IM GETTING A "SECRET TATTOO"

HAHA! yall might laugh.... but, i just turned 18 and i want to get a tattoo REALLY bad. i just dont want my parents to see so i decided to get it like to the left of my pubic bone (where they cant see it) but the only problem is, i dont really know what to get. i know i want my name (kayla) and something else small. any ideas of something i could get, that is sexy but on the same time, something i wouldnt regret getting when i get older?? talk soon ~kayla~

put some thought into it, then perhaps you won't regret it.

Please think about getting a tattoo very well remember this always that I tell you my Young friend. A BAD TATTOO IS LIKE A BAD MARRIAGE VERY EASY TO GET INTO BUT VERY HARD AND PAINFUL TO GET RID OF. The reason I tell you this and compare it with a bad marriage is because you may be all for it not the glamour you may think that this is what you want and then when you want to get rid of it because is not what you wanted or out grew it the cover up means more pain and the laser even more and some times the cover up if is not by a good artist it will be worst that the original tattoo to begin with. I am not trying to talk you out of it I ecourage you to get it I think tattoo is one of the best way to EXPRESS YOUR SELF, but just don't get a tattoo for the heck of it think of what you want to get and make it to fit you so that way each time you look at it you feel good about it and check the artist portforlio and remember the paper hold everything you put on it and it looks very good on paper and if the artist is good it will look as good on skin but the paper holds all the pain you give it so go for something you find that makes you happy since you are the one that is going to go and take the pain of the tattoo. Good luck with it and fallow your artist after care instruction and don't use any short cuts.

As Chino said, just think about it before you get one. Don't rush into a parlor, look at all of the pictures, pick some random one out, and then end up not happy. I would suggest, BEFORE you decide on or get help with anything, look through their selection of actual tattoos done by the artists. Make sure that the work looks up-to-par, as not all artists are as good as others. Secondly, don't just pick a random picture. Once you have your artist in mind, talk to them about what it is u are thinking and they will work with you to make sure you will be getting exactly what you want (and you won't have a carbon copy of another tattoo :P ) Hope that helps! ~Ducky

Your getting great advice! Here are some of my thoughts that touch 2 topics in an upcoming article... 'Entry Level' and 'Common' Tattoos These types of tattoos are generally small and/or simple in nature, requiring little time to apply. Unfortunately, they often require little forethought, talent, or skill either. People usually get this type of tattoo to test the waters, and some do it merely to 'fit in' with their friends or a particular image. In any event, 'common' tattoos do have their positive qualities, but if you are getting a tattoo that you want to be unique, then you should realize that these designs generally are not very unique. The most common tattoos are things like names, hearts, small simple flowers, Chinese/Japanese letters, anything combined with tribal, tribal armbands, lower back tribals, etc. These tattoos are fine if you have researched and thought about it (as described in the previous section of this article), and know for sure that you are getting what you really want for the right reasons, but just keep in mind that they are common and often reconsidered (or downright regretted) later. Physical and Emotional/Intellectual Maturity We suggest a minimum age of 20 years old to get tattooed. In most of the U.S. the legal age to get a tattoo on your own is 18, but let's face it, most of us at that age, although granted certain legal rights, are still developing our personalities and changing our interests more rapidly than when we hit our early or mid twenties. This of course can lead to regrettable tattoo decisions even though the law says we can do it without penalty. In addition to this, many teenagers who are under 18 ask where they can get tattoos with their parents' consent, because in many states this is legal. However, with a few exceptions, most respectable professional tattoo artists are too busy to deal with the headaches of tattooing anyone underage, due to the fact of how rapidly teenagers are changing and how fickle they can be (and if you are a teenager reading this, those things are nothing to be ashamed or defensive about--they are normal and healthy parts of the aging and maturation process!). That said, if you look enough, you still may find someone talented willing to work on you, but odds say you will be getting the tattoo covered up anyway when you get older. We would suggest spending the time it takes until your 20th birthday or so learning about tattoos (as well as yourself), researching artists, and developing your ideas for a truly unique tattoo that is fantastic. If you are young and still want to get tattooed, just remember that your body parts should be finished growing, and that your ideas of what's cool will probably change over time. Know what permanent means.

Another thing I would add is that your parents should not be a consideration when getting a tattoo. If you are adult enough to tattoo your body for the rest of your life you should be adult enough to make sure your parents are informed. You will only be scared of your parents about your tattoo for the next 2 years, the tattoo will be with you for a *lot* longer. That said, as long as you live under your parents roof, you have to abide by their rules, and you should take their advice. You may just have to wait to move out onto your own before you get a permenent tattoo if your parents disapprove and/or forbid it, in fact, its probably for the better if you do.

Make sure you take your time to decide what you want! I'm 21 and I just got my first tattoo...I'd wanted one since I was 18 but could never decide what to get. I chose something that had meaning to me and my life. I know girls that get their sorority symbol tattooed on them and later regret it cause it doesn't mean anything to them anymore. So get on a ton of websites look up designs bookmark the ones you like. Print them out, cut them out, and hold in on the area you want to put it to get a feel for how it'll look. Sounds silly but it really helps! No one on here or your friends should choose it for you because we don't have to live with it the rest of our lives you do!