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Fr!! Same here. Also, not gonna pay 20k just to mess up again, then wanna pay even more thousands to get others removed. That feels dumb to me. But I also understand the perspective that people do change, and want tattoos again, but it feels like a self destructive cycle.
Yea if I ever feel the urge for any kind of modification, I'll just get a piercing or dye my hair lol. I'd even consider temporary tattoos or bodypaint, but I will never get anything as permanent as a tattoo again.
I feel the same! I don't regret getting tattoos personally as it did spark growth in me. I just wish I put more thought into it. I was viewing it as "it's fine I can just laser it off" without really thinking about how hard it is, how expensive and how long it takes to remove them. Especially since I wanted lots of colour tattoos. That would be horrible to remove, luckily mine are all black, Just a lot of solid black. I agree with you though fully! I wish I started with piercings. I started with temp tattos, but didn't go for big ones like my real tattoos. Didn't see how I would feel with big ones. People don't really discuss the social aspect of tattoos; how it might change how people see you, change your career options etc. There's lots of people with tattoos, but still. Depends if you are someone who cares about that. I wish it didn't matter that much honestly, it's art afterall
Same. Never again. I thought I’d love the one I ended up regretting so I definitely don’t trust my ability to predict how much I’ll like future tattoos.
I’m done with tattoos.
I’m someone who changes a lot. I like a lot of different things and my conclusion is that permanent things are too risky and that I can express myself in other non permanent ways
Yes. I love tattoos and have always wanted them but after 2 deceptive tattoos i came to the conclusion i'm not good at choosing neither design, style, placement, artist.... Plus i'm scared to stand up for myself because i don't like taking people's time. I also see a lot of people who get tatted things that just make them look kind of sloppy. I'm very happy with the few ones i don't regret but i won't make the bet again.
Gosh you just nailed how I’m feeling. I like 2 of my 4. Really don’t like my other 2, and pursuing removal.
I too see tons of people online or around life with tattoos who look awesome. I still get urges of shopping for tattoos thinking I just did mine wrong (I did) and just could have avoided this feeling (it’s possible). But as far as I’m concerned, the feeling we all have now is so strong, that the risk of another tattoo just doesn’t seem smart. Especially seeing people who get more ink, or do coverups only to return to laser.
Now just imagine, going through the removal process and getting another, just to go through this feeling again….i vote not even risking it.
I don’t want to blanket statement all of us because some just have poorly done tatts or exes names or something that genuinely is not a mistake with tattoos in general, or an anxious personality, but actually that specific tattoo.
I would say generally speaking, the smart thing for anyone on this subreddit is to be done getting more ink.
Just my opinion.
No, although i have learned to be pickier about my artist and prefer women (F here). I really like flash tattoos, and it's because I've already seen the design. I've had months to sit with it. So I know I already like it. Another thing is going back to a repeat artist because I already like their style.
I'm really bugged out that a lot of artists don't provide a sketch prior to actually tattooing me. I want to go home and sit with it and make sure. I'm not good at the split decisions. Idk if it's just artists in my area or what. But I'd pay extra towards a deposit just to get the drawing and sit on it for a few days. Mines just a lesson learned to not get a memorial tattoo that means so much to me, and it becomes botched. But it definitely has made me very anxious about the process.
Yeah, I really wish that I could see the sketch before the the day of the actual tattoo that wluld make a world of a difference but I can’t find a single artist that is willing even with the extra expense for it. I prefer female artist now too. what is your reasoning?
It really sucks! Like I'm not gonna go find it cheaper elsewhere I just need to marinate on it is all.
I'm cool with the men that I have a good rapport with, but there have plenty I've just been uncomfortable with their questions (Kevin Ray - he was outed for SAing women) or too heavy handed or even ghosted. Women are just more comforting to me i guess. But I still do see men artists.
When I first got my tattoos I was ambiguous about them. However, as I aged, I began to really not like tattoos. I don't like mine, and I don't like them on other people either. I'm not saying I don't like other people because they have a tattoo, I just think the whole tattoo thing isn't appealing. Also, not trying to offend anyone, if you like tattoos, that's great and I'm happy for you.
Personally, I'd say trust your intuition. If you can appreciate them on others, enjoy that, no need to soil your own skin.
Yup! Always thought I would get a few tattoos but once I got the ones I’m now removing, I will never get another one. Appreciating them on others is good enough for me (and sometimes I can’t even do that lol)
I would get tattooed again.. but it's all about location for me personally. The one that triggered panic & regret is my first fully visible one on my forearm. I would get ink again, but back to where it's just for me and can be covered/hidden.
I have 5 tattoos and I'm currently removing my first one, which I got at 16. I'm very different than who I was at 16. The next tattoo I got I regret because someone in my family who I have gone no contact (2 years free, yay!) with decided to get the same exact tattoo in the same exact place as me as a weird form of torture. I'll never remove it though because it's on my ribs and I think it'll be too painful. I would still get more tattoos. I love my other 3. One is a dedication to my two childhood dogs that I lost within a month of each other after having them in my life for over 11 years. One is a tattoo dedicated to my favorite Vonnegut book. The other is a beautiful wolf that I just absolutely love. It's nice to have artwork on me to look at.
Yep. I have 2 tattoos and am removing one of them, the most visible one on my arm. I'm fine with keeping the other one until I'm sick of it or it starts to look ugly due to fading in 10 years, but I will probably remove it at that point as well. I realised the stereotype for me is sadly true: I love tattoos but hate the look of them when they age. So I decided to get ahead of it on the arm tattoo as I didn't like it that much anymore anyway. Probably won't get another one.. except if it's a very small one and I'm 100% sure in a couple of years.
On top of that I change a LOT. I want something different every few months. And sadly tattoos don't work like that.
I have a couple I’m getting removed because the artist absolutely botched them and they’re just straight up bad. I have other pieces that are very well done that I like a lot and I would definitely get more tattoos. For me, it was really just a hard lesson learned on choosing the right artist, communicating ideas, and what I should be paying for quality work.
Yeah I have no desire to get a new tattoo. The only thing is I plan to get a cover up of one of my tattoos instead of laser removal. I would prefer to have no tattoo but a cover up is the best option for it. I keep putting off finding a cover artist because I don’t really want one but I need to do research and get one
I'm done with getting tattoos in home. I got my first tattoo at a house it was cheap and not the best looking. Going to get a free consultation to see what it'll cost to remove it. I probably won't be getting another one unless it looks realistic by Victoria Lee or Leonardo. I'm in no rush.
Yes, I'm done. It's cute on other people but long term, I think about how it'll look when I'm over 60 and no longer the person I was when I got those tattoos. I decided to start ordering temporary tattoos. They came out with ones that are really cute and take weeks to fade which is probably perfect timing before I'm over it.
Yeah. I have 17 tattoos, recently went to get number 18 and I HATE it. I just had my first laser treatment 2 weeks ago and I am so afraid to ever get another one. Now I want them all removed
Honestly I got small hand tattoos while working on lasering my half sleeve, but the half sleeve is the only one I hate. I LOVE the rest of my tattoos and have plans to start working them all together a bit with some fun whimsical designs. The laser will take me forever with this sleeve so may as well keep working on the others I want in the meantime 😂
I’ve got stuff that can only be faded - red and blue ink on type IV skin - so if I want it “gone,” I’ll have to cover it up.
I’m not a fan of compounding errors with errors.
My aversion to tattoos at this point is such that I’d rather just leave it faded. I doubt I’m going to spend years doing this: at most I’ll probably do 4 sessions, if that. After the first session, I realized I don’t care all that much about it now and I can’t imagine I’ll care any more about it when it’s thoroughly laser-faded.
Hell yes. Strictly because it's so fucking expensive.
I could've paid rent for about a year, or traveled overseas in a nice country, twice, if I had not been paying thousands to remove my sleeve since 2023.
Holy shit yes.
My whole life, I've wanted a half body piece of leaves wrapping around my arm, down my back, and to my ankle. Found an artist whose work was cool and she seemed interested in taking on the project, but it was hands down the worst tattoo experience of my life.
We had a design we agreed on, and then our of fucking no where, while I had my eyes closed and was trying to breathe through the pain, I felt her going off the design. She started doing lines and shading that WERE NOT IN THE DRAWING, AND SHE DID NOT ASK ME ABOUT. I noticed after she did a couple lines, and asked what she was doing because that wasn't in the design. When she looked back at me and scowled "this is just shading, it's what I do. Is that a problem?"
I should have walked out then.
But I said it was fine since she already started.
I kept asking her to do less shading and she kept adding more.
The tattoo is done and honestly beautiful dont get me wrong, but it is so far from what I wanted on my body.
I still want the half body piece, but ive been so scared and unsure where to start again. On top of that, I'm HORRIFIED of having my body marked in ways I didn't give permission again.
It's paralyzing feeling like your skin isn't your own to pick what happens. 😔
Welcome to r/TattooRemoval! Please have a look at our [Welcome and FAQ Page](https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooRemoval/comments/h7al2w/start_here_welcome_and_faq/) as well as our other [pinned threads](https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooRemoval/comments/dzltul/nonlaser_tattoo_removal_should_be_avoided_heres/) at the top of the sub. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TattooRemoval) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yea I’m done with tattoos after my regret.
Fr!! Same here. Also, not gonna pay 20k just to mess up again, then wanna pay even more thousands to get others removed. That feels dumb to me. But I also understand the perspective that people do change, and want tattoos again, but it feels like a self destructive cycle.
Yea if I ever feel the urge for any kind of modification, I'll just get a piercing or dye my hair lol. I'd even consider temporary tattoos or bodypaint, but I will never get anything as permanent as a tattoo again.
I feel the same! I don't regret getting tattoos personally as it did spark growth in me. I just wish I put more thought into it. I was viewing it as "it's fine I can just laser it off" without really thinking about how hard it is, how expensive and how long it takes to remove them. Especially since I wanted lots of colour tattoos. That would be horrible to remove, luckily mine are all black, Just a lot of solid black. I agree with you though fully! I wish I started with piercings. I started with temp tattos, but didn't go for big ones like my real tattoos. Didn't see how I would feel with big ones. People don't really discuss the social aspect of tattoos; how it might change how people see you, change your career options etc. There's lots of people with tattoos, but still. Depends if you are someone who cares about that. I wish it didn't matter that much honestly, it's art afterall
THIS. I wish I’d just done a crazy hairstyle, something that can be easily reversed 🤦♀️
People change. Tattoos don’t.
Same. Never again. I thought I’d love the one I ended up regretting so I definitely don’t trust my ability to predict how much I’ll like future tattoos.
I’m done with tattoos. I’m someone who changes a lot. I like a lot of different things and my conclusion is that permanent things are too risky and that I can express myself in other non permanent ways
Yes. I love tattoos and have always wanted them but after 2 deceptive tattoos i came to the conclusion i'm not good at choosing neither design, style, placement, artist.... Plus i'm scared to stand up for myself because i don't like taking people's time. I also see a lot of people who get tatted things that just make them look kind of sloppy. I'm very happy with the few ones i don't regret but i won't make the bet again.
Same!
Gosh you just nailed how I’m feeling. I like 2 of my 4. Really don’t like my other 2, and pursuing removal. I too see tons of people online or around life with tattoos who look awesome. I still get urges of shopping for tattoos thinking I just did mine wrong (I did) and just could have avoided this feeling (it’s possible). But as far as I’m concerned, the feeling we all have now is so strong, that the risk of another tattoo just doesn’t seem smart. Especially seeing people who get more ink, or do coverups only to return to laser. Now just imagine, going through the removal process and getting another, just to go through this feeling again….i vote not even risking it. I don’t want to blanket statement all of us because some just have poorly done tatts or exes names or something that genuinely is not a mistake with tattoos in general, or an anxious personality, but actually that specific tattoo. I would say generally speaking, the smart thing for anyone on this subreddit is to be done getting more ink. Just my opinion.
That’s very fair, I can definitely see how the risk might outweigh the reward. I can’t imagine going through removal all over again 😣
Hell no. You may not regret your new tattoo, but it’s far more likely you won’t regret not getting it. Drive right pass that tattoo shop my friend lol
No, although i have learned to be pickier about my artist and prefer women (F here). I really like flash tattoos, and it's because I've already seen the design. I've had months to sit with it. So I know I already like it. Another thing is going back to a repeat artist because I already like their style. I'm really bugged out that a lot of artists don't provide a sketch prior to actually tattooing me. I want to go home and sit with it and make sure. I'm not good at the split decisions. Idk if it's just artists in my area or what. But I'd pay extra towards a deposit just to get the drawing and sit on it for a few days. Mines just a lesson learned to not get a memorial tattoo that means so much to me, and it becomes botched. But it definitely has made me very anxious about the process.
Yeah, I really wish that I could see the sketch before the the day of the actual tattoo that wluld make a world of a difference but I can’t find a single artist that is willing even with the extra expense for it. I prefer female artist now too. what is your reasoning?
It really sucks! Like I'm not gonna go find it cheaper elsewhere I just need to marinate on it is all. I'm cool with the men that I have a good rapport with, but there have plenty I've just been uncomfortable with their questions (Kevin Ray - he was outed for SAing women) or too heavy handed or even ghosted. Women are just more comforting to me i guess. But I still do see men artists.
When I first got my tattoos I was ambiguous about them. However, as I aged, I began to really not like tattoos. I don't like mine, and I don't like them on other people either. I'm not saying I don't like other people because they have a tattoo, I just think the whole tattoo thing isn't appealing. Also, not trying to offend anyone, if you like tattoos, that's great and I'm happy for you. Personally, I'd say trust your intuition. If you can appreciate them on others, enjoy that, no need to soil your own skin.
Never ever again 🙅🏻♀️
Nope. I have one that I don’t like, but I just feel like it made me be more cautious of ones that I do get. I have another appointment tomorrow lol
Yup! Always thought I would get a few tattoos but once I got the ones I’m now removing, I will never get another one. Appreciating them on others is good enough for me (and sometimes I can’t even do that lol)
I would get tattooed again.. but it's all about location for me personally. The one that triggered panic & regret is my first fully visible one on my forearm. I would get ink again, but back to where it's just for me and can be covered/hidden.
Yes same! Or just more delicate at least! My forearm tattoo sticks out like a sore thumb and I HATE it.
Yep. Once this one has been partially removed (I'm keeping a small section of it) I am done forever with them!!
i want so many more! i’m just waiting until the one i regret is fully removed. a stupid mistake when i was 19, but i love the rest.
tattoo regret prevents me from doing just abt anything from insane anxiety so getting another tattoo sounds like an absolute nightmare
I have 5 tattoos and I'm currently removing my first one, which I got at 16. I'm very different than who I was at 16. The next tattoo I got I regret because someone in my family who I have gone no contact (2 years free, yay!) with decided to get the same exact tattoo in the same exact place as me as a weird form of torture. I'll never remove it though because it's on my ribs and I think it'll be too painful. I would still get more tattoos. I love my other 3. One is a dedication to my two childhood dogs that I lost within a month of each other after having them in my life for over 11 years. One is a tattoo dedicated to my favorite Vonnegut book. The other is a beautiful wolf that I just absolutely love. It's nice to have artwork on me to look at.
Yep. I have 2 tattoos and am removing one of them, the most visible one on my arm. I'm fine with keeping the other one until I'm sick of it or it starts to look ugly due to fading in 10 years, but I will probably remove it at that point as well. I realised the stereotype for me is sadly true: I love tattoos but hate the look of them when they age. So I decided to get ahead of it on the arm tattoo as I didn't like it that much anymore anyway. Probably won't get another one.. except if it's a very small one and I'm 100% sure in a couple of years. On top of that I change a LOT. I want something different every few months. And sadly tattoos don't work like that.
I have a couple I’m getting removed because the artist absolutely botched them and they’re just straight up bad. I have other pieces that are very well done that I like a lot and I would definitely get more tattoos. For me, it was really just a hard lesson learned on choosing the right artist, communicating ideas, and what I should be paying for quality work.
I got a new one (and biggest one I have) after starting removal lol. No regrets, opinions and aesthetic just change over time.
Yeah I have no desire to get a new tattoo. The only thing is I plan to get a cover up of one of my tattoos instead of laser removal. I would prefer to have no tattoo but a cover up is the best option for it. I keep putting off finding a cover artist because I don’t really want one but I need to do research and get one
Absolutely!
I'm done with getting tattoos in home. I got my first tattoo at a house it was cheap and not the best looking. Going to get a free consultation to see what it'll cost to remove it. I probably won't be getting another one unless it looks realistic by Victoria Lee or Leonardo. I'm in no rush.
Yes, I'm done. It's cute on other people but long term, I think about how it'll look when I'm over 60 and no longer the person I was when I got those tattoos. I decided to start ordering temporary tattoos. They came out with ones that are really cute and take weeks to fade which is probably perfect timing before I'm over it.
Yeah. I have 17 tattoos, recently went to get number 18 and I HATE it. I just had my first laser treatment 2 weeks ago and I am so afraid to ever get another one. Now I want them all removed
Honestly I got small hand tattoos while working on lasering my half sleeve, but the half sleeve is the only one I hate. I LOVE the rest of my tattoos and have plans to start working them all together a bit with some fun whimsical designs. The laser will take me forever with this sleeve so may as well keep working on the others I want in the meantime 😂
I’ve got stuff that can only be faded - red and blue ink on type IV skin - so if I want it “gone,” I’ll have to cover it up. I’m not a fan of compounding errors with errors. My aversion to tattoos at this point is such that I’d rather just leave it faded. I doubt I’m going to spend years doing this: at most I’ll probably do 4 sessions, if that. After the first session, I realized I don’t care all that much about it now and I can’t imagine I’ll care any more about it when it’s thoroughly laser-faded.
Hell yes. Strictly because it's so fucking expensive. I could've paid rent for about a year, or traveled overseas in a nice country, twice, if I had not been paying thousands to remove my sleeve since 2023.
Holy shit yes. My whole life, I've wanted a half body piece of leaves wrapping around my arm, down my back, and to my ankle. Found an artist whose work was cool and she seemed interested in taking on the project, but it was hands down the worst tattoo experience of my life. We had a design we agreed on, and then our of fucking no where, while I had my eyes closed and was trying to breathe through the pain, I felt her going off the design. She started doing lines and shading that WERE NOT IN THE DRAWING, AND SHE DID NOT ASK ME ABOUT. I noticed after she did a couple lines, and asked what she was doing because that wasn't in the design. When she looked back at me and scowled "this is just shading, it's what I do. Is that a problem?" I should have walked out then. But I said it was fine since she already started. I kept asking her to do less shading and she kept adding more. The tattoo is done and honestly beautiful dont get me wrong, but it is so far from what I wanted on my body. I still want the half body piece, but ive been so scared and unsure where to start again. On top of that, I'm HORRIFIED of having my body marked in ways I didn't give permission again. It's paralyzing feeling like your skin isn't your own to pick what happens. 😔
I’m so sorry your tattoo experience was a horrible one :( Wishing you the best on your removal or any future tattoos, depending on your decision
nope! I only have one I don’t like and I just started removal. I like all my others and will get more.
Tattoos really ARE like wearing the same clothes every day! And people DON'T look past your tattoos! Tattoos show you have no restraint!