Tattoo regret can be a horrible thing and can actually lead to depression in some cases. It might not even be tattoo regret as such, but just that the tattoo didn’t look how you expected it to on your body and it’s frustrating seeing it in the mirror everyday.
There’s nothing worse than planning and saving up for a great, new tattoo that’s supposed to make you feel better and you can show off proudly only to have the exact opposite happen and your embarrassed to even show it off in public. To top it off there is the gut wrenching feeling that this is permanent and stuck on your skin for life.
Although a tattoo is technically permanent, thankfully, there are a few solutions that could help to resolve a tattoo regret:
Laser Removal
By far the best option if you want to get rid of the tattoo completely. Laser removal prices should range between £50 – £150 per session. If you have a very dark or colourful tattoo then it will take quite a few sessions (possibly up to 10 sessions) and may not be guaranteed to fully disappear, but it can certainly fade enough for a decent cover up to go over. With laser removal, patience is the key – make sure to leave plenty of time between your sessions for the tattoo to really fade down and take that time to research your next tattoo option fully, as removal could potentially take a year or 2 to get the best results. Using a custom temporary tattoos can help that process to make sure you get it right the next time!
Tattoo Cover ups / extension pieces
With some tattoos it might be quite easy to cover up without any laser removal. You could even try adding more to the piece to extend it and draw your eye away from what it is you might not like about your current tattoo. Again, temporary tattoos could help this process so you can easily work out what might be needed to improve the look before making further mistakes.
Make-up / Clothing Choice
This might seem like an odd suggestion, but in some cases if it’s a small part of a tattoo you don’t like, you could try finding a concealer that matches your skin tone and using that to cover part or all of a tattoo you don’t like. This could even be used during the in-between stages of having tattoo laser removal. You could also use certain clothing, like watches, bracelets or wristbands for tattoos on the arm or even skin sleeves as an interim solution.
Learn to live with your tattoo
It can be depressing to have a tattoo your not happy with or worried what people might think of it, but other people don’t notice the same flaws you’ll see and you might just need to wait a few months to see if you grow to like it. It is just a tattoo at the end of the day and it’s not what makes you who you are.
Still struggling?
If you are struggling with tattoo regret or hate the way your tattoo looks, chances are there are other people out there with the same concerns, so don’t feel scared to reach out for support, either online or to friends and family – you’ll probably find no one else sees the issues you see anyway and getting that reassurance might be all you need. Feel free to drop Test My Tattoo a message here if you have any concerns and good luck no matter the option you choose.
At Test My Tattoo we are advocates for wellbeing and recommend that if you feel tattoo regret has impacted your mental health, that you access your local wellbeing and Mental Health support services.
