It’s the one thing that has kept millions of people who have always wanted a tattoo from actually getting one – the fear of a hack job. Unfortunately, you may be one of the unlucky few who have a tattoo that sucks. And that sucks. So here you are online, typing “how to deal with a bad tattoo” into your Google search bar. The good news, is that you’ve arrived right here. Below are the six courses of action to consider that will leave you feeling better than you did before you started reading this.
6 Alternatives to Consider When You Have a Tattoo That You’re Really Unhappy With
I. Ask What Others Think of It
Is it possible that you’re seeing the tattoo through a tainted lens? For instance, if you didn’t like your tattooist’s personality and/or the session was unpleasant (beyond the expected pain and discomfort) you may have set yourself up to not like the tattoo before you laid eyes on it in the mirror. That bias may have stuck with you for days, weeks, months, or more. In reality, the tattoo may not be bad at all. Ask friends and family what they think of it. If they unanimously think it was a job well done, you may need to rethink your position and see it through fresh eyes.
II. Ask the Tattooist to Fix It
Follow these instructions if you noticed that your tattoo artist messed up as soon as you have inspected it in the mirror post-session. The earlier you nip it in the bud, the more likely it can be corrected after it has healed, by the same tattooist.
However, your inquiry about how to deal with a bad tattoo may come months or years after you received it. If so, it may still be salvageable if the problem has to do with lining around the edges, depth of color/tone, or anything else that can be improved with a touchup. If you can’t track down the original artist, call local studios to find an artist who doesn’t mind (and perhaps specializes in) fixing the shoddy work of others.
III. Clothing Cover-Up
Is your bad tattoo is in a place that can be covered (from public view) by clothing and/or accessories through the more challenging spring and summer months? Simply add those items to your wardrobe and try to forget about the tattoo, if you don’t currently have the budget for corrective action. These tips to saving money for a tattoo can then be applied to laser fading for coverup or removal in the future, both of which we have detailed below.
IV. Laser Fading for Cover-Up
One very reasonable way to deal with a bad tattoo is to have it faded via laser. Fading occurs to the point that it can be covered up with the tattoo you initially desired. View more on the laser tattoo fading for coverup process.
V. Laser Removal
If the tattoo is so undesirable that you want it gone, with no memory of it to remain, obliterate it via laser. Please note that not all laser removal services are the same. You need to choose a studio that offers state-of-the-art laser technology. Only then can you ensure you don’t end up with a bad removal in an attempt to get rid of a bad tattoo. If you have any concerns over how effective our techniques really are, watch this video.
VI. Learn to Live With It
If you don’t want to invest in a correction, cover-up, or removal, then you need to come to terms with living with it. Can you treat it like you would a battle scar, and chalk it up to one of life’s adventures that had an unintended consequence? Try to look at it that way over the next few months and see if your perception changes. Who knows, you may be able to laugh about it one day and leverage it as a conversation starter.
Adrenaline Studios can help with bad tattoo corrections, cover-ups, and removals. If located in the Greater Vancouver BC or Toronto ON area, schedule a consultation at a shop near you.
Written By:
Adrenaline Tattoo
Tattoos, not attitudes. Piercings, not pricks. From the beginning, Adrenaline’s focus has been on delivering the best customer service possible within the body modification industry.
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