Tattoos are a canvas of one’s soul, a silent symphony etched into the skin that speaks volumes about the bearer’s journey, beliefs, and passions. These indelible marks are more than mere decorations; they are intimate narratives woven into the very fabric of one’s being. Each design is a testament to individuality, a bold declaration of self-expression that transcends the short-lived trends of the day. For many, tattoos symbolize significant life chapters, embodying personal triumphs, cherished memories, or profound losses.
However, it is not unheard of for people to get a tattoo that they are initially confident about but regret later. Mostly, these are decisions taken in an instant.
I contacted tattoo artists in Delhi-NCR who shared stories of their clients’ tattoo regrets.
Saunak Roy, a tattoo artist at Delhi’s Devil’z Tattooz, shared how a client got a Swastika tattoo without knowing its political connotation and later regretted it.
“I recall a client, fresh from a Germany trip, impulsively inking a Swastika on his shoulder, unaware of its political connotations. Realizing the impact later, he sought our studio for a cover-up, underscoring the need to grasp the cultural context of symbols,” he said.
Tattoo artist Sahil Bali also shared an incident where a girl, under the influence of alcohol, ended up getting her boyfriend’s name etched on her skin but regretted it big time the following day. “A few months back, a girl came to the studio around the closing time and asked me to tattoo her boyfriend’s name. She looked like she was under the influence of alcohol. I even suggested she come the next day when she’d be sober enough to decide on it, but she was particular about getting the tattoo the same day. After an hour of consultation, I told her to get a small initial or name on some concealed place, but she asked me to do a tattoo big enough to cover her whole forearm. Even after I tried to convince her not to get a tattoo this big, she got it done. And the next day, she came back realizing how big she got it done, but it was too late to be fixed.”
Recalling another incident, he said, “The other time, a boy came in to get a detailed tattoo of a person’s face on his fingers. We highly recommend not to get a finger tattoo, as they don’t stay long due to less fat. Other than that, regular washing of the hands makes it fade away easily. To top it all, getting something as detailed as a face on the finger is a bad idea. I told him that it wouldn’t work out on the finger. But he thought I was not in the mood to make the tattoo. So, he went to some other studio and got the tattoo done. But within a week, he returned to the studio with the tattoo done by some other artist, and the tattoo was completely smudged and partially faded. Then he asked me to fix it up. But finger tattoos are a thing that can’t be fixed well enough, like we could fix tattoos on other body parts. So, now he is undergoing a laser removal session with us.”
Saunak Roy shared that people regret getting symbols tied to new relationships, like names or important dates. “A young couple got matching tattoos, but after finishing, the girl discovered her partner’s infidelity. They broke up before I could even cover the tattoo and explain aftercare. Now, they are regulars for our laser tattoo removal services,’ he said.
People get tattoos for different reasons. Some want to permanently mark a memory, while others use it as an attractive accessory. But regretting after getting a tattoo is not uncommon; the sole reason behind it is not giving enough thought to the finance and meaning associated with the design.
So, next time you think about getting inked, don’t forget to give it a good thought.