On Second Thought

Tattoo regret is trending. Mainstream media have reported on rising tattoo regret, especially among Gen Z, as illustrated by “USA Today” and KSL News Radio, which also linked it mainly to social media trends and their popularity.

The reasons why some feel remorseful about the ink imprinted on their body are abundant. Tattoo artist and cover-up specialist, with a master’s degree in mental health counselling, CeeJ (@ceejtheartist), and tattoo collector Reno (@cherryemojigirl) shared their experiences with tattoo regret and offered advice on how to avoid it.

Popular Yet Regretful

Tattoos are more popular than ever, not just in the U.S., but worldwide. As more people get tattooed, regret naturally increases, especially with the influence of social media, CeeJ explained. “Social media has done an amazing job in glamorizing the final product without educating people on things like healing, placement, or long-term aging,” she said.

Reno echoed this sentiment: “I think a lot of people who are now regretting their tattoos lack a real appreciation of tattoo culture and never really wanted to be tattooed in the first place. The rise in tattoo regret, specifically among Gen Z, feels like part of a broader identity crisis fueled by social media.”

This resonates with sociologist Paul Sweetman, who argued that tattoos and fashion do not work well together in his research article “Anchoring the (Postmodern) Self? Body Modification, Fashion and Identity.” Fashion is fleeting and thrives on fast-changing trends, where tattoos, due to their permanence, thrive best on personal reflection and a focus on long-term personal or cultural expression.

More recently, Robert Morlock and Amy Morlock argued in “Think Before You Ink: Perception, Prevalence, and Correlates of Tattooing and Tattoo Regret in U.S. Adults” that the greatest factors they see contributing to tattoo regret is a lack of self-reflection, a heightened focus on trends, and people getting tattooed due to what they interpreted to be peer pressure. This has led to a new appreciation of the effects of fashion, trends, and social media.

Understanding Tattoo Regret

The reasons for regretting a tattoo can be as varied as the people who get tattoos, and many do fall victim to social media trends, but not all. Reno’s personal experience with tattoo regret serves as a great example: “I had two tattoos that I ended up regretting for different reasons. One of them was just a bad tattoo… I didn’t know what to look for in a tattoo artist, and it just didn’t come out how I wanted. The second one had more personal meaning at the time, but that meaning no longer resonates with me… it started to feel like a constant reminder of a version of me I had outgrown.”

CeeJ also noted the most common reasons for regret among her clients. “A few common patterns include rushing into the tattoo decision, not properly researching an artist’s style before booking the appointment, and choosing tattoos based on trends rather than personal meaning. Many clients also get tattooed during highs and lows, which can also impair judgment.”

But knowing how diverse the reasons for tattoo regret can be does not mean we understand it fully. Another important aspect to give attention to is that not all regret their tattoos to the same extent. Simply put, there is a world of difference between regretting a tattoo — or a few tattoos — and regretting being tattooed, as Reno put it herself.

“Something a lot of people struggle to understand is that just because I regretted those specific tattoos doesn’t mean I regret being tattooed. I love being tattooed,” Reno explained.

It is important to remember this distinction when discussing tattoo regret — that a person can easily regret a tattoo without regretting being tattooed or losing importance in relation to their self-identity from being tattooed. Being tattooed can still be part of how they identify, even if they regret some.

Motivation and Connection

Think about what motivates you to get a tattoo and how you connect with the tattoos you already have. These are some of the most crucial points to take from Reno’s experience with tattoo regret, and something that has also been highlighted by researchers Eric Madfis and Tammi Arford in their scientific article “The Dilemmas of Embodied Symbolic Representation: Regret in Contemporary American Tattoo Narratives” where they argue that narratives and meanings tied to a tattoo need to be something that can evolve with the person and where they can continue to resonate with it for years to come.

“A lot of people get really hung up on making sure their tattoos are meaningful… to the point they never end up getting tattooed at all,” Reno explained. “But for me, the tattoos I tend to regret are actually the ‘meaningful’ ones. While they might’ve held deep meaning at the time, they simply no longer resonate with me and can sometimes be painful reminders of people or moments that I’d rather move past. What I’ve found is that I’m usually happiest with the tattoos where I didn’t overthink it. When I just found an artist whose work I loved and let them create something cool, I’ve ended up way more satisfied in the long term.”

Reno’s experience here echoes what Madfis and Arford found: tattoos avoid regret best when the narratives and meaning tied to them resonate with the wearer’s sense of self and are also capable of evolving with the wearer. This means that tattoo meaning should neither be too rigid nor should it be devoid of personal meaning and reflection.

Reflection, Patience, and Forgiveness

Regretting a tattoo is not failure, especially if you are among those who want to cover their bodies and would prefer to go the cover-up route. To avoid regret altogether, do your due diligence before booking a tattoo session.

“Take time to learn about tattoo culture, different styles, techniques, and what makes a good tattoo. And think about your body as a whole canvas. Placement, size, and style matter so much more than people realize,” Reno suggested. “Also, be honest with yourself about why you want a tattoo. Don’t do it just to chase a trend — do it because you genuinely want to be tattooed. If you stay true to yourself, you’ll be much happier in the long run.”

“My personal advice to avoid tattoo regret is (to) take your time, first and foremost. Don’t rush into the process, sit with the idea and make sure it feels right for you,” CeeJ said, adding, “Do your research and choose an artist whose style aligns with your vision, not just based on price and convenience, avoid trends… think long term, and (ask yourself) will this tattoo resonate with you years from now?”

These sentiments echo what Michael Rees’s research participants argued in “Tattooing in Contemporary Society” — a quest for personal meaning and authenticity, accompanied by patience and reflection, is much more conducive to avoiding regret than trends and impulsivity. Tattoos may not need deep meaning or narratives, but being tattooed needs to be meaningful.