Tattoos have been around for literally thousands of years, however only during the past few decades have they made such a huge splash, across the board. Even if you do not have a tattoo yourself, it is highly unlikely that you will ever go an entire day without seeing more than one tattooed arm, neck, leg or other body part, somewhere, on someone. They’re big, they’re everywhere, and from the looks of things, tattoos are not going anywhere, anytime soon. Tattoos in general, as an art form may not be waning in popularity, but this is not to say that more than one recipient has at some point come to regret the subject, nature or quality of the tats they just had to have at some prior point. Tattoo removal can be pricey and painful, and doesn’t always leave the most flattering spot afterward.

Tattoo Regret is Not Always Avoidable, However Some Can be
While most folks put a lot of thought and planning into the tattoos they are going to get, once in a while there are simply going to be regrets. There are a few things to keep in mind, though, when going for your next tattoo, that should help greatly reduce the incidence of future “What was I thinking?” and more remorse for anyone.

The Misspelled Tattoo
Oh, can’t you just cringe at the thought of finally looking at your tattoo, only to discover that it has been misspelled? It can happen, and probably more frequently than we’d like to believe. Don’t count on the tattoo artist to spell it right–make sure that you draw and spell it out to present to them in its finished form, and then have the artist lay out the basic structure of the tattoo on the site where it is to go first. Make sure to check the spelling–don’t be so caught up in the thrill of the event that you overlook details – unless you like to be the subject of many future jokes.

The Name of Your Love Interest
No matter what, it is never a good idea to get the name of your romantic partner tattooed on any part of your body-hidden or not. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been together or how long you just KNOW you will be together. If you need further explanation of this point, you probably shouldn’t even get a tattoo in the first place. The same advice goes to anyone considering getting matching tattoos with their mate.

Tattoos You’ll Want to Get
Go for timeless subject matter, like interests and passions you’ve generally had all your life, and not anything that could be a mere trend or flight of fancy. Make sure you LOVE the subject of your tattoo. It is also for this reason that it is perfectly suitable to have the names of your immediate family members (excluding spouse–sorry.) and especially your children. Look at traditional tribal art for design inspiration. Subjects like butterflies, birds, stars, skulls, snakes, dragons, angels and wings are always popular and lasting. Find symbols that represent the things that are important to you or messages you want to share. Maori and Haida designs can be tattooed singly or in repetition for a vast variety of looks.