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Bad tattoos are almost an art form in themselves. Truly, who could want to have a bad tattoo on their skin permanently? Yet sometimes, it seems that some people are in some kind of race to see who can get the worst ink out there.
We here at Bored Panda love things that are so bad they cross the threshold into being absurdly funny. The subreddit "Bad Tattoos," then, is the perfect place to roam if you're looking to poke some lighthearted fun at others' bad decisions. Here is yet another compilation of the worst of the best from the subreddit that is like a PSA of thinking twice before getting that tattoo.
More info: Reddit
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#1
Real Life Plankton Tattoo
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
It's funny because it's mocking Musklet (I think?), but I still wouldn't contaminate my body with his visage, even to mock him XD
RELATED:
#2
Full Back Wing Tattoo (Not Mine)
StrangeOne 14 hours ago
Looks like whoever designed it tried drawing both sides with their good and bad hand at the same time.
#3
I Guess This Belongs Here…
Lists like these may put off some people from ever getting tattooed. But the truth is that it's not that tattoos are bad; you just have to be careful about choosing the right artist and about having an idea that can translate to the skin well. Many people feel anxiety about their first tattoos: about how they are going to turn out, how they will look after 20 or so years, and whether they will regret them.
But research shows that these worries are short-lived. A 2012 study explored these anxieties with people in a German-speaking southern region of Europe. The participants claimed their anxiety and dissatisfaction about their appearance decreased three weeks after getting their first tattoo. Both men and women reported better self-esteem, but the women had higher social physique anxiety after the three-week follow-up.
#4
Found In The Wild
#5
Howling At The Egg Moon
#6
Just Came Across This On Insta
With all the risk of their tattoos turning out horribly, why do some folks even take the risk, you may ask? According to a 2015 Harris poll, 33% of tatted Americans think that having tattoos makes them more desirable to their preferred gender. What's more, 32% say they feel more attractive, 27% feel more rebellious, and 20% report increased spirituality.
On the other hand, sometimes anxiety and tattoos go hand in hand. Researchers have found that individuals prone to anxiety are more likely to get tattoos. A 2023 study showed that there's a correlation between anxiety levels and whether a person was tatted or not. For example, 32% of the participants who reported moderate to severe anxiety had tattoos, and only 20.2% didn't.
#7
My Sympathy For Having Such A Terrible Tattoo With An Obvious Placement
#8
I Try Not To Be A Hater But This One Is Crazy
#9
Dear God This Is Haunting
The study also showed that individuals with medical conditions are slightly more likely to get tattoos in general. For instance, 35.3% of the participants who had moderate to severe depression had tattoos, and only 22.9% didn't. Those who suffered from migraines were also more likely to be tattooed (24.5%) than not (16.9%). Similarly, there were more tattooed people with chronic pain (13.2% vs. 9.2%). On the other hand, participants without tattoos had higher blood pressure (32.1% vs. 24%).
#10
Just Found This Gem On Good Ole Facebook
#11
I Am Sorry But Wth Is This??
#12
Can’t Believe Someone Did This On Purpose
Sometimes, people assume that people who like pain or needles like to get tattoos. Yet, research shows that those who get tattoos are actually more prone to needle phobia. According to a 2021 dental study, people with tattoos and piercings had more injection anxiety than those who were tattoo-free. As a fellow needlephobe and tattoo haver, I can confirm: I'd rather have a hundred tattoos before having a nurse prick my finger for blood.
#13
Regrettable, To Say The Least
#14
Saw This Photo On A Dating App. It Was The Only Photo In Dude's Profile
#15
Found This Gem On Instagram
sturmwesen 14 hours ago
I can't work out the position of her left leg..does she have a extra knee?
Still, even people with needle phobia can get tattoos. According to experts at the Bunker Tattoo salon in the Netherlands, there are ways to accommodate those who are afraid of needles. Even simple things like the right artist and a calm, soothing environment can make a big difference. There are also techniques one can use during the tattooing session, like visualization, deep breathing, and mindfulness. In some cases, CBT can be helpful in addressing the causes of the phobia.
#16
Found On Facebook
#18
Sorry Op, This One Belongs Here
What do you think of this cornucopia of tattoo disasters, Pandas? What do you think is the worst body part to tattoo? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. And if you're in the mood for more painful tattoo fails, check out previous compilations of tattoos so bad that they're not even funny here, here, and right here!
#19
Found On TikTok
#20
I Have Received Mixed Opinions About This. What Do You Guys Think?
#21
Found This On Instagram
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
Er, it's also a bit creepy, because it looks like one or both of them could be passed out/unconscious :/
#22
Found This While Scrolling Through My Facebook Group
#23
Just Saw This On Facebook
#24
Came Across This “Ocean Design” On Instagram
#25
Found On Instagram
StrangeOne 14 hours ago
I hope the tattoo artist was compensated greatly and then some for all that. Especially the unfortunate place of that Nike check.
#26
Are You Able To Tell This Is A Cover Up?
#27
So… I Think I Found Another Coverup Tattoo That’s As Bad As The Cloud Nips
#28
I Guess They Are Who They Areut
#29
Got This On My Fyp, That Is One Humongous Cat
#30
From Bad To Also Bad
NoRestfortheQWERTY 14 hours ago
Okay, but it doesn't look great. But I'll give tons of respect to anyone who gets a "white pride" tattoo covered up.
#31
One Of My Friends Got Tatted By This Artist And I Saw This On Their Page
#32
Finally Found One In The Wild
#33
“Yeah I’ve Heard Doing Your Ears Hurts So We Can Skip Them”
#34
Feel Like This Belongs Here… Like, What Kind Of Lashes Are Those?
#35
It’s Supposed To Be A Nebula…
#36
My BF Got This Tattooed On His Behind
#37
Chandelier Tattoo
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
I can see it's a chandelier from close up, but from far away it'd be just a scribbled mess of lines in an inverted pyramidal shape. The lines on the crystal dangly-bits are too thin and too crowded. (As an aside, I was named after a chandelier IRL.)
#38
It's A Motorcycle With An Ekg Line Coming Out The Exhaust
#39
Alright, Have At It
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
I mean, if it actually meant something, like, it was the last shopping list your beloved parent or grandparent wrote on the day they died or something, I could sort of imagine it. If this is just random, then it's stupid XD
#40
Local Shop In My City… Enjoy
#41
Found In My Instagram Explore
#42
Sorry Ray Ray, Always Forgotten Missed Never
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
Those are, quite possibly, the most hideous 7s I've ever seen in my life. I could not figure out they were even 7s at first. I thought they were mining pickaxes.
#43
Something's Off With Mommy's Hand
weatherwitch 1 hour ago
Not just something off with mommy's hand but also something off with her childrens paws.... 😮🤣🤣
#44
Found On TikTok
StrangeOne 14 hours ago
Parents who get these tattoos are likely the ones who aren't as involved in the parenting as they want others to think.
#45
Tattooed Myself When I Was 16, Now 31
#46
Found This On Instagram
Potato Vic 10 hours ago (edited)
It's a semicolon. It signifes someone's súĩcīde attempt that was survived (this the "my story isn't over)
#47
Does This Count As A Bad Tattoo? Few Seem To Know What It Means
#48
How Do I Tell My Friend She Has To Stop Tattooing Ppl
#49
My First Tattoo I Got Back In 2015...my Ex Did It
#50
He Put This On His Own Daughter…
NoRestfortheQWERTY 14 hours ago
This woman has got to get herself checked for rheumatoid arthritis.
#51
She Has A Waiting List To Get Tattooed By Her
#52
Awful Cover Up
#53
Baby Holding An Adult Hand... Or A Pile Of Sausages... Or A Tardigrade?
#54
Relative Decided She Is Ready For Real Skin. Luckily This Is Her Husband
Beak Hookage 13 hours ago
Ridiculous numbers of crosses, signs with aphorisms, and a a gun-gobblin' "patriotic" tattoo. Yeah, that all fits.
#55
High School Ex’s Mom Started Tattooing Out Of Her Kitchen
#56
My Very First Tattoo In 1994 When I Was 15
#57
I Mean, Why??? Why Would You Get This, On Your Hand As Well 😭
#58
Just Got My First Tattoo. Have Not Been More Proud In My 20 Years On Earth
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
I do love rage faces, not gonna lie, but not permanently tatted on my body XD
#60
Tried Telling My Friend To Leave The Shop. Was I Wrong?
#61
Tattoo Tattoo I Got After Too Many Guinness
#62
Go Ahead & Laugh. I Need Actual Advice Plzzzz
#63
I Thought You Guys Might Appreciate It-Can You Guess What It Is?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
It's that "terrible photo of a cat" meme image thing. Too bad the lines are so hideously chunky and uneven that you can hardly tell what it is XD (meme image attached to below comment)
#64
The Insanest “Tattoo” I Have Seen That Looks Like Blackheads…
#65
Yet Another Bad One From My Local Small-Town Shop…
#66
My Grandma Thinks This Is The Worst Tattoo
#67
I Let My Sister Practice On Me When I Was 17
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
Some of those are better than others, but they all look so small that they're going to blur into a blobby mess in a few years XD
#68
Got A Drunk Tattoo 2 Years Ago In A Kitchen At 2am, Covering Soon
Beak Hookage 11 hours ago
There's a reason why reputable parlours won't tattoo anyone who's drunk or on d r u gs.
#69
The Tat That Got Me Dragged In The Dishonored Community
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
When I was younger and playing BioShock, I had a phase where I was very tempted to get the main character's "chain" tattoos on the inside of my wrists. (I was 25 and stupid and loved the game, lol.) Luckily I did not XD I still love the game, but getting something like a video game symbol tattooed on you (OP's is from the game Dishonored) is something you have to really be sure about. People will forget about the game in a few years, no matter how great it was, and then everyone will be asking you "w*f is that?" about your tattoo and you'll have to say, "Well, in 2012 there was this video game..."
#70
Is This As Bad As I Think It Is
#71
Decent Artwork On The Coverup
#72
My Brothers Classmates Tattoo
#73
Paid A Deposit For A Tattoo. Now I’m Regretting
#74
My Tattoo Might Be Overly Symbolic. On A Bipolar Whim Had My Nephew Do It
#75
This Is Going To Age Like An Unrefrigerated Glass Of Milk
#76
1st Tat. Asked For A Lotus. Artist Said “Basic” And Went With…this?
#77
This Is Anatomically Correct Right? LOL
#78
I Got This Professionally Done For $300 And It’s A Year Old
#79
It's Not Finished And I Fear The Finished Tattoo Is Going To Be Even Worse
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What do you think ?
Skogsrået 9 hours ago
Good tattoos cost money, better save up to get a really good one then a cheap that you will regret. Laser costs and hurts more then the actual tattoo.
Beak Hookage 9 hours ago
Yeah, I always wait until I've got the money to pay a professional; I want my tattoos to look as good as possible and I'm also not interested in getting a nasty infection!
Load More Replies... Beak Hookage 11 hours ago
This is why you don't get this stuff done by your friend's cousin who operates out of his garage without a license.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
I've been considering a simple pawprint with my beloved cat Wintressia's name (and possibly birth/death dates) for many years now, but every time I come close to maybe doing it, BP posts an article like this and I get terrified XD (It'd be my first tattoo, too)
Skogsrået 9 hours ago
Good tattoos cost money, better save up to get a really good one then a cheap that you will regret. Laser costs and hurts more then the actual tattoo.
Beak Hookage 9 hours ago
Yeah, I always wait until I've got the money to pay a professional; I want my tattoos to look as good as possible and I'm also not interested in getting a nasty infection!
Load More Replies... Beak Hookage 11 hours ago
This is why you don't get this stuff done by your friend's cousin who operates out of his garage without a license.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
I've been considering a simple pawprint with my beloved cat Wintressia's name (and possibly birth/death dates) for many years now, but every time I come close to maybe doing it, BP posts an article like this and I get terrified XD (It'd be my first tattoo, too)
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