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Tattoos are art, a way people express themselves, and while most of us have at least 1, some are not happy with them all. A new survey finds 73% of Americans like tattoos and 39% of Americans have gotten inked. But one in four admits they regret at least one of their tattoos. Do you have one you regret?
The poll also reveals details into the top tattoo regrets:
- The types of tattoos people regret most are lettering/script (19%), symbols (16%), names (12%), animal designs (10%) and tribal tattoos (9%).
- The biggest reason people end up regretting their tattoos is not being happy with the way it looks, followed by just not liking it anymore, thinking the artist did a bad job, not relating to the meaning anymore and the negative impact it has on professional opportunities.
- The location of the tattoo is also a factor in regret, as it turns out, certain areas of the body are more regrettable choices. The forearm is the location people regret most, followed closely by the bicep/tricep and the chest. Shoulder and thighs are tied for fourth and the ankle is fifth.
- Regret seems to take a while to sink in for a lot of folks, as 51% didn’t regret theirs until two or more years after getting inked. But 18% felt regret just a few days after getting the tattoo, 16% felt it within a week to three months and for 15% it took six months to a year.
- And nearly half (48%) say the tattoo they regret the most is the one they got spontaneously.
- Getting a tattoo can be expensive and those who’ve done it have spent an average of $745 on theirs. But only 16% think their most expensive tattoo was actually worth the money.
- Some of those with tattoo regret want to get rid of their ink, with 51% planning to have one tattoo removed in the future.
Source: Advanced Dermatology