Those of you who got tattooed heavily in your 20s, do you regret it at all?

26 comments

1. I have regretted my tattoos immensely. They are stupid emotional decor that expresses all kinds of things you didn’t consider. Especially over time. Don’t.

2. 46 here. Have two 3/4 sleeves, a chest piece that connects to a backpiece, and my lower legs tattooed.

   I generally still like all my tattoos and they’re done very well. If I could do it all over again I’d probably get many of the same ones, but I think I’d start at one wrist and end at the opposite ankle, and tell the entire story of Homer’s Odyssey. Right now I only have a sleeve of the Scylla and Charybdis scene, but I sort of wish I had a backpiece of the Polyphemus scene, the Sirens, Lotus Eaters, etc.

   Not sure I regret any of it but maybe would have planned differently.

3. I’m 40, just got a new one today, I have a fair amount. No regrets, they are a part of me.

   You do you!

   Edit: Just like, don’t get tribal if you’re not in a tribe, etc etc.

4. Got one I regret because I didn’t really discuss it enough with the artist. The rest I love.

5. No regrets.

6. If I could do it again I would probably not get tattooed but I don’t mind having them. Just do research into the shops and don’t just dove into it like an idiot

7. My tattoos are pretty small, but each one I got meant a lot to me. They commemorate specific changes within me, changes of who I am fundamentally. I could never regret them because they are part of my journey.

8. Are you a regretful person? If you are you’ll probably end up regretting it. I don’t regret stuff I also don’t hold tattoos really near and dear.

9. 30 here, two full sleeves, back done, chest done, working on my legs. No regrets whatsoever, but I have gotten awesome art that looks cool with no emotional significance to a particular time or event, so over the years they have not changed “meaning” or any of that. I found a great artist early on and have stuck with him, even with a cross country move. I fly back home for my appointments. Going on 10 years since my first one and I don’t regret a thing. I’m also in the “no neck, head, hands, feet” camp. Everything can be covered by a suit. You do you, just make sure you’re *sure*.

   *Reposted with proper flair*

10. Entire back and half sleeve done. I love my ink.

11. got both arms and a leg totally covered…. now 40yo. I dont regret it.

12. I regret not getting better ink. I don’t regret getting heavily tattooed in my 20s though.

13. I have a couple hundred hours of tattoos on me. No regrets. But I think I would have some if I’d have gotten a sleeve of video games and music references.

14. Got a full sleeve done at 28, 33 now. No regerts. Plenty of compliments. Hasn’t held me back from employment, I work in tech and nearly everyone has tattoos. My only issue is I can’t wear anything with a complicated pattern as it clashes with the design of my tattoo, so I stick with plain Ts.

15. I’m 29 and I have half a sleeve. I find myself kind of trying to justify why I have them. Now a days I look at them and I try to make it more about memories from those younger days. I’d get them removed if I could.

16. Letting someone you barely know draw on you permanently, what could possibly go wrong.

17. Yup. If I’d go back in time, I wouldn’t do it

18. I have gotten more tattoos in my 30s than I did in my 20s. I have my next big piece scheduled for a couple months from now. My only regret is that I took up space with a couple small ones that could have been used for larger pieces.

19. I am an art photographer who shoots a lot of models. Much of my work is highly edited so I get requests for all sorts of edits from common ones like making wrinkles disappear to making faces and/or bodies thinner to really wild ones. I would guess that about 5% of the models who I shoot with tattoos will ask me to remove one. Often it is a reminder of somebody who was once important but the relationship has since changed (an ex-friend or an ex-husband for example).

    Caveats: Most of the models I shoot are younger so the percentage might go up over time. Not every person that regrets a tattoo and shoots with me may be comfortable asking me to remove it. My sample is by no means scientific but I hope this helps shed some light on the question.

20. No ragrats!!!

21. No regrets. They can all be covered by a tee shirt. They all mean something to me.

22. There is no generic answer. All depends on the lifestyle you want to lead.

23. I got one at 18 on my upper arm that I ended up hating after 5 years – cost me $100 and very much looked like it.

    Last year I had it lightened with a few laser sessions (sucked) and spent $4k on a 3/4 sleeve cover up by an artist I really love. I’m 35 and occasionally feel awkward wearing short sleeves at work as I’m in an old school work culture. But you know what? Fuck em.

24. I’m on the opposite side – 55 and have no regrets over never getting a tattoo. I can like the things I like without having symbols of them permanently etched on my flesh. Honestly always reminded me of a teenager covering their high school notebooks with stickers and doodles.

    But I’m a minority opinion – my experience is that most people love their tattoos.

25. I’m 52 and have been getting tattooed steadily since I was 18. I’m pretty covered right now and I’ve regretted a few that were done early on the cheap by shitty artists.

    But, in my opinion, what you’re thinking about is not a good idea. None of those things you love now are going to mean anything to you in 10 or 20 years. You’ll be sick of them before your 35th birthday. Don’t get dated, pop culture tattoos. Get timeless stuff that isn’t pinned down to any particular time or place.
    You won’t be reminiscing over a video game tattoo at 60. Long before then you’ll be thinking about laser treatment because you’re sick of it and can’t believe how important you thought Zelda or whatever was when you were young.

    And you say you’re close to getting started but also plan to pick a good artist. If you don’t have the artist already on board you’re not that close. Let your choice of artist drive the design and planning. Unless you’re an experienced visual artist, let them take the lead on the design.

    Do you currently have any tattoos? You’re talking about getting most of your body done.
    Start slow. Get one or two and see how you like living with them. You’re young and have plenty of time. There’s no need to plan a body suit right out of the gate.

26. I’ve had my tattoos for about 20 years now. I deeply regret them. I also thought that I was getting art that I would love forever. But I’ve grown and matured and changed in ways that I could have never predicted.

    Not only are the tattoos not my style anymore, they are forever linked to a time in my life that I would rather forget.

    Everyone says if you don’t do the hands and neck and face etc, that you can hide it with a suit. But I can’t hide mine in the summer when I wear short sleeves.

    If I could go back in time I absolutely would never get them. I would tell myself that if I loved artwork or a certain picture so much, so just fucking get it on a poster and hang it up on my wall.

    Edit: I just noticed what sub we’re in. Sorry if you only wanted to hear from men.