50 People Who Should Have Researched Their Tattoo Artist Better Before Getting Inked (New Pics)

Forget about choosing a career path, getting married, buying a home, having children or deciding which city to settle down in. The most important decision you’ll ever make is whether or not to get that terrible tattoo you thought of in a drunken stupor. And if you haven’t yet gone through with it, allow this article to be a warning sign…Below, you’ll find photos of painfully bad body art that have been shared onthis subredditdedicated to unfortunate tattoos, as well as a conversation with one of the group’s moderators. Try not to get too much secondhand embarrassment while scrolling through, pandas, and if you’re planning on getting a piece of ink soon, please remember that it’spermanent. Maybe consider opting for a bad haircut instead?This post may includeaffiliate links.

Below, you’ll find photos of painfully bad body art that have been shared onthis subredditdedicated to unfortunate tattoos, as well as a conversation with one of the group’s moderators. Try not to get too much secondhand embarrassment while scrolling through, pandas, and if you’re planning on getting a piece of ink soon, please remember that it’spermanent. Maybe consider opting for a bad haircut instead?

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Poorly drawn camel tattoo on a person’s leg, highlighting the importance of researching tattoo artists better.

Man with sunglass and tattoo of bangs on his shaved head, highlighting tattoo artist choice.

Tattoo of a wizard holding a staff with unusual features, highlighting the importance of researching tattoo artists.

According to thePew Research Center, one third of adults in the United States have a tattoo, and 22% have more than one. Getting body art can be a great way for individuals to express themselves and improve their self-image, but unfortunately, they can also go wrong. OneUK studyfound that a whopping 78% of people with multiple tattoos regret at least one of them, and 31% have even considered having one removed. And that’s why online communities sharing photos of bad tattoos are so popular…The[Terrible] Tattoos subreddit, whose name we’ve had to censor, makes it very clear that there is no shortage of unfortunate tattoos in this world. But apparently, there’s also no shortage of people who enjoy judging tattoos either, as the community has amassed 577k members over the last 11 years. We reached out to the group’s moderator team to learn even more about the group, and lucky for us, u/ReverseLazarus was happy to have a chat withBored Panda.

The[Terrible] Tattoos subreddit, whose name we’ve had to censor, makes it very clear that there is no shortage of unfortunate tattoos in this world. But apparently, there’s also no shortage of people who enjoy judging tattoos either, as the community has amassed 577k members over the last 11 years. We reached out to the group’s moderator team to learn even more about the group, and lucky for us, u/ReverseLazarus was happy to have a chat withBored Panda.

Unusual cat tattoo with claws out, highlighting the need to research tattoo artists better.

Poorly executed tattoo of a well-known comic character, highlighting need for better tattoo artist research.

Ain’t a woman alive that wants Mama’s place.

Tattoo fail with shaky text on leg, highlighting poor decision in choosing an artist for the tattoo.

ReverseLazarus shared that she just recently joined the group’s mod team, as the subreddit had a significant increase in subscribers a few months ago and was in need of some help moderating. “I mod several other large subreddits, so I volunteered,” she explained. “I’ve been subscribed to this sub for years because I love seeing tattoos of all sorts, especially the ones that give me a good chuckle!“When it comes to why there are so many unfortunate tattoos out there, the moderator says it can come down to plenty of reasons. “Some people don’t want to spend a lot of money, so they turn to scratchers. Others are scratchers themselves and tattoo themselves and their friends for the hell of it,” ReverseLazarus shared.

When it comes to why there are so many unfortunate tattoos out there, the moderator says it can come down to plenty of reasons. “Some people don’t want to spend a lot of money, so they turn to scratchers. Others are scratchers themselves and tattoo themselves and their friends for the hell of it,” ReverseLazarus shared.

Simple cartoon ghost tattoo on arm, showcasing a need for better tattoo artist research.

Poorly designed tattoo resembling Calvin Klein underwear on skin, illustrating tattoo artist research importance.

Heart tattoo with hands, inspired by music, suggesting research before getting inked.

“Then you have those who did not expect their artist to be as bad as they were, and they’re mortified with the final product,” the moderator continued. “For me, those are always the most painful posts we get! I have quite a few tattoos myself, and while I know most of them do not fit the [crappy] label we give to the posts here at [this subreddit], I do have several that are 15+ years old and have aged rougher than I would have liked. I still love all of them though and would never consider them to be [bad] because they have so much meaning to me, but I cannot control the opinions of others,” she added with a smile.

Unusual horse tattoo with a human-like face and hair, on skin, symbolizing a need for better tattoo artist research.

Crude tattoo of a stick-figure Jesus on a person’s back, highlighting unskilled tattoo artistry.

Man with an unusual tattoo design on his chest, which appears to depict a figure using a door knocker.

ReverseLazarus also told Bored Panda that her favorite posts in the subreddit almost always involve really cool panthers. “My favorite part of this subreddit are those who post their [bad] tattoos while proudly stating how much they love it because it has so much meaning to them,” she added. “[Crappy] tattoos may not always be as [unfortunate] as you think!”

Poorly drawn tattoo of a bull on an arm, highlighting the importance of researching tattoo artists.

Tattoo of “Crystal Meth” and ingredients on arm, highlighting importance of researching tattoo artist better.

Tattoo reading “Victim of Circumcision” on a person’s forearm, highlighting the importance of careful tattoo artist research.

“There are two paths for someone with a [crappy] tattoo to take,” the moderator says. “Embrace the suck and learn to love it, or find a way to erase it from your body (with either a skilled cover-up artist or expensive tattoo removal). No matter what you decide, we’d love to see your [bad] tattoo!”

Woman with tattoos: bird on shoulder, colorful panther and flowers on back.

Back tattoo with religious theme covering neck and shoulders, featuring a cross and a face.

Tattoo comparison showing an amateur sketch vs. a detailed Anubis design, highlighting tattoo artist research importance.

For aprevious Bored Panda articlefeaturing unfortunate tattoos, we got in touch with Richard Fullam fromTattoo Removal Expertsto learn more about what it takes to eliminate a particularly bad tattoo. “To remove a tattoo, you need a course of laser treatments spaced at least 6 weeks apart,” Richard shared. “The pulses of light from the laser shatter the ink into tiny particles, enabling the body’s white blood cells to pick them up and take them to the liver where they are flushed away.”“The tattoo will gradually fade until, in most instances, it cannot be seen,” the expert explained. “An average tattoo takes around 6-8 treatments to remove. The process is safe, and with the best technology there should be no damage to the skin. It is a bit painful, however, if you can tolerate being tattooed, then the removal process normally is not a problem.”

“The tattoo will gradually fade until, in most instances, it cannot be seen,” the expert explained. “An average tattoo takes around 6-8 treatments to remove. The process is safe, and with the best technology there should be no damage to the skin. It is a bit painful, however, if you can tolerate being tattooed, then the removal process normally is not a problem.”

Person with a neck tattoo resembling a photo, highlighting research importance for tattoo artists.

Man with facial tattoos and piercings wearing red headphones.

Colorful gemstone tattoo on a person’s cheek, possibly by a tattoo artist needing better research.

Richard also previously shared with Bored Panda that his clinic has received an increasing number of calls recently from people who regret their tattoos on the same day they get them. “Sometimes, they watch the tattoo being inked, know they hate it, but don’t have the confidence to question the tattooist,” he shared.

Two individuals with questionable forehead tattoos posing for a selfie.

Hand with tattoos showing “BAD IDEA” and smiley face, symbolizing poor tattoo artist research.

Poorly executed tattoo of four faces with a banner reading “Thank You For Being A Friend.”

“There is always a reason for someone wanting a tattoo to be removed, whether it’s the design, size, position etc.,” Richard explained. “Some are just really bad ideas, like a recent client who had his ex wife’s name tattooed on his penis. If you are getting a tattoo, do your research, find a good tattooist, agree on a design, then think long and hard about whether you’re going to be happy with it for the long term. Also remember, just in case, that black/gray tattoos are a lot easier to remove than multicolored tattoos.”

Hand tattoo of an eye with blurred colors; another eye tattoo with a vibrant galaxy theme.

Man with an eagle tattoo on his forehead, illustrating a tattoo artist mistake.

Poorly done chest tattoo with misspelled words, highlighting the need for better tattoo artist research.

Tattoo art on legs featuring various small designs in purple lighting, highlighting the need for careful artist research.

Tattoo of a chicken bucket with text “KMF” above “Krispy Motha F***a,” illustrating a tattoo fail.

Person pointing at a small, comically drawn tattoo on their finger, highlighting the choice of tattoo artist.

Tattoo of a wolf with a human arm on an upper arm, showcasing unusual tattoo choices.

Tattoo reads “This body will be a corpse” on an arm. Reminder to research tattoo artists better.

Unusual leg tattoos with various doodles and text, depicting the importance of researching tattoo artists.

Tattoo of praying skeletal hands wrapped in an American flag, highlighting poor research on tattoo artist choice.

Tattoo featuring a handwritten name on wrist, highlighting the need for better tattoo artist research.

Inked portraits of three people on a leg, highlighting questionable tattoo artist research.

Poorly drawn tattoo depicting two cartoon-like skeleton figures.

Baby photo beside a tattooed portrait showing a discrepancy in quality.

Tattoo of a bearded man with sunglasses, text reads “the dude abides,” indicating poor artist research.

Tattoo of a cartoon character kissing a green creature, showcasing a humorous and unexpected design choice.

Cover-up tattoo featuring a large, dark design over an older tattoo on an arm, highlighting tattoo artist oversight.

Arm tattoo text saying “the cake is a lie,” highlighting tattoo artist choice.

Woman showing an elephant-butterfly tattoo on her back in a green dress.

Botched tattoo of a dog next to the original photo, highlighting a need for better tattoo artist research.

Unusual abstract tattoos on a person’s chest and torso, suggest researching tattoo artist beforehand.

Tattoo with a misspelled word and abstract face on skin; highlights researching tattoo artists before getting inked.

Tattoo of a colorful horse with the text “Italian Stallion,” possibly needing better research on tattoo artist.

Tattoo of shoelaces on a foot, highlighting inked art choice.

Poorly executed tattoo on a person’s back, indicating inadequate research on the tattoo artist.

Tattoo on a hand featuring an eye with radiating lines, possibly illustrating a lack of research in choosing a tattoo artist.

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