teenagers and tattoos

In GA its illegal for anyone under 18 to get tattooed even with parents consent. I dont know what the laws are anywhere else. Anyways, I think that by the time she gets older, she will regret having a fairy. I know a few people that thought the fairy route was going to be super cute and turns out years later when its blurred to an almost furry fairy, they have no clue why they wanted a fairy in the first place. I would say 18-20yrs old when she can do research on what style of tattooing she is a fan of, and several artists who are experts at their craft, she'll be more ready. www.allornothingtattoo.com is my favorite. I dont suggest going to the first place you find, look into places near you online, and check out tattoo conferences, you can find alot of amazing artists there. If she still insists on getting on, make sure its somewhere easily covered up if she ends up hating it!

My mom made me wait until I was 18 even though I had a design picked out at 16. I am so glad that I waited, it allowed me to have other choices and ultimately decide on something I would not regret. Looking back, if I got what I wanted then, I probably would regret it now. Please make her wait.. shes not ready for that kind of decision in her life. Just my thoughts.

Let me tell you my experience. I wanted a tattoo as a teenager and my mother said no. I was determined that I wanted a tattoo and I was not going to let no stop me. because all of the professional tattoo places required my parent's signature I had to find someone to do it on the side. The end result was terrible, very unprofessional and sloppy. That's what I regret, the terrible quality of work I got. Now, if my mother would have allowed I would have been able to go to a respectable shop and have quality work done. I think if she is set on having one it would be better to allow her to have a professional, high quality one done in a respectable shop rather then having her sneak around and having an ugly tattoo done. Not to mention the safety issues between a licensed shop and an unlicensed guy doing it.

Though it IS sensible for her to wait, I was dying for a tattoo when I was 16 and had one done anyway and my parents didn't realise untill my father had to treat my legs as I had sever muscle strain when I was 18. (He is a arcupunturist) I don't regret having it done, I think it is pretty still (4 years after) and am thinking of getting it re inked with things added to it. I think you should talk to her about it and not nag or anything but make sure she is really sure as I think even parents can't stop their kids from getting one done if the child is too determined. However, in UK where I live the legal age for getting a tattoo is 18. (I'm not sure why the tattooist who did my tattoo didn't even ask for ID) Maybe its lower where you live but she might not be able to legally get one anyway.

My daughter got her first tattoo on her 16th birthday. She wanted one for about a year and we finally said yes when she turned 16. She got it on the bottom of her back. Of course I would have been thrilled if she changed her mind at 16 and said she didn't want it, but we felt it was fine if that's what she really wanted. On her 18th birthday she got her 2nd tattoo. This one is on the inside of her ankle. A beautiful dragonfly (she loves dragonflies!).

Its a VERY VERY bad idea for many reasons. I would tell about people I have met who have regretted having tattos, and why. And how painful and expensive it is to remove them. Maybe worth 100 hours of convincing. When she is 18 she will do what she wants to anyway.

I would tell her to wait until she was 18. That will give her two more years to think about it. She may find she doesn't want it then. If she went around behind my back and got it with ehr own money. They she would have her own money to pay for other things then too. In other words i would cut her off for a very long time.

I will make her wait a few more years. I didn't get my tattoo till I was 30! No regrets there. I think 16 is still a little too young to get something so permanent as a tattoo.

It's my opinion that a person should wait until they are 18 or 21 to get something so permanent. By then the phase has passed, as it did for me, or the person would get something that is truly meaningful and not look back with disgust and a regret filled heart. So I think she should wait what's 2-5 years?

I say wait till she's 18 and then if she still wants it then go for it. At that age there were tattoos I was desperate for and would have regretted when I was older. I think if there's a tattoo you want, you should wait a year or two at least and then if you still want it get it. It gives you more time to decide if you'll always want it. There's nothing worse than a tattoo you regret.

I say wait. At 16 you think you know it all. I sure did. I wanted everything but everything comes with a price. I don't think a 16 can think that far ahead. I know she will be mad but she will get over it. Good Luck!

ok on this discussion. Try to take a really hot ligther and put it on your skin and hold it there for long as you can then you will deturmend if you can handle it. i have two tattoos and one of them is on my left hand beteween my tumb and my fingure. its big with a cross and a baner and up above it has friends on it. the other one is on my left shoulder and its a heart with wings. and its also meduim sized. so i think its up to the person. my sister got her belly button pireced and she is only 13. i would rather them get this then go behind your back and get pregunt or have partyes. tonya