What Is The Best Age For A Tattoo?

The popularity of tattoos has grown like crazy in recent years, and for good reason! Tattoos can be a beautiful way to express yourself and create something that is unique only to you. One of the most common tattoo questions is, what is the best age to get a tattoo? Tattoos can be wonderful, high-quality pieces of art – but they can also be complete disasters. If you get one too young, it could cause years of regret. Here is what I mean.

A lot of the time, bad tattoos are the result of poor timing and rash decisions. Obviously, tattoos are permanent and while they can be very fun and exciting, they also require thought, research, and a certain level of maturity. What you want to get tattooed at 15 years old is likely not something you will still want on yourself 10 years down the road. This is exactly why tattoos have age restrictions that are enforced without exception.

What Is The Right Tattoo Age?

So, what is the best age to get a tattoo? You will be legally allowed to get a tattoo at the age of 18. There are many different opinions out there on the best age, but the reality is the right age is the one that lines up with the law. Some places may allow it at younger ages with parental consent.  

Tattoos are so desirable these days that many young people are rushing into them as soon as they turn 18. Tattoos that are acquired without any proper consideration will almost always be met with regret at some point down the line.

Therefore, it is important to put some real thought into your tattoos before getting them. There are many factors to consider when you are thinking about getting a tattoo and doing so as soon as you are 18 is not always a good idea.

Know Yourself Before Getting A Tattoo

Your tattoo is going to be with you forever, so it should go without saying that the tattoo should be something you like or be meaningful to you in some way.

When getting a tattoo of something that you like , you should give it some extra thought and consideration. Consider things like, marriage, kids, jobs, and other future situations before jumping in the chair. Likes, dislikes, and tastes can change as you grow. You may love a certain type of music today, but will you still have the same appreciation in 20 years? The answer may very well be yes, but it is an important thing to think about before committing.

For these reasons, it may be wise to wait until at least your early twenties before you begin getting tattoos.

Think About Your Reasons

There are many reasons one may be wanting a tattoo, and not all of them are good. Some may have a simple desire to follow the trend, copy their friends, or fit in with the crowd. Others may want to rebel against authority, or perhaps spite someone with a tattoo.

These may seem like legitimate reasons at the time, but they are not. These tattoos will likely not have any lasting meaning. Your reasons for getting a tattoo should be completely personal, and not intended to please or impress anyone else.

Consider Your Future Career

The popularity of tattoos is on the rise, and as a result, so is the acceptance and tolerance of tattoos. This is great news for some professionals who want to get some ink, but this does not mean that they are accepted everywhere. There are many professions where tattoos are frowned upon and often not allowed at all. Many medical positions, government jobs, law enforcement, and education are a few fields that often put restrictions on tattoos.

It is good to keep your aspirations in mind when considering a tattoo. Many still don’t know exactly what they want to do with their life at 18 years old. Getting multiple tattoos at a very young age may end up limiting what you are able to do in the future. Therefore, it is smart to wait until you know what you want to do with your career before you start putting tattoos in obvious places on your body.

Tattoos Change Over Time

Another thing to consider is the way tattoos can change over time. A colorful tattoo may look bright and beautiful when it is freshly done, but the ink will fade. Black and grey tattoos tend to age better, but they still age. Taking proper care of your tattoos will help, but it will not completely stop the aging process. Colors will become more muted, fine lines and script may blur a little bit, and aging skin will contribute to the changing appearance as well. This is a natural and unavoidable part of getting tattoos – it will happen to everyone.

Leave Space for Future Tattoos

Some people are content with a single tattoo. Perhaps they commermorate a passed loved one, or maybe one small, cute little design is enough of an edge for them. Others, however, become collectors. Many people say that tattoos are addictive, and once you start, it’s hard to stop! If you know you want a large volume of tattoos someday, take this into consideration when you start. It may be fun in the moment, but if you have half of your body covered by the time you are 20, you won’t have any room left later in life when new likes and interests start surfacing, or when you see new designs you want. Going slow and leaving space will pay off in the long run.

Tattoo Removal is Costly and Painful

While tattoo removal is possible, it is not as easy and foolproof as many think. Removing a tattoo is difficult because the ink stays under the skin. There are many methods of tattoo removal that do exist, but simply do not work. There is one method that has proven to be quite effective in some cases, and that is a laser. The laser works by applying a powerful energy pulse that will heat and then shatter the ink of the tattoo. Tattoo removal is much more painful than the tattoo itself, even if numbed for the procedure. In addition to the incredible amounts of pain, tattoo removal also costs incredible amounts of money!

The exact cost will vary depending on the size of the tattoo, but expect $200-$500 per session. You should expect that you will need multiple sessions with an artist.

Time is another factor to consider when thinking about tattoo removal. A medium-large size tattoo may take months or even years to remove completely. Removal is common, but it is not ideal in any way and should serve as a deterrent to making poor tattoo choices. Avoiding the need for removal should encourage you to put the proper time and consideration into your decision to get a tattoo.

Closing Thoughts

In the end, it is completely up to you when you start getting your tattoos, but these are a few important things you can think about before getting started.

Your future self will thank you for taking time and putting thought into each tattoo! It’s up to you to make sure it is something that you will always enjoy. Opinions differ from person to person, but waiting until your mid-twenties to start getting tattoos is a good idea. This still leaves you with lots of time to get them while young, but it minimizes the chance of making rash decisions or choosing designs that you will only like for a short time.