What Tattoo Is Right For You?

Choosing a tattoo is a big decision. Tattoos are a beauty statement, a fashion statement, and most of all, a personality statement. Venturing into any tattoo parlor without a plan or a clear idea of what you want is a bad idea. Chances are that within the days, months or years that follow you will regret your decision. But how do you decide just want you want?

If you are having problems choosing a tattoo design, below are some important questions that you need to ask yourself before you have yourself inked. We’ll start with the most important question first:

1) Why do you want one? What is the reason for you wanting to have something stuck to your skin forever? If you are doing this for someone else, forget the idea of getting a tattoo as this almost always leads to regret and the need to get tattoo removal laser surgery (which is painful, costly, and can cause scarring).

If you are getting a tattoo because it “looks good”, sit on that decision for at least a month and really think about how good it will look on you. Peer pressure is another important reason to NOT get a tattoo. All in all, if you want a tattoo, it should be something that you want personally for yourself and no one or nothing else.

2) How will the tattoo affect your life? A lot of people run out and get tattoos, failing to realize that it is against their workplace’s dress and appearance code. A tattoo may be neat for a while, but it is not worth losing your job over. Tattoos can also change one’s perception of you, especially depending on the design, so really think hard about what the social and workplace consequences may be. Remember that depending on the tattoo’s placement, the tattoo itself may change shape and appearance as well.

3) Have you thought about the design? A design that you choose should be something that has meaning to you (it should not merely be something that “looks pretty”) and that should be a reflection of you. Think about things that you enjoy, that you love, that you can’t live without, or someone/something you may want to honor with your tattoo.

Looking at other tattoos will help you think up of designs, but also be sure to look at posters, books, and even art to gather ideas. If you are choosing to have words accompany the tattoo, make sure that the phrase or quote is something that completely represents you as a whole, and not necessarily the “you” right now. Quotes should also be quoted correctly or you will be living with a bit of embarrassment for a long time.

4) Where do you want the tattoo? One of the most important considerations is: do you want the tattoo fully visible every day? If you don’t want your tattoo making an appearance every day at work, definitely have the tattoo placed in an area that will be easily concealed by clothing.

If you’re having a really hard time deciding where to put it, a good idea is to get a henna tattoo in the place where you want the real tattoo to go. Henna tattoos are temporary, but it will stay on your skin long enough to give you an idea of what it will look like and how others will react to it.