“If I hadn’t been cheated on I would’ve kept it”: FJ readers share their tattoo regrets

“I think tattoo removal is getting really mainstream and we’re getting really into ‘clean’ aesthetics.”

Like countless other 18 year olds, the moment I could legally book myself in at a tattoo studio, I did. First came a few tiny, fine line pieces – on my ankles, one on my wrist. Then came the Tumblr-core rib tattoo, a thicker arm piece and of course, the studying abroad stick and pokes. It’s almost a rite-of-passage when you’re young and the idea of regret feels like a far, far off possibility.

Now, 10 years on from my first tattoo, it’s safe to say I do have a few regrets – and it’s not just me. Pete Davidson, who was famously covered in tattoos, debuted his ink-free body in a Reformation ad campaign earlier this year and more recently, an anti-tattoo sentiment has been trending online.

Want to read more about how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.

Although tattoos largely reflect cultural shifts and trends, they’re also deeply personal, reflecting meaningful memories, cultural symbols or paying homage to people in your life. So, we put the call out to FJ readers, asking them how they feel about tattoos now, and whether they’ve considered getting them removed.

Kelly*, 24, she/her

I have nine tattoos and I got them over the space of three years. They all have sentimental value, which is why I chose them, but now I’m at a point where I’m looking to get a simple, easy flash tattoo for my next one. I don’t regret the tattoos I have but I wish I waited a little longer between getting them just so I could be 100 per cent sure. That sounds like a regret but I promise it’s not.

Nina*, 22, she/her

I have two tattoos. I got my first when I turned 18 and it’s palm-sized on my shoulder. Then, when I turned 20, I got another one on my side boob, which I love. It feels very me and it’s such an easy one to cover up if I need.

I do regret my shoulder one though. In the centre is a baby gecko and at the time, I didn’t like how the design turned out but didn’t say anything. I’m a stripper and since its so unique I worry about being recognised on the street. I really want to it removed, so I’ll have to save up.

Tahlia*, 30, she/her

I have around 30. I got my first one at 17 using my sisters ID, and when I moved to Melbourne I continued the collection. Sometimes I see people with nothing and think it looks really beautiful – our bodies are gorgeous the way they are. But I do think my tattoos suit my personality and style, and I feel like I’ve always been quite expressive and edgy.

I’ve had one removed – it was a tattoo I shared with an ex. I know people say not to get a tattoo with your partner but I think all tattoos reflect a key time in your life. If I hadn’t been cheated on I would’ve kept it.

I think the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic is trending online, which is why people now shame tattoos. I don’t think tattoos should be seen as a trend or something you get because it looks cool on someone else.

Lily*, 28, she/her

I got my first when I was 18 on an island in Cambodia and let’s just say I’m not proud of that one. I got my second done a year later by a friend of a friend in a dusty flat in my hometown. My third and fourth were done in Budapest for my 21st birthday – one is a sunset and it feels a bit cringe now. The other one is a matching heart with my younger sister.

My fifth tattoo is another matching sister tattoo – it’s a butterfly based on a drawing our brother did. We were at the gym and randomly decided to get it that afternoon at the closest tattoo parlour. I got most recent one (number six) when I turned 26 . It’s the only tattoo I actually put thought into and spent the money to go to a tattoo artist I liked.

I do regret them, although I don’t really think about them unless I’m going to a job interview or a formal event. I know it’s 2025 now and tattoos have become so normal but I think it’s more about how I perceive myself. I love them on other people but I don’t see myself as a tattooed person. I want to get one in particular removed, but I’m waiting for the technology to get better and for the treatments to get cheaper.

Ash*, 22, she/her

I currently have four tattoos. I got my first one when I turned 18 (typical) and the rest have been scattered. I plan to get way more but I need inspiration to strike for new ideas.

I do love them all but I have mixed feelings about my first one. I don’t necessarily regret it but I feel like I have evolved and my style has changed. I’m way too scared (and poor) to have it removed, I would prefer to cover it over with something that matches the rest of my tattoos. My artist is amazing and she can do anything, so I have full confidence. Shout out Juno Star Tattoo in Canberra!

Although I do understand tattoo regret, I see them as more of a show-and-tell of who you are (or who you were at one point in time) and as we move on, evolve and change, they’re good reminders of where we’ve come from. Our bodies are a canvas and you can always repaint!

Liz, 33, she/her

I have well over 50 tattoos and I started getting them from the minute I turned 17. I like most of them. I regret a best friend tattoo I have with someone I’m not friends with anymore and I also regret getting a trending style (sacred geometry).

My traditional tattoos are a lot more timeless but the geometric tattoo really shows my age. I think people will feel the same about cyber sigilism and other modern styles in ten years. I’ve had some removed so nothing is ever really permanent. I say just get the tattoo.

Hayley*, 22, she/her

I have three. I got them all this year and within one to two months apart. I still really love them but I just don’t know how to bring it up to my parents (not for the foreseeable future, at least).

Diya*, 25, she/ her

I have one on my ankle, one on my hip, two on my arm and three on my back. I see them as momentos from period of my life. I do regret some, like the one on my arm I got post-breakup. It was too impulsive.

Sarah*, 29, she/her

I have 16. I started when I was 18 and go through phases of getting one or two every couple of months, and then not getting them for ages! They’re a mixture of delicate, meaningful stuff and totally random designs.

I regret a few, mostly the larger more obvious ones that I think don’t fit in with my vibe or match the feeling of the rest of them. I’m torn, because even if I don’t love them now, I know that I really, truly loved them when I got them so I want to stay true to that person.

I think tattoo removal is getting really mainstream and we’re getting really into ‘clean’ aesthetics which is fine if that’s your thing, but there’s something to be said for letting your tattoos be what they are. They tell the story of who you were and what you liked at one point in time. Having said that I’ll still be researching how to get rid of the giant wolf on my ankle.

Jessica*, 28, she/her

I have 12 tattoos. My first one I did myself when I was 18 and my most recent one when I went through a bad break up when I was 26. I hate most of them. Some can stay and are not objectively offensive except one – I went through a bad break up three years ago and I got a massive cyber-girl tramp stamp that was a stick and poke given by one of my best friends. It took multiple sessions and whole lot of pain. I want it off my body – it seriously feels like an alter ego that I don’t align with at all.

I would love to get them removed! But in this financial climate? I think I’ll have to live with my decisions for a little longer. I was talking with my friend who gave me the tattoo and we both agreed that you shouldn’t be allowed to put tattoos on you body until you’re 30 and your brain has fully formed (haha).

Dee*, 20, she/her

I have around 15 (too many my dad would say) and I started getting them when I was 17 with a fake ID. I honestly still love them! I only kind of regret one – it’s a song title that I don’t really align with anymore. I look at my tattoos as past versions of myself, but they keep growing with me and change in meaning as I get older. I have a pair of ballet shoes i got tatted during schoolies (lol), but only now does it mean the most to me because I started dancing again this year with amazing people.

*Names have been changed for privacy.

For more on tattoo trends, try this.