So I have been thinking about getting a tattoo ever since I turned 18, but I always end up talking myself out of it. It's not that I am afraid of it hurting, but I am afraid that down the road I will regret it. But I can't shake the feeling that its just one of those things you need to try. So I was wondering for those of you that have them...

1) Do you regret it? Or would you change anything about your tattoo or the experience of getting it?

2) Do tattoos stretch and shrink along with weight loss and gain? I wasn't sure if I got my tattoo now and then lost weight if it would look different. I figured just to be safe I would get it as a sort of present for myself when I reach my goal.

1) I do regret my tattoo. Not to the extent to where I would get it removed or anything. I just wished I hadn't been bored that day and made up a reason to go try it out.

2) My tattoo didn't get stretch marks or anything when I got prego, but there are stretch marks all around it. It is located on my hip and is a little heart.


All in all, I wish I would have left my body unscathed. Something about having a blank canvas and never being able to get it back.

I got my first tattoo when I was 19. I have two now, and for now I think I have enough. I don't regret either one of my tattoos. They both have meaning to me. However I do regret the placement of my tattoos. One of them is on the inside of my ankle and I wish I got it where I could hide it more easily.
I would imagine that tattoos would change shape throughout the course of weightloss. Luckily mine are in two spots where it is unlike that the will will shrink or stretch.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...e/DSC09868.jpg
That tattoo is of the Assyrian god Ashur. My dad's side of the family is Assyrian and it is a culture with a ton of history going back to the Bible.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...e/DSC07397.jpg
That tattoo is the year that my dad was born. He died when I was 16. I was a daddy's girl.

I think staller hit onto something here, it needs to be a long term decision and something which holds meaning to you. You could always go talk to a tattoos who will have seen all kinds of people pass through the studio and be able to give you more information about it. For example, did you know most people get sick of tatoos they can see? So a tattoo on your back might be best because even if you love it you wont get tired of seeing it in the mirror.

If you have been thinking about getting one for this long, it is probably something you really want to do--not just a whim. Really think about what you want as far as a design--if it has special meaning, you are less likely to regret it. I disagree w/ getting tired of a tattoo you can see, but that's just my opinion. I would also strongly recommend choosing placement carefully. Think about if you need to cover it up for your current job (or possible future jobs)....some employers are totally ok w/ a non-offensive tattoo showing, others are not.

Good luck in your decision!

By the way...I have 8 tattoos and plan on getting at least one (probably 2) more!

1) I thought about my tattoo for a long time before I settled on a design, and ultimately went and had it done. After years and years of saying I want it, I finally got it as a birthday present 3 years ago. I have absolutely no regrets about it, even though my mother hates, hates, hates it (or so she says).

I would not change anything about the tattoo itself, or it's placement. The experience of getting it was actually pretty interesting. After having my appointment for booked for 4 months, I got a call 2 weeks prior from the shop asking if I wanted to have it done at the Boston Tattoo Convention instead of in the shop. I got the same tattoo, it was at a slightly discounted rate, and the Convention was something I never would have gone to on my own, but really, really cool. Oh, and a couple of thousand people watched me get it!

2) My tattoo is on the back of my hip, and I have not really seen it stretch or shrink yet. I am sure it is tattooed over stretch marks, since I am covered with them. I was about 250lbs when I got it done. My highest weight was 274, and I am now down to about 216. I have no idea how it will look when I drop even more weight, but I'm not too concerned.

http://www.geocities.com/speck55/tatdetail.jpg

Sorry for the lifesize picture of my butt, so I included it as a link! And please excuse the fat - this was taken days after I had the tat done.

I have 4 tattoos. . I love all of them, they are all meaningful things.

I have a rule of thumb... before I seriously consider getting anything inked it must be something I've wanted for a year or more.

I have 2 tattoos, one on the back of each shoulder, where I don't see them without looking in the mirror. They both are meaningful and I do not regret them at all! I think it is a good idea to get them where they can be hidden, if necessary, but tattoos are now so mainstream that it's not often necessary to hide them!

I have 3 tattoos. A flower on my wrist(bracelet), peacocks on my left upper arm and my kid's and dog's initials on a ribbon on my right upper arm. BTW, they are all henna. My oldest DD copied over the bracelet and peacocks that were done at IndiaFest and then did the ribbon freehand. I'm lucky to have a talented kid around.

I enjoy the henna b/c I can make them last if I want, but now that I want to go out looking for a new job, all I have to do is let them fade away. Plus, I can decide on something new if I want to. Lots of fun and no LIFETIME commitment. Gotta love that!!!

I have full sleeves, tattoos on my back, ankles, and shoulders. I don't regret any of them. Mine did not look any different from losing or gaining weight. If you want to see a picture of my arms, you can take a look at my profile picture!

I have eight tats, I love them all. I want more, but I have not had the expendable income to get more. My first one was when I was 18 and on my own at college.

1) Do you regret it? Or would you change anything about your tattoo or the experience of getting it?

I do not regret any of my tats, I would advise you against getting the first one on your head... which I did and that was pretty painful. Make sure if you get one you go to a shop and don't let anyone tattoo you out of their house. As the others have said, pick something that is meaningful to you. Also if they don't have what you want, a good artist should be able to draw something up for you or alter an existing tat.

2) Do tattoos stretch and shrink along with weight loss and gain?

I haven't noticed my tats stretching or looking bad, but I am only half way to my goal. My concern now is should I need surgery to remove extra skin, how will that affect my tats?

I have one - got it last year - and I LOVE it. I want another, but I haven't decided where or what yet.

I spent a long time thinking about the one I have, where I wanted it and what I wanted it to be. I got a blue dragonfly (sort of stylized) on my neck behind my ear. My hair is short enough that it shows and I get lots of compliments on it.

I dont' plan to have one anywhere that is going to grow or shrink as long as I'm still losing weight! When I hit my goal, we'll see what my skin looks like. I'm also planning on a tummy tuck (I think I'll need one) for after I hit my goal. So possibly after that, I'll get something on my hip - near my bikini line.

One thing I did was ask around a LOT. When I saw someone who had a tattoo I liked, I wasn't shy about asking them where they got it done and if they'd recommend their artist. Eventually I found that there was one place in my town that was consistently being mentioned and so I called them for an appointment. The guy who did mine was amazing and I know I'll be going back to them for all my future tattoos. (and yes, there will be more than 1 more in my future)

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I have several tattoo's and most of which were high school, trying to be cool mistakes. Yes I regret most of those, because they were not done professionally but they are all in places that can be hidden and eventually will be removed. One of them was on my arm and I have a beautiful rose to cover that one up, that I love and don't regret. I also have a wolfs paw on my back over my ribcage, looks like it is tearing his way out of me, and I like that one too. It is a good idea to use it as a reward for your weight loss because they can become destroyed by gain and loss through stretching etc. also, make sure it is in a spot not going to be in the sun all summer because sun exposure will damage it. I am all for tattoo's but make sure you really want one.

I think most tattoos are very nice on people. Blatantly offensive ones in very obvious places are not my favorite--I know someone who has a large tattoo of a naked woman right on his wrist/forearm and he complains that it's hard to find a job, since he doesn't want it covered up.
A good question to ask yourself is, "Do I want to explain this tattoo to my grandkids one day?"
Good luck! If you pick one, I'm sure you'll love it!

I have 4 tattoos...and here is my experience:

~When asking people if they regret their tattoo, or the placement, or the design-ask people who have had their tattoos for 5 years or more. The first year or two of a tattoo is still the "honeymoon" period.

I got my first tattoo when I was 17 years old. I will be 33 in a few weeks, so my first tattoo is almost 16 years old, I have had it almost half of my life. I SOOOOO hate it now. SOOOO hate it. Luckily, I was smart enough to get it in a place that is easily hidden by almost all of my clothing-on my upper thigh. I don't like where it is now, I don't like the design, I just simply don't like it, and it is there forever.


~Do tattoos stretch or change with weight gain/loss?

Yes, they can, and they do. However, it is going to depend on where the tattoo is, how much weight you gain and lose and how quickly, and where you tend to store your fat. I have a small tattoo (my 2nd one) on my belly, and this was done when I was 21. At that time in particular, it was paired with a belly button piercing on the same day. I thought I was hot stuff. However....now I am 33 years old, and have had three children. I am also a belly dancer, and when I got those things done, I didn't know that was what the future would hold for me. I HATE the tiny scar the piercing left in my naval. Hate it. I also hate the tattoo...and I plan on getting it recovered with something else to camoflauge it. The tattoo I have there now is too "cutesy" and I hate it. I have had it for 12 years. The tattoo has actually gotten a bit bigger, from being stretched out from 3 pregnancies. It went from the size of a quarter to the size of a 50 cent piece.


~Other information:

I don't hate ALL of my tattoos, just the first two. I love my 3rd and 4th ones. My third is over 10 years old, and my most recent one is about 5 years old.

My advice if you decide to get inked:


~Make it in a place where clothing can hide it. I don't recommend the neck, the lower arm/wrist, the ankle, or places where it isn't easily hidden. Even on the ankle, you should think about how you will feel when you are 70 years old. Do you really want the Winnie the Pooh on your ankle showing when you are a senior citizen wearing a dress or skirt? Many younger people think that they don't care if it shows, but 20 or 30 more years of life experience CAN and often DO change that.

~Don't get a generic tattoo. What I mean is...something that 10 million people already have. Like a tribal arm band on a guy...or the butterfly on the ankle or lower back of a woman. No Tazmanian devil, either.

~No names of boyfriends/girlfriends/spouses. Ever. The minute you do that, you are dooming the relationship to fail. Remember when Johnny Depp got the tattoo "Winona Forever"?



As I said before, I don't hate my last 2 tattoos...but, if I could do it all over again, and have a "clean slate" I would. Especially given my profession...