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Regret — we all experience it at one point or another, and nothing stirs up remorse quite like a bad tattoo. An estimated 32% of people in the United States have a tattoo, and about one-quarter of them may end up regretting their funny tattoos or wanting them removed.

Before getting a tattoo, most of us spend a long time picking the design, consulting with the tattoo artist, and choosing the perfect spot for our body art. The lesser part of the people get drunk, find a guitar string, some fountain pen ink, and presto — they now have a truly regrettable tattoo.

As far as we can tell there will never be a lack of tattoo fails nor a shortage of people willing to share their ugly tattoos. Bored Panda has added a new list of bad tattoos that either didn’t go as planned or will make you question what goes through people’s minds. 

From bad artists who didn’t quite nail it to bizarre artistic choices, scroll down below to see these cautionary tales of the worst tattoos ever!

#1

Some Guy Tried To Copy My Tattoo Artist's Work - Tattooed A Nipple On His Arm

Bad tattoo fails depicting superhero villains with distorted faces, highlighted by red arrows.

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#2

Nice Tattoo, Dave

Funny tattoo fail with nonsensical poem text, "Roses are red, my name's Dave, this poem makes no sense, microwave."

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Asia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ha ha ha! What a great way to show your sense of humor. I wouldn't say this one is bad at all :D

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#3

This Guy's Haircut

A humorous tattoo fail on a man's bald head, featuring a face with wide eyes and a mustache, viewed on an airplane.

youdontknowimadog Report

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KCN
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy smokes. Who wants to look over the top of an airline seat to see that face staring at him the whole flight?

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When Do Tattoos Go Wrong?

It usually starts with a bad design or a spur-of-the-moment decision. Imagine someone picking a tattoo on the fly, not thinking about how it’ll look years down the road or if it really suits them.

Then, there’s the actual tattooing part. Things can go south if the artist isn’t… qualified, to say the least. You know, shaky lines, words spelled wrong, colors that blend into a muddy mess — basically, a great idea getting lost in the process.

And let’s not forget aftercare. Tattoos need TLC to heal right. Skipping out on the care tips can lead to all sorts of trouble, like infections or a faded, sad-looking tattoo.

And while you’re checking out these hilariously stupid tattoos, think about where it all went wrong. Was it a quirky idea that didn’t work, an artist’s slip, or maybe just bad luck in the healing process?

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#4

Today I Learned That My Friend's Chinese Tattoo Literally Means "Turkey Sandwich"

Arm tattoo fail with incorrect translation, showing "turkey sandwich" in Chinese characters and smartphone translation.

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Sophia Cai
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know some people have tattoos in Chinese, but when I read them it's like, EPIC FAIL.

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#6

El Señor Nippleriño

Funny bad tattoo fail with a hat design around a nipple.

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How Common is Tattoo Regret?

It turns out that tattoo regret is a real thing for quite a few people. In a Pew Research Center survey involving 8,480 adults, they found that about 24% of tattooed Americans have some regret about their ink. This isn't a tiny number, considering 32% of US adults have at least one tattoo.

Interestingly, the level of regret varies among different groups. For instance, 30% of tattooed Hispanic adults reported some regret, compared to 23% of White and 21% of Black adults. 

There also appears to be a slight variation in tattoo regret based on education levels. Those with some college or less education are more likely to regret their tattoos (25%) compared to those with higher educational levels (19%).

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This info helps put things into perspective, doesn't it? As you’re scrolling through these bad tattoo choices, it’s interesting to think that a good number of these people might be part of the 24% who regret their decision.

#8

Roar

Tiger tattoo fail with awkward lines on a man's chest.

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Chris Pitch
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its the eye of the tiger...nope...hold on...I think that's a nose. or a penis

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#9

This Tiger Though

Bad tattoo fail of a poorly drawn tiger on a person's back.

snake___pit Report

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Asia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You know nothing! This is mythical creature worshiped by ancient people of Siberia. Just kidding. This is abomination.

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What to Do When You Get a Bad Tattoo?

So, you’ve got a tattoo that didn’t turn out as awesome as you thought it would. Don’t sweat it! First off, give it some time — what seems like a disaster at first can grow on you. If not, you’ve got options.

Cover-up tattoos are a popular choice. A skilled artist can work wonders, turning your regret into a piece you’re proud of. Laser tattoo removal is another route, though it’s pricier and takes several sessions. And hey, if it’s a small or simple mistake, sometimes a little touch-up is all you need.

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But remember, the best fix is prevention. Think long and hard about your design and artist choice before getting inked. And if you end up with a tattoo fail, don't be too hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes — yours just happens to be a bit more permanent!

#11

It's Supposed To Be A Galaxy

Close-up of a colorful tattoo mishap on a person's chest, resembling abstract art, surrounded by red fabric.

blahblahblahokay Report

#14

I Don't Even Have The Words To Explain This

Cartoon-inspired bad tattoo fail with humorous yin-yang design.

anyeus Report

#15

This Tattoo Was Apparently Supposed To Be Of “Stars”

Close-up of a tattoo fail with scattered dots on chest, wearing a scorpion pendant necklace and red lace top.

macsimilian Report

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#16

Maximum Facepalm

Tattoo fail with misspelled phrase "Believe in Youself and Never Lose Hoop" on arm.

EDJE666 Report

#17

Third Into Fourth Always Gives Me Trouble

Bad tattoo fail showing a gear shift pattern on a wrist.

_TheArtOfWars_ Report

#20

Close, But Not Close Enough

Back tattoo fail with compass design and misaligned letters N, S, E, W.

PM-ME-YOUR-TITS-GIRL Report

#21

Dog Tits

Man with humorous bad tattoos on his torso, featuring text and small circle designs.

Yzre Report

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Asia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, you got drunk and wanted a funny tattoo from your friend, also drunk... We get it. Now put your shirt back on. Thank you.

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#22

Turtle Head

Back of a head with a turtle tattoo covering the scalp, showcasing a funny bad tattoo fail.

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criminalgirl
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Having a "turtle head" means something funny and seriously different in UK!!

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#23

The Bananas Threw Me For A Loop

Tattoo fail of kittens in a womb design on a person's stomach, highlighting bad tattoo decisions.

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Mickey
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Say what you want but the tattoo is well done. A strange choice, but executed well.

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#24

Incredible Angelina's Jolie Portrait

Bad tattoo fail of a woman, side-by-side with the original photo for comparison.

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#25

A Facebook Friend Wanted A Very Specific Tattoo, I Think The Artist Really Nailed It

Tattoo fail featuring uneven forest design with trees and birds on arm.

u/SK2P1 Report

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Lucida
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don''t people check up the tattoo artist's skills before getting in the tattoo artist's chair? The birds look like they were done by a five year old and the tree is just a lump of black ink.

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#26

So My Buddy's Step Sister Got A Tattoo Of Her Mother

Bad tattoo fail with a portrait that poorly resembles the original photo held next to it.

Sirflow Report

#27

This Guy Got A Sunglasses Tattoo On His Face

Man laughing with a tattoo fail of glasses on his face, highlighting humorous and cringe-worthy tattoo choices.

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Ohio Hands
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nothing says "I dont care about ever having a good job" like a face tatt

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#29

The Girl With The Vegan Tattoo

Face with "vegan" tattoo fail prominently displayed on the forehead in a humorous context.

pharmaninja Report

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Lucida
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't believe she had to talk about her being vegan every five minutes (only when it was talk around food) but she definitely has to talk about her stupid tattoo every second minute.

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#30

Guy From High School Got The Same Tattoo As His Dog

Funny tattoo fail where a person mistakenly copies a pet's neuter symbol, sparking humorous comments on social media.

Chris Mendiola Report

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Liz Mosby
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've never heard of tattooing for any reason. Why tattoo to show they're neutered, you can't tell by the balls missing?

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#31

My Poor Drunken Choice

Bad tattoo fail featuring a rough sketch of a Pikachu character on a person's thigh.

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Asia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great pooping face, Pika. Eat more healthy stuff, so your head wouldn't explode of the tension :D

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#33

A Girl I Went To High School With Has This On Her Upper Thigh

Tiger tattoo with distorted face and roses on thigh, showcasing a tattoo fail.

jennnnner Report

#34

Getting A Tattoo Of Your Newborn

Bad tattoo fail of a baby's face next to the original photo, highlighting the humorous mismatch in the art.

Petkevic29 Report

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Ohio Hands
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Dude, why you got a picture of a sleeping Vizzini from Princess Bride on your back?

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#35

My Uncle's New Tattoo. Christmas Will Be Awkward This Year

Man with an eagle tattoo on his forehead inside a tattoo parlor; a humorous and cringe-worthy tattoo fail.

InfidelCB Report

#36

This Guy's Argyle Sock Tattoo

Man with diamond-patterned leg tattoos resembling socks, wearing sneakers and shorts in a store setting.

lovegoldengirls Report

#37

Oh My

Woman with a bad tattoo of an onion on her armpit, smiling in a tattoo studio.

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Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, it's an onion. Whew. For a moment I thought that this was some sort of kinky sex thing. Still... an onion?!

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#40

Impressive Dot Work, But Why?

Tattoo fails: a dot-work tattoo attempts to mimic a six-pack on a person's stomach.

lid-vicious Report

#41

I Think Thom Yorke Will Love It

I Think Thom Yorke Will Love It

reddit.com Report

#44

Dude Sure Loves His Turtle

Bad tattoo fail featuring a shadowy figure and text on a forearm.

Clever_mudblood Report

#45

Interested In The Story Behind It

Bad tattoo fail of a baby face with a distorted design on an arm.

snake___pit Report

#46

My Mom's Ex Got A Tattoo Of Her After She Passed. I Guess I Never Realized My Mom Was An Asian Man, With 5 O'clock Shadow

Woman smiling next to a tattoo fail depicting a distorted face with a crown.

kdbk11 Report

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Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mum will rest in peace, because her ex obviously had someone else tattooed on his arm.

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#47

Unfortunate Tattoo Placement In An Engagement Photo

Couple embracing, woman's hand shows tattoo fail, with fading black ink on wrist, adding a humorous element.

Firedyke89 Report

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#50

“My Own Design”

Bad tattoo fail featuring a poorly designed spiral tattoo with an accompanying humorous advertisement.

mact3n Report

#51

Please Kill Me

Bad tattoo fail showing two portraits on the skin that look distorted compared to the photo references.

samusxmetroid Report

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Lucida
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, don't you look up if the tattoo artist has any skills before you get tattooed?

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#52

Tiger Anatomy Continues To Baffle Artists, Survey Says

Tiger tattoo fail with awkward design placement on arm and chest, causing laughter and cringe.

ArtistStallion Report

#53

The Concept Looked So Promising

Bad tattoo fail showing a map concept next to a lion tattoo with cross design.

ibboRftw Report

#55

Yeah, Let’s Just Get A Spider Tattoo

Spider tattoo fail on man's cheek near ear with gauged earring.

fluffybigmac Report

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phansfanta
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's actually an amazing tattoo work because he got all of the shadings and it really pops out of his face

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#56

Instagram Find. I Never Laughed So Hard At A Tattoo

Bad tattoo fail on forearm featuring a creative design gone wrong with unusual placement and perspective.

Yzre Report

#57

Friend On Facebook Seems Proud Of This Gem

Bad tattoo fail of a woman with mismatched legs and arms, humorous and cringe-worthy design.

coreyjuliette Report

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Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always wonder why people think that Trump is wonderful, but then I see that some people think that tats like this are great, and I realise that it's a bizarre, warped perception problem...

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#59

Friend Bought A Tattoo Gun On Amazon For £100. Tattooed Darth Vader On Himself

Crude leg tattoo fail resembling a thin outline of a cloaked character on a hairy leg, creating a humorous cringe-worthy moment.

reddit.com Report

#62

Ryan Gosling

Tattoo fail featuring a portrait of a man with spider legs, labeled "Ryan Gosling," on someone's arm.

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#63

Leopard Print Or Little Hamburgers?

Woman's shoulder with a leopard print tattoo and green design, exemplifying bad tattoo fails.

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#64

If Only Their Familey Had Warned Them

Bad tattoo fail with misspelled 'family' in a list of priorities on skin.

gablerr Report

#65

This "Artist's" Work Comes Across My Facebook Feed Daily, Quite The Treasure Trove

Fairy tattoo fail with awkward expression and uneven lines on forearm.

unicorn_for_lunch Report

#67

This Just Popped Up On Facebook

A portrait tattoo fail depicting a child's face with a distorted smile.

reddit.com Report

#68

Is It Just The Angle Or Does She Have A Pinocchio Arm?

Tattoo fail of a pin-up style woman saluting with a sailor hat on an arm.

cellared Report

#69

Found On Tinder, Solid Left Swipe

Bad tattoo fail of an angel with muscular arms, misspelled text, and uneven wings.

AndGiraffes Report

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#71

Sadly I'm Related To This Kid

Man with unusual tattoo fails, featuring devil horn designs on his forehead, creating a humorous and cringeworthy look.

IMNOTASLAG Report

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BlackestDawn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While definitely a "what was he thinking" type of tattoo (and they really should be higher up) I find them well made.

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#72

ICP Face Make-Up Tattoo. 100% Real

Man with bad tattoo fails, featuring facial designs in four different photos, showcasing humorous and cringeworthy tattoo work.

potter_in_hobbiton Report

#73

Spotted On The Chicago Subway. A Paw And Bow Tie, Or...

Poorly drawn tattoo of a cartoon cat on a person's shoulder, showcasing a humorous and cringe-worthy tattoo fail.

lizanyah Report

#74

Will It Look Good When It's Done? And Yes, It's Real

Yin yang tattoo fail with uneven colors, captioned "Gonna look good when it is done."

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Asia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How, how will it look good at any point? Well maybe if you cover it up with something professionally done :D

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#75

I've Got A Hunch That He Isn't, "Wrongfully Convicted." Call Me Crazy, But

Man with "Wrongfully Convicted" tattooed above eyebrows in orange shirt, illustrating tattoo fail.

IHeartCokeAndHookers Report

#77

Blurring The Line Between Art And Reality

Lion tattoo fail progression on a man's side, showcasing a cringe-worthy design evolution.

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#79

Thus Beauty On Facebook Marketplace

A poorly executed tattoo of a snarling dog on an arm, showcasing a tattoo fail.

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Kjorn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so you pay me 30$ to get that tatoo? that's not enough add few zeros and maybe...

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#82

It Looks Like A Lawsuit

Back tattoo fail featuring a tiger with a distorted tail and grass-like hair, highlighting bad tattoo choices.

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Chris Pitch
Community Member