You may have been young and foolish when you got your first Tattoo or you may have walked in boldly and with intention, pulling out a carefully selected picture knowing exactly what you want. Many years later you may still be loving that sexy ink and looking forward to adding a few more pieces to your collection or you may be wondering, is my tattoo hurting my life? Either way, there is a lot to think about when making such a permanent statement on your body.

While some argue that there is no bad place to get a tattoo, others will advise you to avoid certain painful, or obvious, areas. If you are of the latter category, you definitely want to know how to delicately approach the subject of Tattoos. While some areas are painful others may impact your ability to get a job. Before taking the plunge, read our list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for places you may want to consider carefully before getting your tattoo.

The Face- Why it’s Not a Good Idea
Let’s start with the most controversial, albeit the most trendy spot to get a tattoo, the face. There are a variety of tattoos that people get in and around the facial area, such as beauty marks, dainty neck tattoos and now popular procedures that offer eyebrow and lip tinting. However, even a small tattoo is going to hurt if you do it on your neck or cheeks. You should also be thinking about the pain of the inevitable removal of such a tattoo. Many people experience “buyers regret” with facial tattoos. Fading is also something to consider as the face is more exposed to the sun than on any other part of the body.

Inner Arm- A Safe Bet
While it may be obvious that the face is not the best place to get a tattoo, one of the best places to get one would the inner arm, though it’s still rather painful as the skin is very sensitive there. Usually, a tattoo will be painful on a bone or on any skin that is not exposed to the sun. What’s great about the inner arm area is that it offers a discrete place to showcase your ink and can be covered by long sleeves. This area is also not exposed to the sun so your artwork will stay vibrant longer.

The back- Why it’s a Good Spot
Just as with the inner arm, the back can be covered when you don’t want the tattoo to
be seen. Yet, it can be shown off in certain settings if you are wearing a backless dress or a tank top. Another benefit is that your back doesn’t go through weight fluctuations so the tattoo won’t warp or lose its shape.

Abdomen- Why it’s a Bad Idea
Pregnancies, weight gain, weight loss and aging all affect how a tattoo is going to
look in this area. There is very little chance that it will look the same as when you got it. To avoid “tattoo regret” later on, avoid the abdomen. You want to enjoy any tattoos that you decide to get for many years to come.

If you do have some ink regret, not to worry. These days, there are clinics that can help!

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