I bonded with on a mental and emotional level and strangely enough the artistic journey was cathartic for both of us. Twenty years later this art l carry is of great significance to me. Each morning when l see it l love it as much as l did on the day it was completed. It is as much a part of me as the blue of my eyes. Age did make a difference.
Im 40 now... All my friends and family members were getting tattooed like it was going out of style! I always hated following the trends, and doing what everyone else is doing. Im so glad i did not get any tattoos. I have no regrets!
For me its not just the aesthetic, but learning how toxic the ink is...heavy metals are NOT condisive to health, mental or physical. Wish more people would discuss this 😢
I'm really glad I waited to get tattoos until I was 27. My first tattoo was one I had planned for months to celebrate being cancer free, as before that, I had been really afraid of needles, but with chemotherapy, I got so many needles poked into me over a period of six months that I stopped being afraid of them. I definitely feel like people who get tattoos impulsively will often regret them more than people who have carefully planned them out for a long time.
I’ve worked in healthcare for 10 years. I’ve never had a patient tell me they regret tattoos. In fact, I rarely talk to patients about tattoos. I don’t care what’s on their skin and they don’t seem to care what’s on mine.
@@dragoncubes1074 try again, I don't have any tats, and I SERVED USMC. I don't need a tattoo to remind me of my experience, bc I have a brain and a very good memory because I don't do drugs unlike you tatted people. And I went to top 10 schools
I started getting tattooed at 20 and am 37. I had another tattooed person tell me: you have a lot of canvas and more time than you think. It’s really helped me not feel pressured to cover myself quickly. I have been working with the same artist now for a few years and it’s such a cool relationship, we don’t hardcore plan but collaborate on beautiful pieces. It makes me sad to see people regret their tattoos, even the ones they don’t feel like represent them now. I definitely can see how it happens though.
This is why the one girl in the video got backlash. It makes folks feel sad when another group member has changed their mind and doesn’t want to be part of the group. Misery loves company
I agree! I really enjoy tattoos, and have many visible tattoos on my left arm. But I also love having a lot of open, non-tattooed skin - I think it’s beautiful. Not b/c I have more canvas but because I appreciate both. I’ve limited most of my tattoos to my left arm except for a small rib cage tattoo. I’m planning on filling my left arm, and am unsure whether i’ll go beyond that - to guard my open skin as I value both.
i personally am a hyper femme woman with a lot of heavy black “masc” tattoos and i love the juxtaposition between them and my aesthetic. tattoos are barely becoming socially acceptable for women to have so it’s unsurprising that heavily tattooed women are perceived as masculine. even i get stares when i have all of them on show. but for me personally i planned out my body meticulously and considered what would work with what i already have, so i’m not experiencing any regret. younger people (mainly millennials & gen z) are rushing to be covered just to hop on the trend of tattooing itself. i believe that’s why they are regretting them later in life. tattooing has become a trend in the same way plastic surgery is a trend right now. i really wish we could create a culture where people are encouraged to actually consider what they are doing before making these permanent decisions to their bodies.
💫 Something that QCKND would also talk about is not necessarily regretting tattoos but just being tired of being a tattooed person and the way the world around you treats you because of it, or the way that you get so much attention from others. It’s maybe a bit of a paradox bc tattoos are so great to express yourself physically but also it’s sometimes annoying when other people look at them haha.
I was: just wear a sweater (none of those girls have any facial tattoos, so covering them up socially would be easy enough). I am Dutch, it's too cold & windy the largest part of the year to walk around without a coat, or indoors do without something long-sleeved and warm. Even if you go clubbing: tight-fitting and stretchy will do the trick ;)
@muurrarium Living in South Texas don't have this option lol. Love the reactions tho when I meet people with my tattoos covered and then eventually show them. Definitely a difference but being confident removes some of the stigma
@@nono-fq1tl LOL, yes, that would be uncomfortable, your tattoos would melt about the same time you would keel over from overheating. :) (My feet are really cold right now- tonight it will be around freezing-point, even though is really spring here. I am a bit jealous!) I agree: tattoos do not define who your are, its how you behave, talk, walk, dress etc. that will eventually decide how people feel about you. Though it does advertise something about your tastes ("yup...metalhead" / is not a bad thing, most metal-fans are wonderful people. But also "fasionslave" -> you got what was in vogue, but not really yours..., I may decide you are not worth my time, I prefer people who can think for themselves// and even then: so what, I do not rule the universe, you do you!) I am glad tattoos got more mainstream, because on the whole (mho of course) they got far better looking (I like the newer styles better, and people are not getting them "of the wall/shelves" anymore as random stickers).
@muurrarium I wish I could share that weather. It's not hot by here standards but our spring weather still getting close 90° F still :/. And yeah luckily other factors decide the final judgement other than tattoos. I was always raised that they belong to criminals so I just work hard and act polite per usual. Most people are coming around and see them as more another side of me. However it crazy that I've had people flip and assume I'm a drug dealer with unwavering conviction. The times are changing so maybe we will come full circle. Like to think my tatts tell more about others than myself nowadays lol
the thing that needs to be understood is you don't have to to pick one aesthetic and stick with it, people are multidimensional. who cares if you have dark/gothic tattoos and want to wear pink all the time? i personally love it, it's fun mixing different styles. you literally can do whatever you want. I think the advice to wait Is more for people under 21. I didn't get my first tattoo til 24 and I am honestly glad I didn't get tattooed as soon as I turned 18 because i doubt I would like them now.
100%. Your tattoos don't have to dictate your style of clothes or hair or decor or anything like that. It sucks some people feel stuck in an aesthetic those chose in their twenties when it doesn't have to be that way. It's honestly a little sad to me
I started getting tattooed at 18 but somehow, in my stupid teen brain, I knew to keep them where they could be easily covered. I got shoulders/upper arms, back, ribs etc. A tee shirt & shorts covered everything. At 30, I'd gotten married, had a kid & decided to get a big piece on my forearm and it's great. I dunno if I "regret" my older ones, I definitely wouldn't get them today bit these days, if we're at the pool or something I'll be the former cool kid, tattooed mom. Otherwise I just don't think about them much.
I started getting tattooed at 16, and I don’t regret those because I see it as a badge of honor that I got it underage in a state where tattoos were illegal at the time. It makes for a good story. For a long time, I told people it was best to get quotes because you’d be less likely to regret those. But my two quote tattoos are the only ones I kind of regret now at age 40. One because it includes “I have the sad sads” because I assumed I’d be depressed my entire life, and fortunately, I was wrong. The other because it includes the word “beer” even though I stopped drinking 9 years ago and it’s a metaphor that has nothing to do with beer but it goes over people’s head. Both quotes are taken from Bukowski poems because I was obsessed with him in my 20’s.
"75% of people have tattoo regret." I think that's going to trend much higher over the next few years. We are seeing the culture pendulum swing the other way now, with events such as the dignifAI social media tag, people getting away from social media, and men looking for partners with no tats. There are really no surprising reasons coming from the people that say they regret the tattoos they have. It was all predictable.
I'm only 19 and only have 3 tattoos so far, but since the first time I wanted to get a tattoo, I've understood that I might not like the tats that I get now in the future. Part of my philosophy on it all (which comes a lot from my religion and culture) is that every tattoo on my skin marks a place in my journey. Even if I don't like the design in 20 years, I want to still be able look at my tattoos from this time and reflect on the person I was when I got them. So, yeah, I might not love my tats in a decade or two, but that's okay by me. Whenever I look at them now, they bring me joy. Whenever I look at them in the future, I'll get to remember that joy and feel it again. In my book, as long as you take the time to think about the emotion the tattoo gives you now, and what emotions it can put you through in the future, get as many tattoos as you want
Same! My tattoos are basically chapters. I’m in my 30s now and started when I was 18. Started small and all my work I got where I could cover it up. I’m lucky because a lot of my friends hate theirs now
My father had several tattoos... he was in the Royal Navy, so it was more or less a 'cultural tradition' for him, I suppose. However, I remember once, as a child, I asked him if he had ever regretted his decision to get his tattoos... He actually told me, "Yes, I have..." I've never had any tattoos and am quite happy with my decision, in spite of their current level of cultural popularity.
I had (deceased) an Irish Catholic relative who emigrated from Ireland to the US in the 1920s. When I knew her, she was in her 70s & 80s & had a 9 inch crucifix tattooed on her forearm since was 6, done in Ireland at the direction of her father because he meant for her to enter the Church. Well, that didn't happen. She became a wife & mother of 8. That tattoo must have been difficult to bear throughout her life. ( I resisted the impulse to use the expression "cross to bear" 😁)
@@hensonlaura Lol! If you hadn't already done so, I was going to say that, "We all have our cross to bear!" (Something my Mum often said, too!) 😉 That's the trouble with tatts... it's okay if you love them but if you make a wrong decision (or, as in your example, if you have a 'wrong decision' imposed upon you!) you may well be stuck with it for life. (Or at least that was the case back then, when there wasn't the kind of laser treatment for tatt removal that they apparently have nowadays... though it seems that even that has its limitations, too.) And even if you love them when you get them, you could eventually come to hate them for any number of reasons. Nope... I'm glad I stayed a 'clean-skin'! 😁
I always go by the rule, "Wait a year, and if it's still a good idea, do it." I've always wanted tattoos, but I've held out because I never had a good idea of what I wanted until about a year or so. Pacing things out is always a good idea. My mom has two tattoos that she really regrets. The first one because she got an ex's name and the other because she let her friend talk her into a different placement instead of where she originally wanted it. So lesson #1: Fuck peer pressure/social media
Began getting tattooed on my 18th bday, spent half my life in the industry. i’ll be 41 in June and I am so comfortable in my own skin, and so in love with even the worst of my tattoos. I have a great career that doesn’t penalize me for having face, neck, and hand tattoos (I am no longer in the tattoo industry, I’m a social worker and in grad school)… people often get tattooed for the wrong reasons- insecurity, attention, and more attention… OF COURSE they aren’t happy
Seeing the old faded Navy tats on my 80 year old grandfather made me think long and hard before I got any of my tattoos. I still ended up getting 4 tats and can honestly say I still love each one of them now that I’m 50. I think too many people just don’t consider how you are going to change as a person by your tats will not.
Good Point! I didn’t start thinking about tattoos until my 20s. I recall asking many tattoo folks (mostly older men from the greatest generation because I’m old now too), but I only found one guy who really regretted his at that time. He had two beer names -one over each nipple. He’d had it done before shipping out to the Pacific theater of war when he was 18. He said “We all expected to die, so what difference did it make?” Now I have a number of tattoos, and I’m happy with them. I have two that were not done by real artists. You can tell, but they still have the meaning they had then. Tattoos as a trend is not a good idea. Color you hair, cut off your hair, change you make up and style of dress. Those are temporary. Surgeries and tattoos are pretty permanent. BUt of course, so is the internet and look at the stuff kids will post on there!
I did the same thing as you, thought really hard about what I wanted and so I only have one so far. I even went so far as to turn down a friend a couple of days before I was due to get a tattoo as a gift (that she happily just took over to get one of her planned tattoos done) because I really couldn't come up with anything I'd wanted long enough to be certain I wouldn't hate it later.
Basically you should really think long and hard before you get a tattoo. Heck, now there's temporary ones you can get that last for a while now which is probably the way to go in the future.
No tats here, never, ever. I am who I am, I am happy with who I am. I do not understand tats. As children we all took an ink pen and drew on ourselves. Me too, I did that. That was enough for me. Never ever again.
I love tribal tattoos on tribal people ie Mauri. They have the colouring and skin and the tattoo colour and design is beautiful. Most other tattoos just look out of place
I'm older than you and don't regret mine. And that's the main problem with tattoos. Nobody knows the future. The best tip I can give: If you think, you really must have a tattoo, make sure it has a supportive meaning to you. No name, no date, no portrait, no politics, no religion, no trend. Just something that supports yourself.
I'm 52, having got my first tattoo in 1989 and I still ASBSOLUTELY LOVE ALL of my tattoos... As in, NO REGRETS...(I'm heavily tattooed btw...)...Soooo, different strokes for different folks y'all, it's all okay.
So glad I don't have any tattoos because I know I wouldn't be satisfied in some way - either the linework is off or I'd want it elsewhere, or just being too indecisive to pick. Plus I like the blank canvas of a tattoo free body for an easily convertible look
Makes me realize that a lot of people are deeply insecure in themselves and their decisions. I think we should push younger kids to be more confident in their choice making rather than telling them “you can’t get tattooed til…”
Kind of insane that people who care what others think are getting tattoos at all, like I thought that was the whole point of tattoos, you don't care what other people think, you're living your own life. So strange to consider getting older and caring more what people think. Not less.
@@Amused_Comfort_Inc exactly my thought. i'm heavily tattooed now and to look back and say i wish i never got any just because of what others think of me is just a bonkers wild thought to me. i got the tattoos knowing that people would treat me differently, and i still got them because i honestly don't care what anyone thinks of me haha. kind of wild that there are heavily tattooed people who care what others think!
@@Amused_Comfort_Inc Yeah it’s really odd, but it could be because they were following trends. It’s unfortunate, but tattoos and getting tattooed can fall into that. I’ve personally only gotten tattoos for myself so it’s a foreign concept to me.
This is how I approached it with my son that was interested in getting one. He had lots of tattooed friends but a lot of those tattoos were not great. I educated him and took him to a convention so he could see what’s out there, good and bad. Told him to really think about what he wants and to not cheap out on the art as well. He eventually has decided not to get any. Maybe he will when he’s older but that’s not his priority right now.
@@shea4615 That's a very good idea. And I think the right approach. Young people fall in love with an idea, because they see a specific presentation of it, but they need to see the full scope of it, kind of immerser yourself in the world and I think the result is they will be more thoughtful instead of impulsive.
It’s sad cause I’m almost done with my left arm for me I love my tattoos and haven’t regretted what I have but to hear that heavily covered people regret is sad cause I don’t think you should have to fit in with every trend
Just make sure you get what YOU want, not what's trendy... simple :) I hope you will always love your sleeve (no reason why you wouldn't, right?) - the ones that are planned out always look so much better (and will not stream "has been" in a decade or so, because you picked it carefully, for you, instead of following someone else's idea)
These are influencers who make their money by making content and selling themselves as billboards. Most regular tattooed people don’t regret it as much as they do.
I don't necessarily think it's about trends. At some point, you'll outgrow being trendy- most people do- and that's when the regret comes in. Also, trends play into tattoo styles and subjects. If you're getting a tattoo because it's hot right now, just remember that trends don't last, and wearing trends that have long gone out of style isn't going to keep you relevant.
I think you are so right in the "must follow the aesthetic" mindset. I am heavily tattooed and does not regret a single centimeter. However, I waited until after I was 30 to get my first, and is uninterested in trends.
Same, waited until I was 28 and had a career that allowed me to spend the kind of money I wanted in order to get the work I wanted. So many friends would penny pinch and bargain hunt for tattoos when we were younger, which even then I realized was a bad idea.
I’ve learned that if you don’t want to regret a Tattoo, no matter what the age. Then get something that really means something to you (not the name of your significant other! Lol) and really do your homework when it comes to the artist. Spend the money for a reputable artist. You will always regret a badly done tattoo! As far as trends go being Gen X we gave other generations tramp stamps and tribal tattoos as a warning to stay away from trends! Lol
@@TaraContianother advice - take your time. Live with thought about getting that tattoo on that place. I used temporary tattoos in place I wanted to make permanent just to understand if I like that place. It's normal to wait for years before actually making tattoo. Finally made my first tattoo in 23 with picture I wanted since 17, so yeah, waited 6 years before actually making it
That's easy to say but not easy to do. I get a disability payment from the government because a ton of doctors say that they can't fix me, and they've tried for 25 years now. Also, at least in the USA, getting a tattoo is much cheaper and easier than getting medical care.
You don’t have to be broken on the inside to get a tattoo. On the contrary, both of mine are incredibly meaningful to me and remind me of my healing journey and what I learned from it so I don’t forget.
@@KallieMae You do you, dude. I'd rather make a scrapbook or write a biography so I don't forget stuff, and keep the beautiful body that God gave me. My body is a temple, not a billboard.
Being a plus sized, brown, disabled individual, I can’t imagine a world where new styles/trends making me dislike my tattoos because I can’t/never have been able to see myself in those trends Like, the I’m nowhere near the “target audience” for that so I feel like my love for my tattoos more so reflects the fact that I didn’t fit into those boxes anyways
I kept changing my mind so many times on which tattoos I would consider (I only wanted one on my right bicep), changed my mind so many times within 2 years that I knew I would at some point in the future regret the decision. Therefore, I have ZERO tattoos. I have ZERO regrets on not getting any tattoos. Nice to see videos like this as too many people I have met who have lots of tattoos act like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread and somehow I'm missing out. Thank you for making this video.
As a born-again Christian in my 20's I felt my body was a testament and temple to our Almighty and shouldn't be defiled. I knew of no one my age that would've ever considered getting tattoos back then. Amen!
Ditto. I copped a lot of crap from people I was associated with when younger because I refused to get marked. Most have since been to prison, a few are dead and the others lead unhappy lives. I think the real problem is they get something at 20 they think will reflect them but they forget they grow and the image doesn't change.
We're about the same age, and I get it. It took me years to finally get my single tattoo. And luckily I've never regretted it. But the reason for that is that I got it to symbolize my connection with my grandfather, even though he was kind of pissed, because he regretted his own tattoo. - Still here over 20 years later, the whole thing makes me smile. I did go into it realizing that I was in effect giving myself a tramp stamp for life, that for most of that time would be completely out of fashion. - So I was smart enough to just have it on a shoulder so it can easily be either shown or covered up.
I'll be 40 this year and I don't regret any of my tattoos and I have quite a few just cuz you get them doesn't mean you will regret them especially if you put thought into them most people don't they just get a tattoo cuz it looks cool
45 here and I don't regret any of them. Made them over the last (almost) 30 years and I still love them all. (Though I'd retouch a couple as technique got better). Do you know what else is permanent? Children. And you do see plenty of single parents, yet no one is advocating against having them.
I think you are your own judge and judgement. I don't agree with getting a tattoo impulsively but thought out ones are great works of art or at the least great personal statements.
I'm 32 now, and have two sleeves, my chest, stomach, and a few others. I don't regret my tattoos. I never had much money, so I only got one or two tattoos per year, and so I basically have a relatively accurate representation of how I changed and evolved as I got older. I started with blackwork, then moved to colour neo-trad and illustrative, with a couple of "stained glass" inspired pieces. I'm not foreseeing any financial change soon (sadly), so I'll continue getting pieces here and there as I age. It works for me! So I guess my advice is to go slow, take your time! Also: regretting some tattoos, or some tattoo choices, is not the same as "regretting getting tattooed". I think it's a great discussion to have within the tattoo community, and we don't need to bother about people who don't like tattoos at all.
your last line is a great point. i can understand regretting specific pieces, because maybe you didn't research your artist or you outgrew the style or something really specific. but to regret actually BEING heavily tattooed is an entirely different thing. like to say if you did it over, you wouldn't get any is just wild to me. it almost seems to me like these kinds of people care too much about what others think of them and care more about the way they're perceived by others, and that's kind of sad tbh. i'll never regret tattoos because of what someone else is saying or doing. they're for me, not others.
@@Zoeswildart you clearly said you were/ still suffering hardship but yet have and will continue to put “ art “ on your body that is not a necessity. It’s a luxury if anything… You’re right! I don’t know about your priorities but I’m only going by what you actually said. Make it make sense!!
@@crapbag426they didn't say "hardship", YOU DID. What they ACTUALLY said is: "I've never had much money"... They didn't say anything about hardship, they just said they're NOT RICH. "Not rich" is YOUR idea of hardship? And them being "not rich" gives you the right to judge and dictate a stranger's decisions? You seem a real DELIGHTFUL human. 😬
When my kid turned 18 she wanted to get a tat. I told her that she had to wait one year & even then it would have to be a very small one in a discreet spot. She had totally changed her mind after a year. She is so happy I stopped her.
I'm heavily tattooed i don't regret any of mine, i own 3 tattoo shops, i run my shop the old way where as if you want a face or hand tattoo i need a certificate from a doctor to say you are mentally fit because they're the worst jobstoppers and also highly regretted. I got my first at 17 and i still love it at 41, i love all mine i knew exactly who i was and what i wanted back then and ive never changed the way i am and i worked hard to get what i wanted which was to own tattoo studios. It's not the same for everyone of course, but i just always advise people to really think about what you are getting.
When I was a kid (20) I swore I wanted sleeves but I didn't think it was fair for the adult version of me to live with a decision dumb kid version of me made. I will be turning 42 in January and am SO GLAD my body is still tattoo free. Would've been the biggest regret of my life!
Good for that. My whole family has tattoos, because we're friends with a famous (good) tattoo artist... but I'm the only person in my family that don't have one and I'm glad I don't. Thought about it a couple times, but for the most part I just never understood why someone would want to put something on their bodies permanently.
@deucedeuce1572 it's because tattoos make someone feel like they're becoming a better version of themselves, kinda like being augmented. Which there's nothing wrong with that, we all wanna become a better version of our current selves, I get it. It just is what it is, to me.
@@GoodKong.BadKong like The Red Dragon? (Hannibal book). Easiest way to get young people to think more about their tattoos is to have a display of heavily tattooed 50+ yo people in the tattoo parlour.
GenX here, and yeah, a lot of us got tattoos that we loved, and some of us wish we were more discerning over what we chose to put on our bodies. I always tell people to live with a design that you choose in your space every day. Like, put it up where you will see it all the time, and wait. After a year or two, if you still really love it, then get it done in henna where you want it done, or something that is less permanent but will give you an idea of what it will look like day in and day out. That Yosemite Sam seems like a good idea now, but you have to consider how you'll feel about it when you're 30.
I was a wild one when I was 16, and couldn't wait to get tattoos. My best friend, who was in her mid-twenties, heavily tattooed and everything I ever wanted to be, supported my plans completely, but gave me the advice to draw the tattoo I wanted, tape it next to my bathroom mirror and look at it for a year every day. And if I'd still like it after a year I should get it as soon as I'm old enough. That year I went on a student's exchange to the UK, lied to the artist and got a tattoo I picked randomly from a folder, because I liked the shape. Not even half a year later I've seen at least 3 people with the exact same tattoo, so I found another artist, and without looking into his stuff let him change it. I hated the result right away, but it was done by then. That's when I understood her advice. At 21 I got another tattoo, and although I followed her advice, got it done at a great place and still like the design per se, I wouldn't get it again today. I was so sure back then that this would represent me for all times, and even if I change, evolve, it would never change who I was. But when I turned 28 I learned how little I actually knew about myself, how much of the me I used to be was just driven by my desperate desire to be autonomous and independent, to rebel and express myself.
And the interesting thing is that many people who have this story, To be different and independent, Somehow all looked the same... It's like everybody is just copycatting each other and not actually being their authentic self with their own authentic style
@@TheOfficialArthurMorgan That's such a superficial, generic attempt of a diss-comment, it does absolutely nothing for me. I never wanted to be "different and individual", I wanted to be part of the tattooed tough crowd, of course there are similar looks and aesthetics (especially back in my days, there were just a handful of tattoo shops, and it was still somewhat in the hidden, nothing mainstream). And "authentic self with their own authentic style" is silly. How often does a person throughout their lifetime change their style? Plenty of times. Who cares? Let people do what they want to do, your opinion is of no relevance to anybody.
@@elle-iza well, you fit the stereotypical overly emotional tattooed girl, lmao 🤣 i just think it's lame that people always want to "cult" up (belong to a group). It's funny how a lot of people with tattoos want to be associated as tough people. However, some of the most emotionally unstable and wimpy people I have ever met in my life all have tattoos. Being tough isn't an appearance. It's a way of thought and action. Gritting your teeth against the harshness of the world. Not "wearing leather with tattoos" 🤣
I'm 38 and got my first tattoo in my mid-twenties, and started small and slow. I love my tattoos, though I did just have one redone because the artist I hired the first time insisted on adding some colorwork even though he didn't have the skill to support it. But even then I didn't regret my tattoo, I just didn't love it as much as I do now, and I'm THRILLED with the results of the touchup. I'm also really glad I waited until I was a little older than 18-22 and got ink that was special and specific to me and not because it followed a particular trend.
So interesting. I'm 60 and instinctively knew not to get tattoos when pals were getting inked. When I think of the fads I have been involved with over the years and the tattoos I could have got to reflect my various passions, I am so grateful I didn't get inked to reflect them at the time. The regret would have been intense now. That being said, if I get to 80 I would definitely consider getting one for each year after that I survived. Possibly cats and horses, my lifetime loves. My daughter's friend (29) got a very small, very fine signature tattoo done recently on the inside of her elbow. It was her grandpa's signature on the last birthday card he sent her before he died and I know she won't ever regret it as he was so very special to her.
That I can understand. Should my dearly loved husband predecease me (women do tend to live longer) I would get his signature tattooed in reverse (mirror image) over my heart. We have been married almost 50 years.
I understand the sentiment, but I still don't think they look good on older skin. I don't think skin heals as well at 80 either, especially if you are diabetic. There are health reasons to consider.
I didn't get my first tattoo until I was 40. I'm now 66 and I regret a few of them. I didn't get sleeves or facial tats or tats on my neck or chest or butt. I got small "tasteful" ones that can mostly be hidden by clothing, but I was a different woman then, even at 40. It's just amazing how most people change throughout their lives. Hard to imagine at 20 what/who you'll be or want to be in 20, 30, 40 years.
@@anon2218 When I was very young my mother told me to think long and hard about my old saggy self in my 70's with tattoos all over. She also told me that it was not acceptable in high society. Of course tattoos were not as popular as they are today. Finally she told me to experiment all I want with henna designs but never do anything to permanently alter my natural body. Personally, I have thought of getting a tattoo and if I did it would be something small, somewhere easily hidden, or only to cover up a serious scar/ flaw. I hate pain and needles and see no need to torture myself otherwise. I have used temporary tattoos in the past on occasion for special events. I respect people's decision to tattoo, but I'm happy to be tattoo free.
I thought for 20 years about getting a tattoo. I could never settle on what I wanted to be forever inked onto my skin. In my late 40s I decided I didn't need a tattoo.
I’m a physician and I work in laser tattoo removal. It’s absolutely true, each tattoo is different in terms of removability and achievable result. In general: the bigger, deeper (worst case if you can already feel raised areas in the tattoo as those are scars left by the needles) more saturated and colored a tattoo is, the harder it is to remove. Area is also important, the further it is from your heart the harder it is for your body to reabsorb the ink. Btw: tattoo removal, especially of large pieces, is a PAINFUL, LONG (in terms of n. of sessions, especially in case of larger tattoos) and EXPENSIVE treatment. Please think about what you are getting as if removal wasn’t a thing, and in doubt go for shadowed black/grey small to medium designs, those are pretty easy to remove.
I saw a video of some having a large piece removed. The sessions were extremely painful. The areas treated were heavily burned, and the recovery was also very painful.
I was much the same. I always never liked tattoos much but kinda wanted one. But could never decide on what to get. So for many years I never thought much about it because I could never figure out what would truly matter to me enough to be permanently attached to me. Just got my first and got a fox. I hope I don't regret it because of my unbelievable love for foxes. They are my spirit animals I believe!
@@braixeninfection6312as someone who has dozens of easily concealable tattoos, it’s not that serious. If you’re male, just stay in shape and you won’t regret it a bit. You should not actually care about your physical appearance that much past mid 30s anyway
Tell this to all the fake trans and non-binary people your age... medically transitioning, sterilizing themselves... when if they would just wait until they were an adult, they would grow out of it.
I'm 59 and so very thankful I never wanted nor liked tattoos. Its wonderful living without that regret. I had many ear piercings and my bellybutton pierced (80's thing) but those can be taken out and they essentially disappear. Plus, there are better things to spend money on.
I got tats while in the military. This was before the current craze to get inked. My tattoos are meaningful to me, and I knew I didn't want anything that I couldn't cover up with a short sleeve shirt and a pair of shorts. I was associated with bikers and other military members, looking around at the population at large, the guys that were heavily tatted didn't have the kind of job I wanted. They weren't going where I wanted to go.
Same. Back in the day if it couldn't be covered with a uniform shirt you could kiss goodbye any chances of OCS or certain units. When I went back after 9-11 the standards had relaxed and now you see females walking around with full sleeves. They say times have changed but it still affects people's perception of you no matter what. When I see someone with a lot of ink and pushing it on the haircut, I think, there's someone who places a higher priority on expressing themselves than being part of a team. Can I trust that person to be a team player when the s*** hits the fan, or are they more likely to think, every man for himself? Like it or not, how you present yourself gives others a window into your values.
I started getting tattoos at 19 and I’m 30 now and I can’t imagine myself without my tattoos. They’re a part of me now and I honestly forgot they’re there most of the time. It’s a life time commitment and I feel like maybe some of these ppl didn’t understand fully what that means before getting tattoos.
same. i mean i’m a newbie, got my first at 21 and now i’m getting a lot of work at 24 but i just can’t imagine myself without them anymore. when i get them done, usually it feels like i’m growing into myself. it feels right.
I think perhaps a lot of the regretters (broadly speaking) are those who have got tats because it suddenly became "normal" awhile back. And when we're young, we really don't understand longevity. Fact is, and sadly especially for us women, the beautiful, firm young colourful tat you choose is not what it will seem when your body starts to sag and it starts to blur. Tess Holliday is a great example, she has some masterful tats but the Dolly Parton that started on her shoulder is now, through losing skin elasticity, halfway down her arm and all its beauty lost in the bend of her elbow. I'm old now and I'm glad I stuck to my original idea that my tats can't be seen unless I want them to be. I don't wear revealing clothes so even the one on the back of my shoulder is hardly ever seen. I love tattoos, I loved them even when they came with social disapprobation but it's because that disapproval almost vanished overnight that people started going crazy - loads of tats, really young, really fast and no cautionary voices. Don't get me wrong, the social stigma was unfounded and ridiculous but on the other hand I think perhaps there's going to be a raft of regretters as fashion moves on and tats go back to their original homes in the fringes, just as piercings are doing now. Sorry, essay. But this is a fascination for me cos I've seen attitudes change so widely. I'd just caution anyone young to think about what happens when you get old and saggy, because it WILL happen. Thinking tattoos look great is awesome...but do you think they look great on an eighty year-old? I know we can't imagine ourselves in that state so turn it outwards and consider it on A.N.Other old gnarly body. It SHOULD feel "like part of you." That's the key to less regret because we accept most of ourselves without really thinking about it. But too many are having them done for the wrong reason - a statement, because it looks cool, because everyone has them. Those aren't the right reasons. In fact, my only regret is that now everybody is covered and instead of being an edgeBlob I'm now the same as all the poxy humans. Huh 👿
Exactly and you probably didn't get them like a lot of people get him now because it's too trendy. My mom wouldn't even look at me when I came home with my first tattoo and it was little LOL. I had an ex-boyfriend who works in a casino sports bar and he had to wear specially made long-sleeve shirts because he had sleeves. It was a casino sports bar now people at Starbucks have full sleeves. It's trendy now and people put the stupidest things I've ever seen. I would bet that your tattoos reflect parts of your life that maybe you are a little different now but that still means something to you. It represents something that still a part of you it just may not be the main focus of your life now.. Cuz that's the way I am everything I have and everything I have planned is my life. These people symbolize a bunch of wasted ink that could have been used on me!😂
I started getting tattooed at 20 (now 26), got a sort of 3/4 sleeve on both arms and still very much happy with them. I'm still very excited about tattoos, but I think I also safeguarded myself against regret by not making my tattoos the core of my identity as a person and choosing design based on deeply held beliefs and life-altering events instead of hobbies/interests/aesthetic. My tattoos basically tell my life-story, which makes me less conscerned with perfect tattoos or a specific aesthetic. Not saying everybody has to do this, but this is what worked for me.
At 14, I wanted a tattoo. my father said I could get one when I was 16 but to start looking and let me know what I wanted and he seemed genuinely interested. I started changing my mind on which tattoo I would get. My father would bring up my first tattoos, and I thought they looked ridiculous, so I realized my taste will change as I grew up and therefore I have no tattoos.
Almost the same here. I hardly can believe I am commenting on a tattoo channel even. lol I thought I wanted a big bold lion on my lower back as a young teen. Now a mom and a wife, I really HATE tattoos. I at least knew then that I get sick and tired of things very easily and hate to do or wear the same things all the time. I figured then I would feel the same about tattoos. I'm now so glad I didn't have one.
What a wise father.
@@TheRealCheckmate True! I tend to change them every year or so. Lol
ITS RARE yonsee a 20something uninked
My 28 year old daughter is
Also, my stepgrandsons don't have any
They're rare these days
@@flonoiisana4647
On men, they look like body hair, or, like they just pulled an engine or transmission
On women....
i’m only 22 but hearing that “i’m 21 and don’t regret my tattoos “ made me laugh so hard 😭 that’s why you don’t regret them. you’re still so young lolol
Totally lmao
Old people don't regret em either.... seriously, everyone always talks about " when you get older" but Many people did get old and still have no regrets
Dude I literally am 21 and it made me laugh because they totally missed the point. They may get older and still not regret their tattoos but the statement was the fact that as you get beyond your young 20s is when that regret comes in especially for heavily tattooed people. I also thought Celle's pause and look into the camera after the age statement really helped it hit how funny it was.
I literally started to get tattoes only when I turned 21 because I knew I changed my mind a lot. I thought I would be mature enough, I had all my tattooes listed and planed out and thought about them, nope, I really changed my values and mindset a lot when I turned 23. While I don‘t dislike my tattooes I think nowadays I would perhaps get absolutely NONE because I actually really like a bare body, but hey it is what it is, and I will probably do some cover ups, and I am soooo glad I didn‘t get a lot of them that I planed on getting.
21 is definitely way to young still. The older I get I feel like maybe 35 or so is a good age to start getting tattooes hahah
@@AmiyaD1611 I'd say that's about right. I'm 37 and I would say somewhere between 30 and 35 is where I reached a place where I could make competent life altering decisions. Definitely not in my twenties. I made most of my stupid decisions in that decade :)
🙋♂ I got my first tattoo last year at age 74. I figured that if I regretted it for the rest of my life, it wouldn't be that long. 😛
👏👏👏😂
🤣🤣😆😆That was golden age funny.
This is hilarious 😂
foolish youngseter, you'll regret it when you get old!
That's the great thing about old age -- you can get a felony but the life sentence is just a misdemeanor.
I got tattoos while incarcerated and I regret it. Luckily I didn't go too far. The guy who gave me my last one told me to chill out and wait a while. I'm thankful for that advice.
Those are more easily removed. Also their are typically services for free removal for people who got them while incarcerated
@@pegcity4eva That's pretty cool. I had a bad one on my arm but had someone fix it when I got home. He did a great job with it.
I also have some of those but like the other guys said they are easily removable!
See what I've never heard anyone say is it ALWAYS looks bad when people treat their bodies like their math notes from school and it looks like they've just doodled a bunch of random sh all over themselves. But It looks so cool and everyone absolutely loves it when people have nothing but one full beautiful sleeve (or just one large piece) that's all cohesive and nothing else. I think most people would look better if they just treated tattoo like the art it is and used their body as a canvas for a masterpiece. Instead of math homework. Yeah it would take a lot longer to get the piece because you would have to save up for it. You wouldn't be able to get a bunch of random small pieces. But you're going to look so much better and love it so much more in the long run.
@@WhitneyDahlin I've never looked at a tattoo and been able to quickly discern anything other than trashy scribbling. I know you people want to look trashy and bad-ass but how does it feel now that nerds and homos are the majority of the tattoo market? not so cool now is it
That's one reason I never got a tattoo. My asthetic and interests change constantly and I knew I would probably end up hating any tattoo in a few years. It seemed safer to just rearrange the furniture. 😊
Exactly- change your furniture/ walk art / boyfriends etc instead . Anything rather than “ tart art”!
Same. Styles and trends come and go. Some people don't take the long term into consideration. We are going to see a bunch of old people covered in saggy faded tats in the future lol.
what's tart art? @@serenityinside1
Just be careful traversing the new furniture layout in the dark the first week or so. Happy New Year!
i also dont recommend getting a tattoo of your girl/boyfriend. cause not everyone is yours forever.
my mom was always told she would regret tattoos when she was 40, so she started getting them on her 40th birthday. She's 61 now with a full sleeve! Her advice to me was just to take your time, do a little at a time, don't rush the process.
your mom is a badass fr
Right, I see a lot people in their early twenties that are almost fully tattooed. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it but I can’t help but think they might regret a lot of their tattoos in a few years. I think it’s better to go slow and think about the fact that your preferences are definitely gonna change later in life and you’ll want to still have space for those newer tattoos.
@@j_me yes she is
The only issue is skin, if you spend all you time under the sun without protection your skin will be shit at 40. I would not want to be a tattoo artist in Florida lol
Your mom is really intelligent. In the military the peer pressure to get tatted is pretty high. You almost feel like you haven’t lived if you don’t have any.
Laser Tech here. I remove tattoos for a living and the most regrettable place for people is the face and hands. It stops a lot of them from getting the career they want. Black is the easiest color to remove but Red takes more time and the most difficult for me is blue ink. Most of my clients are in their late 30s to 40s and got them when they were younger. My business is booming because of all the regret. 💰
Your business will be BOOMING for a long time. Good for you!
Bullshit, i was working in the best job on the planet and tattoo`s where on most my bosses , so please keep your narrow city reality to yourself.
Even the ADF never had a problem , the medical examiner even liked my back tattoo.
I take your post as derogatory towards me as i do this fail video.
Not every body is a wet god dammed hairy pussy.
I remember watching a show years ago on TV where a host of the show interviewed heavily modified people and there was one episode where a man was heavily tattooed like his face and he started getting majority of his tattoos removed first being his face. The host of the show asked him why is he getting the tattoos removed and the man said that now that his a father and has a child, having a child and being covered in tattoo was frown upon in society and it made him regret all this tattoos. He also said that if he knew he was going to be a father which he didn't know before getting tattoos he would not of gotten any.
Am older now (40's), but for most of my life, up until the last 10-15 years, face and hand tatt's in australia were known as 'jobstoppers'. Its a bit different now, but was totally true for a long time. I would say good luck with your work, but I feel that you wont need much luck :)
What kind of schooling did you have to get to become a laser tech?
as someone who has a pretty extreme amount of self harm scars all over my body, i think i'm past the point of regret when it comes to permanent decisions about my body lol. i don't like my scars, but i don't waste my energy on regret because there's nothing i can do to change what i did. some of my tattoos could've definitely been better executed or placed, but i accept my decisions. im just happy to be alive tbh!
I started getting tattooed the day I turned 18. I’m 27 now and I have 11 tattoos. My perspective as someone with stage IV cancer is that I would be happy to live long enough to regret any of them. 💫
Perspective is everything. I hope you make a full recovery 🙏🏼✨✨✨
I love you my friend. The only advice I can give, living with a chronic illness that is probably going to kell me, is to know when to fight and know when to rest. I love you. And I'm so sorry for you. And I hope for your relief
wouldn't it be ironic if you got cancer from the tattoo ink?
Sorry to hear something so awful is happening to you
@@jimbeam-ru1mywhat a stupidly insensitive comment to make 😮😢
As someone who waited until I was 34 to get my first tattoo, I can say with full confidence… I’m glad I waited. I always wanted to be tattooed, but the art I was interested in during my teens and 20s has evolved with me as a human. I feel more settled into my identity now, and use my body of an expression of my spirituality and identity. I plan to get more soon too
Same. I remember when I was 20 I really wanted to get a tramp stamp. This was in the early 2000s when this was still a thing. Navel piercing and tramp stamps were definitely the thing especially with jeans being very low cut. I got the navel piercing(which I took out about a year later because it never did heal well) but decided to wait on the tattoo and I’m so glad I did. Never did get that tattoo and don’t regret not getting it.
Same, I was 30+ and I keep getting more and bigger ones. Nothing impulsive. I have the money to actually pay artists and have personal designs. When I look in the mirror it feels very complete, regardless of the clothing 'aesthetic' at that moment. I work at an office, no problems there(won't get them in my face or hands).
Same started at 28 am now 31. I love my tattoos and have been slowly getting more. I have the funds to pay artists I truly love and so much confidence in my bodily autonomy to know I’m making a decision that’s best for me.
I'm glad I'm 25 and I still hadn't got my first tattoo. I had plenty of horrible ideas before.
this!! if i'd started getting tatted at 18 like i initially planned...i'm sure i'd have regrets cause my taste is so, so evolved//different (thank god) from what it was at 18.
you're so right.
I can understand regretting getting heavily tattooed at a young age. I'm very slowly getting tattooed, but taking my time and really considering each tattoo individually, rather than thinking about filling up space, I think has helped. I'm not as tattooed as I want to be, but I also don't feel a hurry to get there. I have my whole life. I feel like being tattooed is sometimes seen as more important than the tattoos themselves. (For context I started I started getting tattooed at 18 and I'm 45 now)
This is how I'm approaching it too! I got 6 or 7 tattoos between 19 and 24, and then stopped for six years (partially the pandemic, but mostly because I moved to a VHCOL area and it was harder to budget for the nice work I wanted). Turning 31 next month, and I got like 7 more tattoos last year hahah. I love all of them. I'm glad I have space to collect over time as my life and tastes change, rather than having gone in for a full sleeve or something at 22
I'm in my late 50s now and began in my early 30s. I'm getting a new tattoo about every 2 years. And although my older tattoos are not exactly all the most fancy ones I still love them and love being tattoed. Maybe it is not the best idea to begin so young.
That's my approach too. I'm 34 now and have gotten seven tattoos in the last four years, so I've been going slowly but surely. They're all on my leg, so they're easily coverable. I'm grateful I didn't start in my twenties when I didn't have the money, relative stability and self-knowledge that I have today. Still, it's gonna take a while for me to decide to get tattooed in a more visible space because it's such a huge step for me. I'm only going to get tattoos on my arms when I'm one hundred percent sure that that's what I want.
@@marielamoyenne I began at the upper arm :D And worked my way around my arms now and migrating to the left shoulder. Now I am so secure in myself and my tats that I am willing to go really visible and I walk around with sleeves shirts all the time :D But I don't worry about job prospects or anything nowadays. And I really like my tats.
I feel like this is a good perspective
I think one factor that leads to tattoo regret is people making tattoo "their identity". When you believe a particular thing (tattoos, piercings, relationships, aspects of your life etc.) defines you, you start to invest beyond reason and get instinctively defensive against any criticisms or advices until either you grow old and have a different onlook of your life, or reality hits you hard and force you to rethink about your choice.
I don't have any tattoo, but when I was young I identified myself as a "craft person"...now I have a room full of different craft and DIY supplies that I wish I didn't spend a good fortune on, and I could never squeeze enough time to go through even half of them. The regret is very real.
There is a make up called Thin Lizzy which can cover up tattoos. I don’t feel much for those with tattoos, the body marking is forever. It just doesn’t seem to have occurred to them that they might not like them in 5,10,20,30 years. Too much living in the Now without thinking about your future self.
Almost got tattooed when I was a young man, at 63 years old I am so thankful I did not, most of my friends admit they regret their tattoos
Great Lakes Naval school 1976. 7 of us went to Geneva on the Lake for the day. 6 came back with tattoos. I did not. Never have regretted that decision. Never.
It does make me feel sad that some people, like Morgan Joyce, seem to have gotten heavily tattooed when they were younger because of external validation and now feel very insecure when that external validation is no longer there. This video did make me stop and reflect if I´m getting tattooed for ME or for other people, and the answer is definitely not the latter.
yeah it’s always sad when someone changes themselves to fix in
I agree. I remember watching Snitchery's video and thinking the same thing. Made me ask myself the same question. I've always had a rule for myself - I must consider any big, permanent change to my body/appearance for at least 6 months. I currently have 4 tattoos and none of them are easily visible. I know I did those for myself. But I'm honestly afraid of getting visible tattoos (for similar reasons that were mentioned in the videos), and always admired people who actually got them.
That's it! If you got the tattoos for you and not to get outside validation, you're less likely to regret them.
this was my thought I love tattoos because they're beautiful and a form of art if you're doing it for any other reason then you probably shouldn't be getting them.
I think Morgan said she got heavily tattooed due to physical insecurities which is super common when you’re young. Now as a confident adult, she regrets how she went about it.
Not one single time in my life have I ever regretted NOT having a tattoo!
I couldn't agree more.
THIS IS WHY ADULTS ARE AGAINST THE TRANS IDEOLOGY FOR KIDS. ADULTS CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT BUT KIDS DON’T UNDERSTAND!!! ITS A FAD!!!!!
Never had the desire to get them, why cover/marr the beautiful skin you were born with?
They’re definitely not for everyone and I do think it’s better to wait till you’re past your early twenties to make big permanent decisions. But honestly, I kinda regret not getting more tattoos when I was younger because as one gets older it hurts a lot more and I wish I had more large scale work.
@@sunnymountainhoneyfountain Wait till you get a lot older and see how your stretched skin from aging will make those that you have now look really ugly. I have seen a couple of people and it wasn’t about the ink, just the tattoo itself.
I’m a heavily tattooed person, started at 15 and 28 now. I personally don’t let my tattoos affect me or how I dress at all, one day I’ll dress nerdy and the next I’ll dress in my death metal shirts, maybe it’s different for men but I will not let my tattoos define my “style”
THISSS I AGREE W YOU SO MUCH
I agree! I LOVE the look of tattoos with everything including super feminine girly outfits. They’re like an extra accessory in every outfit
Yes!!!! I dress how I want, the artwork on my body does not affect that. Most of my ink is bold traditional work. My tattoos are my story and show the phases I went thru. I have lyrics on my leg for a song that helped me a lot when I was 19 and got it. The lyrics talk about God and now I'm an atheist. I don't regret it, it was and will be a part of me. I loooooove the sick artwork on me, most of my stuff now is flash of cool shit lol
lol, your brain is still developing. Wait a few years and get back to me
Tattoos is laaame!
My rules are always: I have to be able to wear a suit showing absolutely no tattoos, and I get tattoos only for myself. Chances of regret when you set personal boundaries are close to zero.
I agree. Most people don't see my tattoos, but I have some large ones. 😉😊
Same here. I am able to cover it with clothes easily
This comment made me feel so much less anxious about the fact I experience a bit regret on my tattoos, but I believe I was only feeling that because so many others were. I think it’s safe for me to say I am happy with my tattoos, I just don’t like showing them off that much. Thanks for this comment!
I’ve wanted tattoos since I was 13 and now I’m almost 25 and still have none! And I’m really glad I didn’t. I have piles and piles of Pinterest boards with tattoo styles I’ve liked over the past 10 years & so I get to see my style evolve over time without permanent modification. No regrets!! I do think I’ll get one for my 25th birthday ☺️
My tattoos are coverable by clothes. Getting face, neck, head and hands are no no.
At around 17 - 21, almost all of my friends started getting tattoos and i kinda felt left out. They looked so cool while i looked so nerdy almost without any. But i knew i would regret it so i didnt and im so glad 😄 its not for everyone. Don't let social media or friends or someone else pressure you into doing life altering stuff
Sb common sense
ZZZZZZZZZZZ
If you're in a circle of losers, you will do what they do but they have never been cool
@@ubeuonly you would know by experience! 🤡
@@sages101 sorry, nothing could be further from the truth, for myself or for my children but if you swim in Shallow pools....
I have been getting tattooed since I was underage. I am fairly heavily tattooed and currently 49yrs.old. All my tattoos were done below the age of 30. I regret almost all of them at this point in my life. I wouldn't get them again if I could go back in time.
Thank God you didn’t change your sex!
what does this have to do with tattoos- get a life@@nancynelson5411
@@nancynelson5411 huh 💀💀
Tell the world
so therefore it is regret. @@gec_gay_emo_cousin
I’ve been getting tattoos since I was 18 and am 41. I also have been professionally tattooing for 16yrs. I don’t regret my tattoos but I do regret not planning them out. But the beauty of it is they all mark a different point in my life. Some were for fun, some to heal from some emotional pain. I still hate sitting on the receiving end of the needle.
Have known two young guys that wanted face tatts. Tried to talk them out of it. Both of them went through with it and pretty much instantly regretted it. Though warned, they were surprised that people treated them differently or made assumptions about them. It's affected their lives in ways they never thought about.
I read about a hundred comments on this video... this one hits the bullseye for me. 100 thumbs up!
Back when I worked in call centers, quite a few had that same experience. While as far as phone agents went, no one cared what tatts or piercings one had, but if you wanted to advance up to management or higher, you had to be able to cover things with a long sleeved dress shirt because we did have international accounts where some of the cultures don't look favorably on tattoos or certain piercings and we had to present a specific image.
Me and other boomers in the 90s to 2010 to millenials: "you're going to regret those tattoos. Wait until you are older before getting one". Millenials: " what do you know grandad. It's my body" and unspoken "the Internet told me to be like everyone else". That is why older people should be listened to. Life experience. I've no real sympathy for them.
@@michaelcaffery5038it's part of the neo pagan esthetic, starting in the early 80s, with piercings and green hair
Tats didn't come until the early 2000s
What I'd love, is gor women to start wearing
skirts🌷dresses..again
Not too short or long
I was watching this video because it was suggested to me and imagine my surprise to find I AM IN IT?!?! I really appreciate your measured take on my video, considering that so many people seemed to have taken me sharing my *own* story very personally. I was VERY much a different person in my teens through my 20s and even into my early 30s; I have worked a lot on my mental health including getting an autism diagnosis in those years. In that process, I realized I did have deeper reasons for getting tattoos than just "I like art and how this looks on my body", and the reasons weren't terribly positive. I was also the only heavily tattooed person in my friend group and that was fine, but I could not have imagined at the time the direction my life would have taken. Professionally it now feels like my tattoos walk into the room and start shouting before I can say a word. I was on tattoo magazine covers, I spent thousands of dollars and cumulative days getting tattooed with the custom art I chose. However, the person I am now is not the person who tattooed most of my body, and up until more recent years I would have insisted I would *never* regret my tattoos, but here I am, and I do.
My video is just my story. At no point did I tell anyone they should regret their tattoos, that’s an inference. I didn’t get my tattoos for trends, that’s an assumption. I went to Fakir Musafar’s piercing intensive in San Francisco in 2006 and learned how to pierce. I have had over 20 piercings in my face alone so I’m not sure what your point is about piercings, I did that prior to being heavily tattooed. I lived in California for years too, but hardly ever saw anyone as tattooed as I was even living in downtown Los Angeles because I worked in marketing and as an “influencer” & commercial model. People just have different experiences, and I shared mine.
@Spaceboy Digital someone sharing their own experience is not telling others to do or not to do. Everyone has their experiences and if you’ve come across many ( over 30’s) that don’t regret it then whoopie doo to you! It’s not the overall consensus of the whole population of tattooed people.
Folk are allowed to share their experience but if you don’t like it then it’s obviously triggered you.
Emotional damage!😲😂
Most people do regret their tattoos in due time... we constantly change throughout life along with our taste/style, however, not many will own up to it, I respect your ability to publicly admit your regrets. Anyone who understands basic psychology knows why most people get tattooed, it reveals a lot about a person.
I hear you, sista, and i'm with you!!! Love from far away xxoo
I think a lot of the problem people have came from you saying “I’m an adult and I have real problems now”, like that may be your experience but it’s very invalidating to suggest younger heavily tattooed people don’t have real problems.
My grandfather was in the military and fought in wars overseas. He got extreme tattoos for the time, hands neck and both arms. He always wore full length pants and I never saw him with his shirt off so he probably had more. He always used his tattoos to caution his grandchildren not to get tattoos. He said “I didn’t think I’d be going home.”
That's heavy.
He's right, all my tattoos I got in the military. I didn't think I would see 25.
I'm 57 years old now, I'm embarrassed by some of them. I'm not that man anymore.
I feep bad for him, because it was at a time of his life he didn't think there would be a future.
Oh my grandpa said the same. He has some self-made (😮) tats on his hands and arm. Basically his name in kyrillic letters and some symbols.
He always told us how we shouldn't do something stupid like that bc he constantly gets approached and asked what the meaning of them is
🤔🤷🏼♀️
@@tuschi8039 I love my “Gramps”he was wise and loved us grandkids. He may have had extreme tattoos but he was so sweet and kind. I’ll hug him again in heaven!
I honestly didn't regret my tattoos until I watched this video and saw the comments of people low-key shaming tattoos. To be clear, it's not the creator that makes me feel that way, but seeing other people be ashamed makes me feel like I should be ashamed too. One thing that's important to remember is that trends come and go. Tattoos aren't in right now, but I guarantee they will be again.
I’m shocked by these comments but I still have never regretted my tattoos a day in my life. These people are idiots ignore them
Fvck'em. For real. Don't let other peoples insecurities slip into your mind.
@@Dis-Connecdeadtell me again who is insecure again?
@@chris2790 Why should i be insecure ? About what ? Because i like tattoos ? Dude, it's something you like to wear to add something to yourself. Do you wear trash bags or clothes you like ? I think clothes you like, right ? See, it's that simple. No need to attack tattoed people under videos about tattoos. You know judging other people about their looks is a sign of being insecure, right ? Now gtfo.
I have zero tatts. I don’t want any, but tatts are always in. They will always be a form of self expression. Don’t get ashamed based off of other people’s decisions in their lives. Tatts are not things that are inherently evil or done with the intention to hurt others. These people are separate from you. Don’t let their opinions of themselves influence your opinion of you. I have a big nose and started to hate it when everyone else got a rhinoplasty. Then I realized, wait, I actually love mine. *do not* let others get to your head.
Even older adults can regret tattoos. My husband got his first tattoo in middle age after a traumatic event caused a mild traumatic brain injury and ptsd. He put a lot of thought into what he wanted and had a very talented artist, but now that the trauma has been processed and he is in a different headspace, he wishes he had gone in a different direction.
Is it possible that getting that tattoo when he did helped him get through the trauma he was dealing with to get him to where he is now? (Not being a smart ass, genuinely interested)
@@dontahtme coming from a person to regrets her tats rn,
YES. the tattoo gives immediate dopamine rushes like how vaping is addicting.
The self awareness brings you to ground yourself, and in turn, a dopamine rush
but I too am at different mindsets from when I got mine done
& now I see them to be more traumatic than empowering.
Big regret on my end
@@tracyvo3 did you get your tattoos to help you get through something and now see it as a reminder of whatever er you were dealing with at the time?
it's rare, but in a way... yes.
my mom told me that every time
i got a tat,
she feels as though i was cutting into her own skin.
i laughed and never listened.
it wasn't until i was older that i understood.
not only is it just simply a reminder of the hard times, but it's a reminder that i used a socially acceptable way to cutting to help me heal something that was going to heal on its own.
all of my tats are on a spectrum of regret.
one is more embarrassing than the other, but i wish i never not a single one to begin with.
@@tracyvo3 is it fair to say that for you it isn't a reminder of where you've been and how you've overcome whatever you went through? When you say they're embarrassing is that because you just wouldn't want to explain what they mean to you or are they (no offence) dumb or shitty tattoos?
I have no tattoos and I'm happy about it. So many of my friends asked me why I wouldn't get a tattoo. I told them I couldn't imagine anything I would want on my body forever.
@@linas1319Same here!
Same here. I have never been a everybody else is doing it kind of person. I just don't like them...period.
Same here but I have one hideous tattoe that was done with a prison tattoe gun and i dont regret it. I look back at that time in my life so fondly and remember how alive I felt at 22 precovid and internet addiction/isolation/chronic illness.
@@steph678 I hope you get to feel better. I made it through because of God and the kids and because hubby and I were a team of rebels at heart : we ALWAYS found a way to keep ourselves and the kids happy no matter what: gardening, changing the garage into a home gym, AirBnb's, museums, hiking... I visited my mom and sister who both stayed home. There was NO WAY IN HELL I would not see my family and support system and fall into depression. I pray you do feel better.
And, yes, don't we miss 2019! I understand why you are fond of this tatoo although it may be aesthetically unpleasing.
I've designed many tattoos for people, but I never want one for myself because I know I'll change my mind. If I can't stay with one wallpaper on my computer screen for one week, how can I pick a piece of art on my body until I die?
This video confirms my current tattoo philosophy, that is only getting maybe one tattoo a year and slowly filling my body, letting ideas develop over several years and not making any crazy rash decisions. So far I dont have any big regrets.
That's really the smartest way to do it especially if you are really young. That way even if you choose something along the way that you don't love you aren't fully covered in it and can laser it off or cover it.
That's so true, people who tattoo their whole body in a few days..... good luck
I think what I have noticed is that some people think for ages about that first tattoo. It has a story and a meaning…then 5 years later they have a dozen tattoos with less and less thought behind each of them.
That and people that have tattoos that they got that didn’t turn out great because they tried to get one artist to do different styles with varying results.
Think about every tattoo like you thought about your first. Don’t cheapen the real estate just because you have other tattoos. Pick an artist for each tattoo. Maybe it’ll be the same one if you want one aesthetic, maybe it’ll be the same one maybe it’ll be a collection of different ones.
Oh and don’t get tattoo while on vacation.
I was jealous of the people I knew who got full sleeves and chest piece and back piece by 20. I was too broke for all that jazz 😂. Now I’m in my mid 30’s and got my ink slowly (in places I could hide to start, slowly got sleeves and leg coverage). I regret none of it, my only regret is not knowing even better artists existed and settling for mid tattoos before the last 5 years. Everyone I knew with full coverage ink early in life is either blacked out (from regretting their ink) or going thru painful laser removal.
That's a great plan! I personally don't want to get several close together because I love the process. The planning what you want & where, finding an artist and so on. It's so fun, why speedrun it?!
So courageous of all these people to come forward and be vulnerable about such a hard realization about your own body 💫
For me, knowing full well I might regret my tattoos has weirdly helped me a LOT with accepting my body/being more accepting of regret and mistakes in general. I went pretty balls to the wall when I started getting tattooed; I have pretty massive matching thigh pieces, a turkey vulture named Frederick roosting on my entire calf, and two fairly large arm tattoos. I do definitely plan on getting more, all of my tattoos are greyscale nature/fantasy themed and very easy to blend together. I woke up in a cold sweat a few days after having my thighs tattooed thinking "oh my god, I've ruined my life, what have I done" and i had to just tell myself that I need to move one, it's a done deal. About a year and a half later, I barely notice they're there, and they're a pleasant little surprise when I do remember them. Knowing that these are on my body forever, and one day I could hate them, has forced me to reckon with the fact that even if I make mistakes it truly isn't the end of the world. I think that's a valuable mindset shift!
Thank you for writing this! I feel the same way and I agree- it is a valuable mindset. 😊
Wow I love this!
This is so well said. I love it
I think that the fact that I have only few tattoos and the emotional connexion I have with them I’m not to afraid. But I wouldn’t be too impulsive on a project that will last for ever
I think the same way about mine. I have a leg tattoo that probably won't ever be finished just based on the fact that it really hurt to do lol. It's still a lovely piece and I wouldn't get it covered or removed.
I think there's such a stigma around regretting your tattoos because nobody wants to be wrong. Not only that, but a lot of people hate the idea of someone else being right and having "lost" to them. I think in general we need to work on being true to ourselves and others, and being able to admit when we are wrong about something. I think when we don't allow ourselves to ever admit we can be wrong, we create a lot more problems for ourselves and start doing things to prove our point to others when that really isn't what any of this should be about. Let yourself be right and be humble when you are right, but let yourself be wrong, too.
Misery loves company though
You're absolutely correct. Also, people underestimate the ability of others to see through their ego driven defenses.
Well said.
It's also easier to admit we're wrong when those who were right aren't smug about it when that time comes. 😅
@@NNic. Oh a thouuusand percent! lol it's usually surprising though how quick the smugness goes away when you face someone and say, "hey, you were right ¯\_(ツ)_/¯" doesn't mean we have to apologize to them, just means we're not down with any pettiness over the situation
The lady who described tattoos as a shirt you put on in the 20s and was never able to take off again is spot on about how I feel about tattoos and why I would never get one that was so conspicuous. I guess when you are in your twenties you are too young to realise how easy is is to tire of fashion trends because you simply haven't lived long enough to know how boring some trends look after a few years. Sad but true, and it has nothing to do with Tik Tok. Fashion has always changed and in the old days before social media existed, it was magazines that dicated what most people wore.
Agree, the shirt is a good image ! everybody can relate to this. I could have been tattooed when I was younger, but I didn't do it, (too lazy) and now with this tsunami of tattoos everywhere I am glad I didn't do it ! Life is short, but with a tattoo you can see every day it would feel very long ... Maybe it is better to avoid body parts that you can see all day long like hands, face, neck ?
Facts. My 9yo neice cannot understand that fashion trends come & go, yet won’t wear a shirt anymore cuz it’s so 2023!!😂😂
I wasn’t too you. People aren’t grown up in their 20s now. That’s the problem.
No she f-cking isn`t, i don't wear shirts , Your only looking at it from whiners positions,
having a few whining whingers on about their personal mistake , NO BODY ASKED THEM TO GET TATTOO`s.
If i die before my folks and sibbling`s My back tattoo is to be skinned and put in a frame or as wrap for a lamp , then the rest of my body goes to brain research.
I have tattoo's and a loads of them, but my tattoos are from video games (mainly Zelda) and that because I knew that when I'm 30 (which is the age I'm now) I would love them and I do because I'm a huge gamer and the tattoos I have reflects that
"you will sit in the bathroom crying when you’re 45, regretting covering your body with doodles you liked 20 years ago" 😂
I got my tattoos when I was 19. By the time I was 30, I regretted it. It was not me anymore. As you mature, your preferences change. I was much different at 30 than I was at 19. What I enjoyed in my early 20s was far different from what I enjoyed in my 30s. Thankfully, I was able to remove my tattoos because they were only letters and all in black. However, it was 20 times the cost, and 10 times the pain getting them removed.
I am 47 now and vastly different than I was in my 30s. We all change and develop throughout are years. I am absolutely glad that I was able to remove my tattoos.
My suggestion is that I don't get them.
My issue with the poll you created is what is the age of the 70% that do not regret their tattoos.
I am sure that by the time you are 50, what was cool when you were younger is going to be your greatest regret when you are older.
In fact, just take a look at how you use to dress in your younger photos. What was stylish back then, looks ridiculous today. Now image if that was inked all over your skin.
It's not worth it. Think about it, then think again!
Just my two cents from an ex-tattooer!
Thanks for this video. We need more honest reflections such as this.
You need to personally interview an ex-tattooer like me😂
You're talking about people going along with a trend. If you're a little older and settled into your aesthetic/personality, and you take time to think before getting a tattoo, I think you'll be fine.
@@billmartins5545 More mature people tend to pick out better tattoos than younger people. I worked with a guy who couldn't wait to be 18 so he could get a tattoo. Any tattoo. He had nothing specific in mind. He got one of those puzzle pieces for Autism that cost $5 USD, just to get a tattoo.
Very interesting. I got my first at 45, most recent at 59... no regrets (and I spelled it correctly)
@@31michelle64yeah, so you literally did it later in life, not when your brain is still developing. You spent decades pondering tattoos before getting them.
That's not the case for most people. If everyone spent years pondering every tattoo then we wouldn't see these regrets.
Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is take your time with any major decision, tattoo or not.
I'm 56 and do not regret my one tattoo. I got it in my thirties. It's more foundational to my identity than likes / dislikes that could change with age. That's hard to explain without getting way too personal.
To be honest, I don't believe that tattoo regret has anything to do with being at the wrong age. I believe that we change over time, just like societal biases do. If you get a tattoo in your late 20s, you will likely be a different person by the time you reach your late 30s. You may discover new things to relate to, have a different personality, and be influenced by changing social biases, leading you to regret your tattoos. The path to truly know oneself never ends, and there is no age at which you suddenly arrive at self-awareness 💫
I was going to write something similar, but you put it much better than what I could've said. If you want to live free of regrets, delay your tattoo session until your dying day :)
100%. For this reason, I’ve had a rule since I got my first tattoo at 18 that I only get one tattoo per calendar year. I STILL have gotten a cover up and have a couple tattoos I’ve grown out of, and have gone more than one year between tattoos sometimes. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever stuck to.
Sure, I’ll never be a completely tattooed 20-something-year-old but I don’t have any tattoos I regret.
I have two tattoos from when I was 18, thankfully I stopped there (only due to $$$ lol). I would have gotten so many stupid tattoos. Now aim in my late 20s and I think I’ve settled on getting a suit jacket of Japanese style traditional tattoos (Irezumi) and cover up the two tattoos I have.
i mean younger people definitely care more about fitting in though. which is something you stop caring about so much as you grow up. so while YOU are constantly changing and evolving, your sense of self and internal locus of control/ sense of internal validation is something that most people only reach through aging, many through therapy, and some never.
Yes! It's okay to change your mind!
as a pretty heavily tattooed person, I have tattoos I got when I was in my early 20’s that no longer represent my interests or who I am now at 34. But I don’t regret any of them. All of my old tattoos remind of certain times in my life or memories around who I was or certain life events I was experiencing when I got it. It’s almost nostalgic for me in a way.
i'm currently 20 years old with two tattoos and this is the exact mindset i hope that i'll continue to have in my thirties. i look at my tattoos like timestamps of who i am and later will look at them as who i was.
"All of my old tattoos remind of certain times in my life or memories
around who I was or certain life events I was experiencing when I got
it. "
You know they have a technology called "photographs" that accomplish that much better than self harm, right?
Exactly this. I've got tattoos that I would not choose now, but they represent young me and she was so happy with them and I remember that and I would never deny that part of my life by getting them removed.
I relate to that.. I got my first tattoo at 23 and my last at 47 (i'm 49 now.. I got tattooed 7 times for 5 tattoos) they all represent a part of my journey in this planet and i'm not done yet with tattoos.. Just takin my time..
I’m going from being a cook to now going to law school. I don’t regret them, but I have to get these job stoppers removed. Even I wouldn’t hire a lawyer with visible tattoos 😂
I have warning people of this for years!!! People will argue all day that they will never regret them but that's the thing about being young, you don't have the life experience to know that you will change ( you should change and grow throughout your life) and when you change, your style changes as well but you cannot convince someone young to think about the future in that way
Well said. It’s only going to get worse with regrets as they age even more.
As they say:
"Youth is wasted on the young"
They have their whole life ahead of them; a million paths to choose. However, they haven't yet earned the wisdom that comes with age, and they can't understand just how long some of those paths can be.
Also, people who say "I got tattooed when I was 21, now I'm 34 and don't regret it".
No no no. Wait until you're 45. 13 years is still a short period of time
People make mistakes but you must accept it and move on. If you'd regret something at 30 years old will you pity yourself untill 80?
I have regrets from 20 years ago unrelated to tattoos but I deal with the consequences till this day. Having regrets doesn't stop you from changing and growing. Having regrets are part of the life experience. You learn from it too. I never said that I will not regret my tattoos. I told myself before I got tattoos: If I regret it will be my own fault. Don't pity yourself but take responsibilty for your actions.
I started getting tattoos at 18 and now am 46 and have over 50 pieces. I've never regretted any of them cuz I planned each one for a really long time. I started planning my tattoos when I was 15, though. Good share. Thank you.
Same. In my 50s, don't regret a single one. In fact, still adding!
I have few "regrets" and more so just the style in certain ones rather than what it is, however I have plans to "revamp" those ones
My son was a teenager in the late 90’s. We talked about the tattoo popularity. He’d spent a lot of time around WWII vets who were tattooed in the service. Now they were in their 70’s. The tattoos looked pretty raunchy and that turned him totally off. I realize inks are better now, but skin is skin and still sags and changes with age, weight changes, etc. I wonder what these young people now will think how their tattoos, which look so sharp and beautiful now, will look 50 years from now.
ua-cam.com/video/i3i08N0n-_8/v-deo.htmlsi=s-_aEVuC3lQXr4Lt
That's why the body fight the ink
Mine are 30 years old and they look blurred and just awful. I love the Parrot on my right calf muscle but I've had to get it redone twice since. I finally just gave up. I'm 60 and have 8 tattoos, worst ones being on the back of my hands. Huge regret there.
Well said, I believe it's necessary for people to see for themselves how tattoos behave over time, it needs more than just being told
Especially tattoos on the front of your neck.🤮
They look stupid now. They'll look old and stupid when they're old.
I've been getting tatted for almost 20 years and I love all my concepts. Each one to me is a reminder, a philosophy, a lesson. To regret my tattoos would be to regret myself. Going into each session was somewhat a spiritual journey to me. The problem with most of the people in this video is they chose trends and fashion or obession/addiction with an art that is permanent, tats are not the place for this.
I love this perspective
Yes thinking back I love animals I have a black unicorn, cats and horses will I ever stop loving those things?🤍 Nope never...
yess this is it! my tattoo i might "regret" is lyrics to a really important song to me. while the lettering is godawful and uneven and hiddeous, i really dont mind it. ive been thinking about having a professional go over it and clean up the lines, not completely cover it, just trace it or something. i like the memory and the meaning, i just dont want it to look like sharpie anymore lmaoo
I got my first tattoo at the age of 42. I'm now nearly 61. I love being tattooed. What I wish I'd known is that I would love it so much and had planned for a cohesive theme and been tattooed in such a way that it could be built on in a way that makes sense and joins them together. I thought when I got my first one in my tramp stamp area that it would be the only one. My little secret. But it became a way to express myself and mark meaningful people and experiences in my life. I AM glad that I was old enough and financially stable enough to research artists and pay for really good ones, so I'm not full of crappy tattoos. And also had the patience to wait 4-6 months for an appointment with the people I wanted. However, as it stands, I do have a lot of random tattoos that aren't connected, just kind of placed where I have open real estate and that's what I wish I had done better with.
@@Melly01 yea, that's where most of my "regret" is. I couldn't have said it any better. I switched styles and got a lot of less expensive tats back in the day, so I'm currently having my new artist add his touch to my older pieces to make everything more cohesive. Still loving the journey
When i was in my teens and early 20s i was in a street gang and my homie that did everyones tattoos for the click and homies at school refused to give me gang or any tattoos at all. He said he messed up his life and will forever be looked at as a gangbanger and a target and when i asked about him tattooing the other homies he just laughed and said they are stupid and will never change and i respect and do appreciate the advice and kept it.
My two cents: I don’t have any tattoos. Strictly because I know my mind and taste will change as I grow.
I was born with a ton of freckles and now people are getting freckle tats, which is perplexing. It’s also crazy to me that kids/people will follow permanent trends that are temporary.
My rule: nothing permanent, nothing “trendy”.
Thanks for listening!
I appreciate your soft and clear voice.
My dad told me that your personality, mind set, way of thinking changes every 10 to 20 years and what you might think is cool today, 10 to 15 years from now you're going to be saying what the hell was thinking. I also have ZERO tattoos, this is just a moronic fad right now and boy oh boy are these tattoo freaks going to look stupid 20 years from now.
@@oveidasinclair982 your comment started off interesting but you seemed to get really angry at the end?
@@muscleandhate No anger, I'm just telling you how I see it. My older half sister looks like a walking billboard dedicated to stupidity, she is inked up on both arms, both legs, he back, her chest. The thing that ticks me off the most is that I'm related to this nit-wit.
What young people don't even realize is, tats fade and the black lines become a bluish colour after many years. My tattoos are 34 years old. I've gotten a couple recoloured, but I finally gave up since they're way too expensive to go over them now. I'm 60 now and when my dad's friends said I'd regret them when I got older, I just laughed and said "no way". If they were still alive, I'd tell them they were actually right. As I aged, they faded, and as my skin starts losing collagen, they're kinda changing shape and looking warped. They also take on a blurred look. Yes, I can honestly say now...I frickin totally regret ever getting them. 😣
I have a 73-year-old friend with tattoos that look like huge blotches now.
I have a tattoo on my shoulder that was a beautiful colorful peacock and now I tell people 40 years later it's a Vulture 😂😅
BUT...
I don't regret it! I love Vultures!💫
Edit for spelling
@@hollytomas8392 😂😁 Well, Vultures do clean up the messes that the predator animals leave behind, so they're keeping the earth tidy. 😄 👍
@@chronic2023 Thankfully mine haven't turned to blotches as of yet. I have a medical alert tattoo because I have heart disease. I got that on the inward side of my wrist in 2005. It still has its shape but the snake morphed into the pole and it's a blotch in the middle. The word "heart" is completely unreadable in the center, so I went to a different artist and he just wrote heart clearly in big cursive underneath the symbol. It looks tacky af, but I don't care at this point in my life since I decided to just put a DNR on my medical chart 2 years ago.
I saw a cadaver with old tattoos. The ink went to his liver. I don't think the ink fades, necessarily, it just spreads or goes elsewhere.
I have the word "PRINCESS" tattooed across my lower back. It was my second tattoo ever at 19. I've regretted for over a decade. I'm 37 now and am so thankful it is covered by my clothing and I do not see it on a daily basis.
Don't regret what you are! Be proud! I'm sure that a positive person in your life has referred to you as a princess!
@Daniel, please state your age,
I'm asking for two reasons,
If you think a 37 year old woman is going to be "proud" of PRINCESS?
That's Rich!
You sound like you're 12...
😂😂 hard to find a normal good man at that age with that tattoo. Most dude would accurately assume you're a h03 😂😂😂😂
Classic tramp stamp. Everyone had the lower back tatt in the early 2000s.
As long as you didn’t get the playboy bunny symbol tattooed on you, it’s all good.
Life’s real short, I’d rather look back and regret things I did vs things I never tried
-a very heavily tattooed person
I don't think anyone is going to be regretting that they never got a tattoo covering their face. If they do regret it, they can always go out and get that tattoo when they feel like it. A lot of people are going to regret that they rendered themselves unable to get a job though. As long as your tattoos can be hidden by your clothes, there isn't much of an issue even if you regret it later on. But parts of your body that can't be hidden by clothes... that's a terrible idea.
I disagree. I'd rather look back and not have regrets. I see what you're trying to say, you're going with that old saying "I'd rather try and fail then never try and regret it." That doesn't really apply to tattoos though.
It's not like asking out a girl that you always had a crush on and she says no, cuz you can just move on from that and get on with life. A tattoo is there every second of everyday for the rest of your life, you can't just move on from it.
@@simonphoenix3789 I don’t live in the same world you do I guess. I’ve had uncoverable tattoos for years, head, neck, hands, fingers, sleeved legs and arms. Never had a single problem getting any job
Life is short, better not wasting time regretting such a dumb decision like getting a tattoo. Live life, but is better to live it without a lot of regrets.
It's real short for people making bad decisions and acting upon them...
I agree with the lady that said its like a shirt that you can never take off. I would also imagine that the large sleeve tattoos would clash with certain fashions if you wanted to change up your image for a classier look or a softer look.
hey, just came across this. thank you for your kind analysis, acknowledgment & reiteration of my extremely vulnerable vid
So glad you decided to share your perspective ! Thanks for watching 🖤
I watch your video when I was starting gettin' tattooed (18 yo) and I also was in my "I don't think I'll be turning 30 ever, so fuck it", I was very very impulsive and unstable and your video really help me to slow down and think better, so I kind of made this deal with myself of not gettin' more than 2 large pieces per year and being really informed about aestethics, tecniques and all of that, so thank you, you really made me think twice before making a lifelong deal and for that I'll be forever geateful.
Aaaw! I was just said "I wish that I could tell her that I am praying for her".. and here you are. 🥰
God bless you for your honesty Morgan.
I know it has, and is going to help many people who were thinking of traveling down the same path that you did.
I pray that you are saved by the grace of God through the faith in the death burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in him is eternal life and in him is ineffable peace and joy.
God bless you! ❤️
I'm 68 and have no tattoos. I understand people getting them, I'm an artist, but I'm way too aware of changing tastes and differing feelings as one ages. Now I feel like I stand out a little as I have none and am so happy I have none.
I’m 63 and never wanted to get any. Wait until they see them when they get our age. Your skin changes and they aren’t going to be pretty.
Also 63 and totally agree with you both. Ladies we are original because we don't have them!!
Yes! We are virgins! Lol@@AmethystDew
@@AmethystDew Why is that original and more importantly, why does it matter? Everyone has a body, everyone is human and that can be viewed as if everyone is already original or the other way around. After all, the human genetic code is extremely similar around the world.
How many people go around and ask themselves philosofical questions about life, thinking that they are alone in having these thoughts, when the same concepts where contemplated 2000 years ago?
I dont know but maybe recognize our similarity is better that striving to outstand the crowd?
Happy friday ladies:)
I'm 57 really wanted one my whole life but didn't want to regret it later on! Glad I didn't get that bbq sandwich tattoo on my forearm : )
My beautiful daughter wanted to model for a huge chain store, her tattoos made her lose the job and... a ton of money. She regrets every one, not because of the job or jobs she didn't get, but because she doesn't even remember the person who wanted them. She's a mom and studying to be a teacher now, the 18yr old was a different person entirely. She has huge regret and no money for removals if no real job.. think before you leap!! Ps. I have a cute neck tattoo myself, not judging her, just so terribly sad for her 😢
Pressing X on the neck tattoo being "cute".
This resonates with me. I luckily managed to talk my daughter out of getting a tattoo when she was in her late teens. I'm amazed I was able to do that and it was a close run thing because she really wanted one. I'm so glad I did though, because if she'd got the tattoo she wouldn't have been able to get her dream job (police officer) in her mid 20s.
When my daughter was 15, she wanted a tattoo because her friends’ parents were signing their kids’ permission slips to get tattoos. I said no. She said, “You can’t stop me.” I said, “When you’re 18, you can do what you want. But that stuff lasts forever, and I’m never going to sign a permission slip.”
By the time she was 18, she had moved onto bigger and better things. She never even got her ears pierced (I discouraged it because as a kid, I got them and the lady made a mistake and one earring isn’t centered).
I told her she could get piercings later if she wanted, but she needed to go to a professional. But she didn’t. She wears jewelry and rings sometimes.
I’m glad she didn’t ruin her neck with tattoos the way her friends did theirs.
Definitely important to have a professional do ear piercing. My parents insisted on me going to an actual doctor rather than to the mall to have it done. I still had a lot of infections in one ear BUT it did eventually get better and in the end it was a quality result.
Parents tried to tell you, you change as you get older, your different at 25 versus 18 yrs
Good parent! Before 18 it's the parents choice, but something like that should always be the child's choice, but they can't really make decisions like that until they are older.
I fully agree with the tatoo matter but not on ear piercings. I got my first couple of earrings at 9 yo. My second couple at 12. At 16 i got a piercing at the cartilage part of the ear. Im 34 now and i love all my earrings. But im glad i didnt follow through on the urge to get an upper arm tatoo and a nose piercing.😂
@@etcwhatever I would have hated it if my parents got my ears pierced as a kid. I would not let my kids get tats or piercings until 18.
I’ve been expecting this tsunami of regret ever since I saw these tattoo businesses spring up like Burger joints in my city over the last 20 years. I have never understood how young people could decide to mark themselves permanently during such a transient period in their lives. They’ve barely even lived let alone matured into adulthood yet, and had life experiences worth documenting on their skin. Social media driven tattoo culture only catalysed the trend, sadly it’s a trend that bled into the lives of even young star struck school children over the past 1-2 decade to the point where some got tattoos as birthday presents under some social media influenced mania.
Yes I know a mother whose child has drug and alcohol dependency issues...and she PAYS for the child's tattoos, even though she's only 17 years old. Appalling lack of leadership and responsibility she just wants to be friends with the child and have the child always like her.
Time to get more tattoos 😂😂😂
But kids know everything! 🤪
@@deborahcurtis1385 SICK! Never should've had kids with that mentality!
Been happening longer than that.
Most of these people are now growing up and realising that what they thought was their "identity" was actually just an ephemeral teenage dream.
THIS fr
Childish decisions off of childish emotions lol
@@TheOfficialArthurMorgan I think mostly to shock their parents, unless they have those monstrosities. When skin shows its age, those tatoos are hideous.
lol how’s it a teenage dream if you’re in your 20s 30s 40s still listening to the kind of music you’ve always liked and vibing with the same artistic styles? Genuine question since you’re talking like you know millions of grown adults you’ve never even met 😅
@@marinazagrai1623lol just more karen energy. I think people driving huge gas guzzling suvs and living in McMansions they can’t afford look monstrous but you’re clearly the expert on what complete strangers you’ve never even met know what they like and don’t like 🥴😂
As a female I had my chest tattooed in my forties. I was very clear as to what l wanted. It symbolised my journey through life and my religious spiritual beliefs. I was fortunate to have an artist I bonded with on a mental and emotional level and strangely enough the artistic journey was cathartic for both of us. Twenty years later this art l carry is of great significance to me. Each morning when l see it l love it as much as l did on the day it was completed. It is as much a part of me as the blue of my eyes. Age did make a difference.
Im 40 now... All my friends and family members were getting tattooed like it was going out of style! I always hated following the trends, and doing what everyone else is doing. Im so glad i did not get any tattoos. I have no regrets!
I was the same but I flirted with idea a few times.
❤🌟👍
Funny how all these people actually believe they are unique and 'alternative' LOL
NO RAGRETS 😅
@@fingerprint5511Yes. They expressed their individuality by being just like everyone else.
For me its not just the aesthetic, but learning how toxic the ink is...heavy metals are NOT condisive to health, mental or physical. Wish more people would discuss this 😢
So true!
The main reason I won’t get a tattoo.
I didn’t know that! 😮
@@KittyCat22976 bet you didn’t know that silver fillings and vaccines are heavy metals too.
I did read about a woman who became very ill from the lead in the black ink. She is still trying to remove them.
Im 37, and I thank myself every day that I didn't get those tattoos I wanted in my 20s and early 30s.
I'm really glad I waited to get tattoos until I was 27. My first tattoo was one I had planned for months to celebrate being cancer free, as before that, I had been really afraid of needles, but with chemotherapy, I got so many needles poked into me over a period of six months that I stopped being afraid of them. I definitely feel like people who get tattoos impulsively will often regret them more than people who have carefully planned them out for a long time.
I work in health care. I see people’s bodies all day long. I can’t tell you how often patients tell me they regret getting tattoos.
This comment need to be everywhere
And more people dont regret. Just make not too much tatoos
I’ve worked in healthcare for 10 years. I’ve never had a patient tell me they regret tattoos. In fact, I rarely talk to patients about tattoos. I don’t care what’s on their skin and they don’t seem to care what’s on mine.
By bringing this to wider public attention, you are providing an important service to society. Thank you.
not 'to society' but to low class high school dropouts
Amen ❤
@@deathlarsen7502 You shouldn't talk about yourself that way. Be nice.
@@dragoncubes1074 try again, I don't have any tats, and I SERVED USMC. I don't need a tattoo to remind me of my experience, bc I have a brain and a very good memory because I don't do drugs unlike you tatted people. And I went to top 10 schools
Exposing stupid people? Maybe.
I started getting tattooed at 20 and am 37. I had another tattooed person tell me: you have a lot of canvas and more time than you think. It’s really helped me not feel pressured to cover myself quickly. I have been working with the same artist now for a few years and it’s such a cool relationship, we don’t hardcore plan but collaborate on beautiful pieces.
It makes me sad to see people regret their tattoos, even the ones they don’t feel like represent them now. I definitely can see how it happens though.
This is why the one girl in the video got backlash. It makes folks feel sad when another group member has changed their mind and doesn’t want to be part of the group.
Misery loves company
I agree! I really enjoy tattoos, and have many visible tattoos on my left arm. But I also love having a lot of open, non-tattooed skin - I think it’s beautiful. Not b/c I have more canvas but because I appreciate both. I’ve limited most of my tattoos to my left arm except for a small rib cage tattoo. I’m planning on filling my left arm, and am unsure whether i’ll go beyond that - to guard my open skin as I value both.
“Okay, Rude!” Loved it! Your tats are beautiful! Fun watch!💫
i personally am a hyper femme woman with a lot of heavy black “masc” tattoos and i love the juxtaposition between them and my aesthetic.
tattoos are barely becoming socially acceptable for women to have so it’s unsurprising that heavily tattooed women are perceived as masculine. even i get stares when i have all of them on show.
but for me personally i planned out my body meticulously and considered what would work with what i already have, so i’m not experiencing any regret. younger people (mainly millennials & gen z) are rushing to be covered just to hop on the trend of tattooing itself. i believe that’s why they are regretting them later in life. tattooing has become a trend in the same way plastic surgery is a trend right now. i really wish we could create a culture where people are encouraged to actually consider what they are doing before making these permanent decisions to their bodies.
💫 Something that QCKND would also talk about is not necessarily regretting tattoos but just being tired of being a tattooed person and the way the world around you treats you because of it, or the way that you get so much attention from others. It’s maybe a bit of a paradox bc tattoos are so great to express yourself physically but also it’s sometimes annoying when other people look at them haha.
I love QCKND !
I was: just wear a sweater (none of those girls have any facial tattoos, so covering them up socially would be easy enough).
I am Dutch, it's too cold & windy the largest part of the year to walk around without a coat, or indoors do without something long-sleeved and warm.
Even if you go clubbing: tight-fitting and stretchy will do the trick ;)
@muurrarium Living in South Texas don't have this option lol. Love the reactions tho when I meet people with my tattoos covered and then eventually show them. Definitely a difference but being confident removes some of the stigma
@@nono-fq1tl LOL, yes, that would be uncomfortable, your tattoos would melt about the same time you would keel over from overheating. :)
(My feet are really cold right now- tonight it will be around freezing-point, even though is really spring here. I am a bit jealous!)
I agree: tattoos do not define who your are, its how you behave, talk, walk, dress etc. that will eventually decide how people feel about you.
Though it does advertise something about your tastes ("yup...metalhead" / is not a bad thing, most metal-fans are wonderful people. But also "fasionslave" -> you got what was in vogue, but not really yours..., I may decide you are not worth my time, I prefer people who can think for themselves// and even then: so what, I do not rule the universe, you do you!)
I am glad tattoos got more mainstream, because on the whole (mho of course) they got far better looking (I like the newer styles better, and people are not getting them "of the wall/shelves" anymore as random stickers).
@muurrarium I wish I could share that weather. It's not hot by here standards but our spring weather still getting close 90° F still :/.
And yeah luckily other factors decide the final judgement other than tattoos. I was always raised that they belong to criminals so I just work hard and act polite per usual. Most people are coming around and see them as more another side of me. However it crazy that I've had people flip and assume I'm a drug dealer with unwavering conviction. The times are changing so maybe we will come full circle. Like to think my tatts tell more about others than myself nowadays lol
the thing that needs to be understood is you don't have to to pick one aesthetic and stick with it, people are multidimensional. who cares if you have dark/gothic tattoos and want to wear pink all the time? i personally love it, it's fun mixing different styles. you literally can do whatever you want.
I think the advice to wait Is more for people under 21. I didn't get my first tattoo til 24 and I am honestly glad I didn't get tattooed as soon as I turned 18 because i doubt I would like them now.
100%. Your tattoos don't have to dictate your style of clothes or hair or decor or anything like that. It sucks some people feel stuck in an aesthetic those chose in their twenties when it doesn't have to be that way. It's honestly a little sad to me
i got the tattoo i wanted at 16 at 22. i’m happy i love it and i guess if the concept didn’t change in that time it was probs right for me
I started getting tattooed at 18 but somehow, in my stupid teen brain, I knew to keep them where they could be easily covered. I got shoulders/upper arms, back, ribs etc. A tee shirt & shorts covered everything. At 30, I'd gotten married, had a kid & decided to get a big piece on my forearm and it's great. I dunno if I "regret" my older ones, I definitely wouldn't get them today bit these days, if we're at the pool or something I'll be the former cool kid, tattooed mom. Otherwise I just don't think about them much.
I started getting tattooed at 16, and I don’t regret those because I see it as a badge of honor that I got it underage in a state where tattoos were illegal at the time. It makes for a good story. For a long time, I told people it was best to get quotes because you’d be less likely to regret those. But my two quote tattoos are the only ones I kind of regret now at age 40. One because it includes “I have the sad sads” because I assumed I’d be depressed my entire life, and fortunately, I was wrong. The other because it includes the word “beer” even though I stopped drinking 9 years ago and it’s a metaphor that has nothing to do with beer but it goes over people’s head. Both quotes are taken from Bukowski poems because I was obsessed with him in my 20’s.
till you get past 36. 37 or so. Then is a new game.
"75% of people have tattoo regret." I think that's going to trend much higher over the next few years. We are seeing the culture pendulum swing the other way now, with events such as the dignifAI social media tag, people getting away from social media, and men looking for partners with no tats. There are really no surprising reasons coming from the people that say they regret the tattoos they have. It was all predictable.
I'm only 19 and only have 3 tattoos so far, but since the first time I wanted to get a tattoo, I've understood that I might not like the tats that I get now in the future. Part of my philosophy on it all (which comes a lot from my religion and culture) is that every tattoo on my skin marks a place in my journey. Even if I don't like the design in 20 years, I want to still be able look at my tattoos from this time and reflect on the person I was when I got them. So, yeah, I might not love my tats in a decade or two, but that's okay by me. Whenever I look at them now, they bring me joy. Whenever I look at them in the future, I'll get to remember that joy and feel it again. In my book, as long as you take the time to think about the emotion the tattoo gives you now, and what emotions it can put you through in the future, get as many tattoos as you want
Only 3, only 19? Omg
Same! My tattoos are basically chapters. I’m in my 30s now and started when I was 18. Started small and all my work I got where I could cover it up. I’m lucky because a lot of my friends hate theirs now
I’m 57 and my tattoos tell a story. I have none and don’t regret it.
My father had several tattoos... he was in the Royal Navy, so it was more or less a 'cultural tradition' for him, I suppose. However, I remember once, as a child, I asked him if he had ever regretted his decision to get his tattoos... He actually told me, "Yes, I have..."
I've never had any tattoos and am quite happy with my decision, in spite of their current level of cultural popularity.
Navy and tattoos go together
Even some flappers in 1920s got tattoos of anchor on thighs. My dads cousin got an anchor in back of thighs
I had (deceased) an Irish Catholic relative who emigrated from Ireland to the US in the 1920s. When I knew her, she was in her 70s & 80s & had a 9 inch crucifix tattooed on her forearm since was 6, done in Ireland at the direction of her father because he meant for her to enter the Church. Well, that didn't happen. She became a wife & mother of 8. That tattoo must have been difficult to bear throughout her life. ( I resisted the impulse to use the expression "cross to bear" 😁)
@@hensonlaura Lol! If you hadn't already done so, I was going to say that, "We all have our cross to bear!" (Something my Mum often said, too!) 😉
That's the trouble with tatts... it's okay if you love them but if you make a wrong decision (or, as in your example, if you have a 'wrong decision' imposed upon you!) you may well be stuck with it for life. (Or at least that was the case back then, when there wasn't the kind of laser treatment for tatt removal that they apparently have nowadays... though it seems that even that has its limitations, too.)
And even if you love them when you get them, you could eventually come to hate them for any number of reasons. Nope... I'm glad I stayed a 'clean-skin'!
😁
I grew up in a port and saw so many older men with wrinkly tattoos to never ever want to go down that route.
I always go by the rule, "Wait a year, and if it's still a good idea, do it."
I've always wanted tattoos, but I've held out because I never had a good idea of what I wanted until about a year or so.
Pacing things out is always a good idea.
My mom has two tattoos that she really regrets. The first one because she got an ex's name and the other because she let her friend talk her into a different placement instead of where she originally wanted it.
So lesson #1: Fuck peer pressure/social media
I wanted a tattoo for 5 years and I am completely relieved I didn't get it. People can easily out-stupid a year.
Began getting tattooed on my 18th bday, spent half my life in the industry. i’ll be 41 in June and I am so comfortable in my own skin, and so in love with even the worst of my tattoos. I have a great career that doesn’t penalize me for having face, neck, and hand tattoos (I am no longer in the tattoo industry, I’m a social worker and in grad school)… people often get tattooed for the wrong reasons- insecurity, attention, and more attention… OF COURSE they aren’t happy
Seeing the old faded Navy tats on my 80 year old grandfather made me think long and hard before I got any of my tattoos. I still ended up getting 4 tats and can honestly say I still love each one of them now that I’m 50. I think too many people just don’t consider how you are going to change as a person by your tats will not.
Good Point! I didn’t start thinking about tattoos until my 20s. I recall asking many tattoo folks (mostly older men from the greatest generation because I’m old now too), but I only found one guy who really regretted his at that time. He had two beer names -one over each nipple. He’d had it done before shipping out to the Pacific theater of war when he was 18. He said “We all expected to die, so what difference did it make?” Now I have a number of tattoos, and I’m happy with them. I have two that were not done by real artists. You can tell, but they still have the meaning they had then. Tattoos as a trend is not a good idea. Color you hair, cut off your hair, change you make up and style of dress. Those are temporary. Surgeries and tattoos are pretty permanent. BUt of course, so is the internet and look at the stuff kids will post on there!
I did the same thing as you, thought really hard about what I wanted and so I only have one so far. I even went so far as to turn down a friend a couple of days before I was due to get a tattoo as a gift (that she happily just took over to get one of her planned tattoos done) because I really couldn't come up with anything I'd wanted long enough to be certain I wouldn't hate it later.
Basically you should really think long and hard before you get a tattoo. Heck, now there's temporary ones you can get that last for a while now which is probably the way to go in the future.
I looooved my grandfathers navy tattoos. He had anchors, birds. and lady’s that he would make dance around ❤
No tats here, never, ever.
I am who I am, I am happy with who I am.
I do not understand tats.
As children we all took an ink pen and drew on ourselves.
Me too, I did that. That was enough for me.
Never ever again.
Good for you, ken... I'm glad that was "Kenough" 😅
I love tribal tattoos on tribal people ie Mauri. They have the colouring and skin and the tattoo colour and design is beautiful.
Most other tattoos just look out of place
Agree.
Yep
I’m 53 and EVERY SINGLE friend of mine with tattoos regrets them
I'm older than you and don't regret mine.
And that's the main problem with tattoos. Nobody knows the future.
The best tip I can give: If you think, you really must have a tattoo, make sure it has a supportive meaning to you.
No name, no date, no portrait, no politics, no religion, no trend. Just something that supports yourself.
I'm 52, having got my first tattoo in 1989 and I still ASBSOLUTELY LOVE ALL of my tattoos... As in, NO REGRETS...(I'm heavily tattooed btw...)...Soooo, different strokes for different folks y'all, it's all okay.
I am 53 and I have a sleeve and do not regret one
@@karinliebtschokolade8157Just a simple little nice tattoo like a love sign, flower, etc. should be fine enough.
I'm 64, heavily tattooed and still want more.@@lizabethfeig1705
So glad I don't have any tattoos because I know I wouldn't be satisfied in some way - either the linework is off or I'd want it elsewhere, or just being too indecisive to pick. Plus I like the blank canvas of a tattoo free body for an easily convertible look
Makes me realize that a lot of people are deeply insecure in themselves and their decisions. I think we should push younger kids to be more confident in their choice making rather than telling them “you can’t get tattooed til…”
Kind of insane that people who care what others think are getting tattoos at all, like I thought that was the whole point of tattoos, you don't care what other people think, you're living your own life. So strange to consider getting older and caring more what people think. Not less.
@@Amused_Comfort_Inc exactly my thought. i'm heavily tattooed now and to look back and say i wish i never got any just because of what others think of me is just a bonkers wild thought to me. i got the tattoos knowing that people would treat me differently, and i still got them because i honestly don't care what anyone thinks of me haha. kind of wild that there are heavily tattooed people who care what others think!
@@Amused_Comfort_Inc Yeah it’s really odd, but it could be because they were following trends. It’s unfortunate, but tattoos and getting tattooed can fall into that. I’ve personally only gotten tattoos for myself so it’s a foreign concept to me.
This is how I approached it with my son that was interested in getting one. He had lots of tattooed friends but a lot of those tattoos were not great. I educated him and took him to a convention so he could see what’s out there, good and bad. Told him to really think about what he wants and to not cheap out on the art as well. He eventually has decided not to get any. Maybe he will when he’s older but that’s not his priority right now.
@@shea4615 That's a very good idea. And I think the right approach. Young people fall in love with an idea, because they see a specific presentation of it, but they need to see the full scope of it, kind of immerser yourself in the world and I think the result is they will be more thoughtful instead of impulsive.
It’s sad cause I’m almost done with my left arm for me I love my tattoos and haven’t regretted what I have but to hear that heavily covered people regret is sad cause I don’t think you should have to fit in with every trend
I totally agree!!
Just make sure you get what YOU want, not what's trendy... simple :)
I hope you will always love your sleeve (no reason why you wouldn't, right?) - the ones that are planned out always look so much better (and will not stream "has been" in a decade or so, because you picked it carefully, for you, instead of following someone else's idea)
These are influencers who make their money by making content and selling themselves as billboards. Most regular tattooed people don’t regret it as much as they do.
I don't necessarily think it's about trends. At some point, you'll outgrow being trendy- most people do- and that's when the regret comes in.
Also, trends play into tattoo styles and subjects. If you're getting a tattoo because it's hot right now, just remember that trends don't last, and wearing trends that have long gone out of style isn't going to keep you relevant.
@@PhoenixRisen63 Following trends never make or unmake you relevant. "Fashion" is just a way to make money from manipulating sheeple.
I think you are so right in the "must follow the aesthetic" mindset.
I am heavily tattooed and does not regret a single centimeter.
However, I waited until after I was 30 to get my first, and is uninterested in trends.
Same
Same, waited until I was 28 and had a career that allowed me to spend the kind of money I wanted in order to get the work I wanted. So many friends would penny pinch and bargain hunt for tattoos when we were younger, which even then I realized was a bad idea.
26 but same
I’ve learned that if you don’t want to regret a Tattoo, no matter what the age. Then get something that really means something to you (not the name of your significant other! Lol) and really do your homework when it comes to the artist. Spend the money for a reputable artist. You will always regret a badly done tattoo!
As far as trends go being Gen X we gave other generations tramp stamps and tribal tattoos as a warning to stay away from trends! Lol
@@TaraContianother advice - take your time. Live with thought about getting that tattoo on that place. I used temporary tattoos in place I wanted to make permanent just to understand if I like that place. It's normal to wait for years before actually making tattoo. Finally made my first tattoo in 23 with picture I wanted since 17, so yeah, waited 6 years before actually making it
Fix what's broken on the inside and leave your body alone. Words to live by.
That's easy to say but not easy to do. I get a disability payment from the government because a ton of doctors say that they can't fix me, and they've tried for 25 years now. Also, at least in the USA, getting a tattoo is much cheaper and easier than getting medical care.
You don’t have to be broken on the inside to get a tattoo. On the contrary, both of mine are incredibly meaningful to me and remind me of my healing journey and what I learned from it so I don’t forget.
@@KallieMae You do you, dude. I'd rather make a scrapbook or write a biography so I don't forget stuff, and keep the beautiful body that God gave me. My body is a temple, not a billboard.
@@GramGramGenX-ln5sc temples are full of art that remind us about how Jesus healed us, and so is my body.
Being a plus sized, brown, disabled individual, I can’t imagine a world where new styles/trends making me dislike my tattoos because I can’t/never have been able to see myself in those trends
Like, the I’m nowhere near the “target audience” for that so I feel like my love for my tattoos more so reflects the fact that I didn’t fit into those boxes anyways
I kept changing my mind so many times on which tattoos I would consider (I only wanted one on my right bicep), changed my mind so many times within 2 years that I knew I would at some point in the future regret the decision. Therefore, I have ZERO tattoos. I have ZERO regrets on not getting any tattoos. Nice to see videos like this as too many people I have met who have lots of tattoos act like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread and somehow I'm missing out. Thank you for making this video.
As a born-again Christian in my 20's I felt my body was a testament and temple to our Almighty and shouldn't be defiled. I knew of no one my age that would've ever considered getting tattoos back then. Amen!
I’m really not surprised by tattoo regret. I’m 43 and even at 18 I thought tattoos were a bad idea. It’s permanent, that’s why I never got one.
Ditto. I copped a lot of crap from people I was associated with when younger because I refused to get marked. Most have since been to prison, a few are dead and the others lead unhappy lives. I think the real problem is they get something at 20 they think will reflect them but they forget they grow and the image doesn't change.
We're about the same age, and I get it. It took me years to finally get my single tattoo. And luckily I've never regretted it. But the reason for that is that I got it to symbolize my connection with my grandfather, even though he was kind of pissed, because he regretted his own tattoo. - Still here over 20 years later, the whole thing makes me smile.
I did go into it realizing that I was in effect giving myself a tramp stamp for life, that for most of that time would be completely out of fashion. - So I was smart enough to just have it on a shoulder so it can easily be either shown or covered up.
Same here ,I'm 42 and not one tattoo
I'll be 40 this year and I don't regret any of my tattoos and I have quite a few just cuz you get them doesn't mean you will regret them especially if you put thought into them most people don't they just get a tattoo cuz it looks cool
45 here and I don't regret any of them. Made them over the last (almost) 30 years and I still love them all. (Though I'd retouch a couple as technique got better).
Do you know what else is permanent? Children.
And you do see plenty of single parents, yet no one is advocating against having them.
I love your sleeve so much. I know it’s not finished yet, but I love it in this unfinished state. So beautiful
No one in my immediate family has a single tattoo. No judgment, no pressure. We just realize our natural beauty.
I had no desire to get a tattoo. My mom gave birth to me and wanted me and I would never mar this body and skin that she created for me .
I think you are your own judge and judgement. I don't agree with getting a tattoo impulsively but thought out ones are great works of art or at the least great personal statements.
I'm 32 now, and have two sleeves, my chest, stomach, and a few others. I don't regret my tattoos. I never had much money, so I only got one or two tattoos per year, and so I basically have a relatively accurate representation of how I changed and evolved as I got older. I started with blackwork, then moved to colour neo-trad and illustrative, with a couple of "stained glass" inspired pieces. I'm not foreseeing any financial change soon (sadly), so I'll continue getting pieces here and there as I age. It works for me!
So I guess my advice is to go slow, take your time!
Also: regretting some tattoos, or some tattoo choices, is not the same as "regretting getting tattooed". I think it's a great discussion to have within the tattoo community, and we don't need to bother about people who don't like tattoos at all.
your last line is a great point. i can understand regretting specific pieces, because maybe you didn't research your artist or you outgrew the style or something really specific. but to regret actually BEING heavily tattooed is an entirely different thing. like to say if you did it over, you wouldn't get any is just wild to me. it almost seems to me like these kinds of people care too much about what others think of them and care more about the way they're perceived by others, and that's kind of sad tbh. i'll never regret tattoos because of what someone else is saying or doing. they're for me, not others.
I have always wondered how people who didn’t have much money would always find it to get tattooed. Priorities totally fkd up 😂
@@crapbag426 you don't know anything about my priorities mate.
@@Zoeswildart you clearly said you were/ still suffering hardship but yet have and will continue to put “ art “ on your body that is not a necessity. It’s a luxury if anything…
You’re right! I don’t know about your priorities but I’m only going by what you actually said. Make it make sense!!
@@crapbag426they didn't say "hardship", YOU DID. What they ACTUALLY said is: "I've never had much money"... They didn't say anything about hardship, they just said they're NOT RICH. "Not rich" is YOUR idea of hardship? And them being "not rich" gives you the right to judge and dictate a stranger's decisions? You seem a real DELIGHTFUL human. 😬
When my kid turned 18 she wanted to get a tat. I told her that she had to wait one year & even then it would have to be a very small one in a discreet spot. She had totally changed her mind after a year. She is so happy I stopped her.
lol Wise mom!
@@flonoiisana4647I got in trouble about telling people about not getting tattooed, on this form.
I'm heavily tattooed i don't regret any of mine, i own 3 tattoo shops, i run my shop the old way where as if you want a face or hand tattoo i need a certificate from a doctor to say you are mentally fit because they're the worst jobstoppers and also highly regretted.
I got my first at 17 and i still love it at 41, i love all mine i knew exactly who i was and what i wanted back then and ive never changed the way i am and i worked hard to get what i wanted which was to own tattoo studios. It's not the same for everyone of course, but i just always advise people to really think about what you are getting.
When I was a kid (20) I swore I wanted sleeves but I didn't think it was fair for the adult version of me to live with a decision dumb kid version of me made. I will be turning 42 in January and am SO GLAD my body is still tattoo free. Would've been the biggest regret of my life!
Good call!
GR8 perspective!
Good for that. My whole family has tattoos, because we're friends with a famous (good) tattoo artist... but I'm the only person in my family that don't have one and I'm glad I don't. Thought about it a couple times, but for the most part I just never understood why someone would want to put something on their bodies permanently.
@deucedeuce1572 it's because tattoos make someone feel like they're becoming a better version of themselves, kinda like being augmented. Which there's nothing wrong with that, we all wanna become a better version of our current selves, I get it. It just is what it is, to me.
@@GoodKong.BadKong like The Red Dragon? (Hannibal book).
Easiest way to get young people to think more about their tattoos is to have a display of heavily tattooed 50+ yo people in the tattoo parlour.
GenX here, and yeah, a lot of us got tattoos that we loved, and some of us wish we were more discerning over what we chose to put on our bodies. I always tell people to live with a design that you choose in your space every day. Like, put it up where you will see it all the time, and wait. After a year or two, if you still really love it, then get it done in henna where you want it done, or something that is less permanent but will give you an idea of what it will look like day in and day out. That Yosemite Sam seems like a good idea now, but you have to consider how you'll feel about it when you're 30.
I was a wild one when I was 16, and couldn't wait to get tattoos. My best friend, who was in her mid-twenties, heavily tattooed and everything I ever wanted to be, supported my plans completely, but gave me the advice to draw the tattoo I wanted, tape it next to my bathroom mirror and look at it for a year every day. And if I'd still like it after a year I should get it as soon as I'm old enough. That year I went on a student's exchange to the UK, lied to the artist and got a tattoo I picked randomly from a folder, because I liked the shape. Not even half a year later I've seen at least 3 people with the exact same tattoo, so I found another artist, and without looking into his stuff let him change it. I hated the result right away, but it was done by then. That's when I understood her advice. At 21 I got another tattoo, and although I followed her advice, got it done at a great place and still like the design per se, I wouldn't get it again today. I was so sure back then that this would represent me for all times, and even if I change, evolve, it would never change who I was. But when I turned 28 I learned how little I actually knew about myself, how much of the me I used to be was just driven by my desperate desire to be autonomous and independent, to rebel and express myself.
And the interesting thing is that many people who have this story, To be different and independent, Somehow all looked the same... It's like everybody is just copycatting each other and not actually being their authentic self with their own authentic style
@@TheOfficialArthurMorgan That's such a superficial, generic attempt of a diss-comment, it does absolutely nothing for me. I never wanted to be "different and individual", I wanted to be part of the tattooed tough crowd, of course there are similar looks and aesthetics (especially back in my days, there were just a handful of tattoo shops, and it was still somewhat in the hidden, nothing mainstream). And "authentic self with their own authentic style" is silly. How often does a person throughout their lifetime change their style? Plenty of times. Who cares? Let people do what they want to do, your opinion is of no relevance to anybody.
@@elle-iza well, you fit the stereotypical overly emotional tattooed girl, lmao 🤣 i just think it's lame that people always want to "cult" up (belong to a group).
It's funny how a lot of people with tattoos want to be associated as tough people. However, some of the most emotionally unstable and wimpy people I have ever met in my life all have tattoos.
Being tough isn't an appearance. It's a way of thought and action. Gritting your teeth against the harshness of the world. Not "wearing leather with tattoos" 🤣
@@TheOfficialArthurMorgan Yeah, okay, whatever you say. 😂
@@elle-iza struck a nerve i see 👀 😌
I'm 38 and got my first tattoo in my mid-twenties, and started small and slow. I love my tattoos, though I did just have one redone because the artist I hired the first time insisted on adding some colorwork even though he didn't have the skill to support it. But even then I didn't regret my tattoo, I just didn't love it as much as I do now, and I'm THRILLED with the results of the touchup. I'm also really glad I waited until I was a little older than 18-22 and got ink that was special and specific to me and not because it followed a particular trend.
So interesting. I'm 60 and instinctively knew not to get tattoos when pals were getting inked. When I think of the fads I have been involved with over the years and the tattoos I could have got to reflect my various passions, I am so grateful I didn't get inked to reflect them at the time. The regret would have been intense now. That being said, if I get to 80 I would definitely consider getting one for each year after that I survived. Possibly cats and horses, my lifetime loves. My daughter's friend (29) got a very small, very fine signature tattoo done recently on the inside of her elbow. It was her grandpa's signature on the last birthday card he sent her before he died and I know she won't ever regret it as he was so very special to her.
That I can understand. Should my dearly loved husband predecease me (women do tend to live longer) I would get his signature tattooed in reverse (mirror image) over my heart. We have been married almost 50 years.
I understand the sentiment, but I still don't think they look good on older skin. I don't think skin heals as well at 80 either, especially if you are diabetic. There are health reasons to consider.
That's special though.
What a wonderful way to remember him.
@@cherfromtn8225 The pigment can migrate to your lymph nodes too.
That’s one ugly spider tattoo on your hand. You will regret that one for sure.
I didn't get my first tattoo until I was 40. I'm now 66 and I regret a few of them. I didn't get sleeves or facial tats or tats on my neck or chest or butt. I got small "tasteful" ones that can mostly be hidden by clothing, but I was a different woman then, even at 40. It's just amazing how most people change throughout their lives. Hard to imagine at 20 what/who you'll be or want to be in 20, 30, 40 years.
Aww. So what advice would you give to the younger audience?
@@anon2218 When I was very young my mother told me to think long and hard about my old saggy self in my 70's with tattoos all over. She also told me that it was not acceptable in high society. Of course tattoos were not as popular as they are today. Finally she told me to experiment all I want with henna designs but never do anything to permanently alter my natural body. Personally, I have thought of getting a tattoo and if I did it would be something small, somewhere easily hidden, or only to cover up a serious scar/ flaw. I hate pain and needles and see no need to torture myself otherwise. I have used temporary tattoos in the past on occasion for special events. I respect people's decision to tattoo, but I'm happy to be tattoo free.
I’m in my 40’s and most of my friends from my childhood have tattoos and all of them have expressed regret on some level 20+ years later.
I can completely understand that regret. It’s not like a hair cut that you can grow out of and change with you. No no no.
I thought for 20 years about getting a tattoo. I could never settle on what I wanted to be forever inked onto my skin. In my late 40s I decided I didn't need a tattoo.
I’m a physician and I work in laser tattoo removal. It’s absolutely true, each tattoo is different in terms of removability and achievable result. In general: the bigger, deeper (worst case if you can already feel raised areas in the tattoo as those are scars left by the needles) more saturated and colored a tattoo is, the harder it is to remove. Area is also important, the further it is from your heart the harder it is for your body to reabsorb the ink. Btw: tattoo removal, especially of large pieces, is a PAINFUL, LONG (in terms of n. of sessions, especially in case of larger tattoos) and EXPENSIVE treatment. Please think about what you are getting as if removal wasn’t a thing, and in doubt go for shadowed black/grey small to medium designs, those are pretty easy to remove.
Hopefully the technology will improve in time,... but it seems like the limits are physiological.
I saw a video of some having a large piece removed. The sessions were extremely painful. The areas treated were heavily burned, and the recovery was also very painful.
I knew as a teen, that there was nothing I liked enough or would continue to feel strongly enough about, that I'd want permanently on my skin...
I was much the same. I always never liked tattoos much but kinda wanted one. But could never decide on what to get. So for many years I never thought much about it because I could never figure out what would truly matter to me enough to be permanently attached to me. Just got my first and got a fox. I hope I don't regret it because of my unbelievable love for foxes. They are my spirit animals I believe!
@@braixeninfection6312as someone who has dozens of easily concealable tattoos, it’s not that serious. If you’re male, just stay in shape and you won’t regret it a bit. You should not actually care about your physical appearance that much past mid 30s anyway
Tell this to all the fake trans and non-binary people your age... medically transitioning, sterilizing themselves... when if they would just wait until they were an adult, they would grow out of it.
Agreed, if I got the tattoos I thought I wanted at 18, I would NOT want now than I’m 53yo.
Same. Even at 18 I knew that taking decision then and for the rest of my life was a terrible idea.
Wearing a tattoo everyday is like wearing the same clothing everyday for the rest of your life.
I'm 59 and so very thankful I never wanted nor liked tattoos. Its wonderful living without that regret. I had many ear piercings and my bellybutton pierced (80's thing) but those can be taken out and they essentially disappear. Plus, there are better things to spend money on.
I, too, have never liked tattoos. For me they defile the beauty of skin and look like big patterned bruises.
I've always been too much of a cheapass to get one. Lol.
I got tats while in the military. This was before the current craze to get inked. My tattoos are meaningful to me, and I knew I didn't want anything that I couldn't cover up with a short sleeve shirt and a pair of shorts. I was associated with bikers and other military members, looking around at the population at large, the guys that were heavily tatted didn't have the kind of job I wanted. They weren't going where I wanted to go.
Same. Back in the day if it couldn't be covered with a uniform shirt you could kiss goodbye any chances of OCS or certain units. When I went back after 9-11 the standards had relaxed and now you see females walking around with full sleeves. They say times have changed but it still affects people's perception of you no matter what. When I see someone with a lot of ink and pushing it on the haircut, I think, there's someone who places a higher priority on expressing themselves than being part of a team. Can I trust that person to be a team player when the s*** hits the fan, or are they more likely to think, every man for himself? Like it or not, how you present yourself gives others a window into your values.
Yep@@texasred2702
Ah... so that's why you got a butterfly tramp stamp.
Not quite. chest and upper arms, nothing on the back. Nice try though.@@deucedeuce1572
When I see a bride in her wedding dress and suddenly I see she has a tattoo and it-automatically makes me feel sick.. she ruined her beauty
I started getting tattoos at 19 and I’m 30 now and I can’t imagine myself without my tattoos. They’re a part of me now and I honestly forgot they’re there most of the time. It’s a life time commitment and I feel like maybe some of these ppl didn’t understand fully what that means before getting tattoos.
same. i mean i’m a newbie, got my first at 21 and now i’m getting a lot of work at 24 but i just can’t imagine myself without them anymore. when i get them done, usually it feels like i’m growing into myself. it feels right.
No we do we use our brains for most things in life
I think perhaps a lot of the regretters (broadly speaking) are those who have got tats because it suddenly became "normal" awhile back. And when we're young, we really don't understand longevity. Fact is, and sadly especially for us women, the beautiful, firm young colourful tat you choose is not what it will seem when your body starts to sag and it starts to blur. Tess Holliday is a great example, she has some masterful tats but the Dolly Parton that started on her shoulder is now, through losing skin elasticity, halfway down her arm and all its beauty lost in the bend of her elbow.
I'm old now and I'm glad I stuck to my original idea that my tats can't be seen unless I want them to be. I don't wear revealing clothes so even the one on the back of my shoulder is hardly ever seen. I love tattoos, I loved them even when they came with social disapprobation but it's because that disapproval almost vanished overnight that people started going crazy - loads of tats, really young, really fast and no cautionary voices. Don't get me wrong, the social stigma was unfounded and ridiculous but on the other hand I think perhaps there's going to be a raft of regretters as fashion moves on and tats go back to their original homes in the fringes, just as piercings are doing now.
Sorry, essay. But this is a fascination for me cos I've seen attitudes change so widely. I'd just caution anyone young to think about what happens when you get old and saggy, because it WILL happen. Thinking tattoos look great is awesome...but do you think they look great on an eighty year-old? I know we can't imagine ourselves in that state so turn it outwards and consider it on A.N.Other old gnarly body.
It SHOULD feel "like part of you." That's the key to less regret because we accept most of ourselves without really thinking about it. But too many are having them done for the wrong reason - a statement, because it looks cool, because everyone has them. Those aren't the right reasons. In fact, my only regret is that now everybody is covered and instead of being an edgeBlob I'm now the same as all the poxy humans. Huh 👿
Exactly and you probably didn't get them like a lot of people get him now because it's too trendy. My mom wouldn't even look at me when I came home with my first tattoo and it was little LOL. I had an ex-boyfriend who works in a casino sports bar and he had to wear specially made long-sleeve shirts because he had sleeves. It was a casino sports bar now people at Starbucks have full sleeves. It's trendy now and people put the stupidest things I've ever seen. I would bet that your tattoos reflect parts of your life that maybe you are a little different now but that still means something to you. It represents something that still a part of you it just may not be the main focus of your life now.. Cuz that's the way I am everything I have and everything I have planned is my life. These people symbolize a bunch of wasted ink that could have been used on me!😂
Totally. I forget mine are on me too til I look down and am like “OH cool” hahahah
I started getting tattooed at 20 (now 26), got a sort of 3/4 sleeve on both arms and still very much happy with them. I'm still very excited about tattoos, but I think I also safeguarded myself against regret by not making my tattoos the core of my identity as a person and choosing design based on deeply held beliefs and life-altering events instead of hobbies/interests/aesthetic. My tattoos basically tell my life-story, which makes me less conscerned with perfect tattoos or a specific aesthetic. Not saying everybody has to do this, but this is what worked for me.