Regret — we all experience it at one point or another, and nothing stirs up remorse quite like a bad tattoo. An estimated 32% of people in the United States have a tattoo, and about one-quarter of them may end up regretting their funny tattoos or wanting them removed.
Before getting a tattoo, most of us spend a long time picking the design, consulting with the tattoo artist, and choosing the perfect spot for our body art. The lesser part of the people get drunk, find a guitar string, some fountain pen ink, and presto — they now have a truly regrettable tattoo.
As far as we can tell there will never be a lack of tattoo fails nor a shortage of people willing to share their ugly tattoos. We has added a new list of bad tattoos that either didn’t go as planned or will make you question what goes through people’s minds.
From bad artists who didn’t quite nail it to bizarre artistic choices, scroll down below to see these cautionary tales of the worst tattoos ever!
#1 Some Guy Tried To Copy My Tattoo Artist’s Work – Tattooed A Nipple On His Arm
#3 This Guy’s Haircut
When Do Tattoos Go Wrong?
It usually starts with a bad design or a spur-of-the-moment decision. Imagine someone picking a tattoo on the fly, not thinking about how it’ll look years down the road or if it really suits them.
Then, there’s the actual tattooing part. Things can go south if the artist isn’t… qualified, to say the least. You know, shaky lines, words spelled wrong, colors that blend into a muddy mess — basically, a great idea getting lost in the process.
And let’s not forget aftercare. Tattoos need TLC to heal right. Skipping out on the care tips can lead to all sorts of trouble, like infections or a faded, sad-looking tattoo.
And while you’re checking out these hilariously stupid tattoos, think about where it all went wrong. Was it a quirky idea that didn’t work, an artist’s slip, or maybe just bad luck in the healing process?
#4 Today I Learned That My Friend’s Chinese Tattoo Literally Means “Turkey Sandwich”
#5 For Real, Man?
#6 El Señor Nippleriño
How Common is Tattoo Regret?
It turns out that tattoo regret is a real thing for quite a few people. In a Pew Research Center survey involving 8,480 adults, they found that about 24% of tattooed Americans have some regret about their ink. This isn’t a tiny number, considering 32% of US adults have at least one tattoo.
Interestingly, the level of regret varies among different groups. For instance, 30% of tattooed Hispanic adults reported some regret, compared to 23% of White and 21% of Black adults.
There also appears to be a slight variation in tattoo regret based on education levels. Those with some college or less education are more likely to regret their tattoos (25%) compared to those with higher educational levels (19%).
This info helps put things into perspective, doesn’t it? As you’re scrolling through these bad tattoo choices, it’s interesting to think that a good number of these people might be part of the 24% who regret their decision.
#7 “It’s Is My Life” – Jon Bovi
#8 Roar
#9 This Tiger Though
What to Do When You Get a Bad Tattoo?
So, you’ve got a tattoo that didn’t turn out as awesome as you thought it would. Don’t sweat it! First off, give it some time — what seems like a disaster at first can grow on you. If not, you’ve got options.
Cover-up tattoos are a popular choice. A skilled artist can work wonders, turning your regret into a piece you’re proud of. Laser tattoo removal is another route, though it’s pricier and takes several sessions. And hey, if it’s a small or simple mistake, sometimes a little touch-up is all you need.
But remember, the best fix is prevention. Think long and hard about your design and artist choice before getting inked. And if you end up with a tattoo fail, don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes — yours just happens to be a bit more permanent!
#10 Definitely Fits Here
#11 It’s Supposed To Be A Galaxy
#12 I’m Speechless
#13 Oh My God
#14 I Don’t Even Have The Words To Explain This
#15 This Tattoo Was Apparently Supposed To Be Of “Stars”
#16 Maximum Facepalm
#17 Third Into Fourth Always Gives Me Trouble
#18 Eminem Or M&M?
#19 Back Of The Head Tattoo
#20 Close, But Not Close Enough
#21 Dog Tits
#22 Turtle Head
#23 The Bananas Threw Me For A Loop
#24 Incredible Angelina’s Jolie Portrait
#25 A Facebook Friend Wanted A Very Specific Tattoo, I Think The Artist Really Nailed It
#26 So My Buddy’s Step Sister Got A Tattoo Of Her Mother
#27 This Guy Got A Sunglasses Tattoo On His Face
#28 Money Talks
#29 The Girl With The Vegan Tattoo
#30 Guy From High School Got The Same Tattoo As His Dog
#31 My Poor Drunken Choice
#32 I Don’t Even
#33 A Girl I Went To High School With Has This On Her Upper Thigh
#34 Getting A Tattoo Of Your Newborn
#35 My Uncle’s New Tattoo. Christmas Will Be Awkward This Year
#36 This Guy’s Argyle Sock Tattoo
#37 Oh My
#38 Not Sure If It’s Genius Or Just Horrible
#39 Found This Gem Browsing Facebook
#40 Impressive Dot Work, But Why?
#41 I Think Thom Yorke Will Love It
#42 Expectations VS. Reality
#43 Happy Meal
#44 Dude Sure Loves His Turtle
#45 Interested In The Story Behind It
#46 My Mom’s Ex Got A Tattoo Of Her After She Passed. I Guess I Never Realized My Mom Was An Asian Man, With 5 O’clock Shadow
#47 Unfortunate Tattoo Placement In An Engagement Photo
#48 Zipper Tattoo
#49 “Angel Wings”
#50 “My Own Design”
#51 Please Kill Me
#52 Tiger Anatomy Continues To Baffle Artists, Survey Says
#53 The Concept Looked So Promising
#54 Six-Pack
#55 Yeah, Let’s Just Get A Spider Tattoo
#56 Instagram Find. I Never Laughed So Hard At A Tattoo
#57 Friend On Facebook Seems Proud Of This Gem
#58 When You Get A Tattoo At Age 11
#59 Friend Bought A Tattoo Gun On Amazon For £100. Tattooed Darth Vader On Himself
#60 Erm… A Lion?
#61 Struck Gold On Facebook Today
#62 Ryan Gosling
#63 Leopard Print Or Little Hamburgers?
#64 If Only Their Familey Had Warned Them
#65 This “Artist’s” Work Comes Across My Facebook Feed Daily, Quite The Treasure Trove
#66 The Best Photo He Could Find Of Him
#67 This Just Popped Up On Facebook
#68 Is It Just The Angle Or Does She Have A Pinocchio Arm?
#69 Found On Tinder, Solid Left Swipe
#70 What A Cute Lil Sword
#71 Sadly I’m Related To This Kid
#72 ICP Face Make-Up Tattoo. 100% Real
#73 Spotted On The Chicago Subway. A Paw And Bow Tie, Or…
#74 Will It Look Good When It’s Done? And Yes, It’s Real
#75 I’ve Got A Hunch That He Isn’t, “Wrongfully Convicted.” Call Me Crazy, But
#76 Spotted On The Beach. Go Bulls!
#77 Blurring The Line Between Art And Reality
#78 When Fashion Is Life
#79 Thus Beauty On Facebook Marketplace
#80 But Why?
#81 Okay, Buddy, Okay
#82 It Looks Like A Lawsuit
#83 Not-So-Magic Mike
#84 Was On A Dating Site And This Popped Up
#85 Got This When I Was 16
#86 Flaming Nips
#87 But Why
#88 “Yeah, I Want A Full Sized Wrestling Championship Belt Tattooed Across My Stomach In Extreme Detail. Don’t Worry About My Belly Button”
#89 I See A Lot Of These On My Feed
#90 Found This Butterface On A Local Shop’s Instagram
#91 “I Hate Being Barefoot”
#92 It Happened
#93 You Guys Remember The Movie Spirit, Right?
#94 A Tattoo Artist At A Well Known Store In My City Did This On Herself, And Posted It To Facebook. Everyone Loves It. Am I Crazy For Not Seeing What Everyone Else Sees?
#95 This Is An Abomination
#96 All Eyes On You
#97 Eye See U
#98 When All You Want Is Long Hair
#99 I Told Him Not To Do It, My Friend Got A Centipede Tattoo On The Face
#100 Another Gem
#101 Want To Play?
#102 This Dope Tiger Face Tatt
#103 Rocky Dennis Tattoo
#104 Once You Go Black
#105 While We’re Doing Teen Mom Tattoos. Here’s Amber’s Tattoo Of Her Daughter
#106 Don’t People Know These Things Are Permanent?
#107 Wow Those Lines And ‘Birds’ Are Awful
#108 This Is Just Amazing
#109 Found This Nightmare On Instagram
#110 From A Legit Shop
#111 Fancy Dinner, Anyone?
#112 Placement Fail
And that’s a wrap on our tour of tattoo disasters! We can’t help but wonder which ones made you laugh or cringe the hardest. Have a favorite (or should we say, the least favorite) from this list? Go ahead and give it an upvote.
Better yet, drop us a comment and share your thoughts. Maybe you’ve got a tattoo story of your own to tell? We’re all ears!