Help! I Hate My New Tattoo

Although laser removal or cover-ups may seem like a lifesaver, consider salvaging your tattoo with creativity instead.

As I neared the end of my 20s, and my teenage years began to feel like little more than a distant dream, I thought that my days of feeling young and free had long since passed. But I was in for a shocker when I got my first tattoo, which I’d been dreaming about for years.

As someone who struggled with body dysmorphia for a long time, the thrill of seeing my skin change so rapidly at my command was indescribable. Out of nowhere, I felt more in-control of my own form than I had in recent memory.

But that all came crashing down a few months later, when I got my next tattoo.

In the aftermath of my second tattoo, I felt none of the intoxicating happiness that came over me the first time I went under the needle. But despite my initial doubts, I was able to work with a different artist to evolve the less-than-stellar original design into something I’m very proud of. This is my story of how I used creativity to solve my mini-tattoo crisis — without any cover-ups or laser removal.

My Tattoo Wasn’t What I Imagined

Since I enjoyed the experience of getting my first tattoo so much, I decided to get another before long. For my first tattoo, I chose a neo-traditional nature shield with dreamy, relaxing colors. I thought it would be a cool idea to stick to the same “landscape trapped in a shape” theme for my second. But instead of a shield, I decided to switch things up and get a diamond this time. And instead of the subdued landscape of my first, I went with a scene from the grim, war-torn alien world that I’m writing about in my novel.

The moment after my tattoo was finished, I knew something was wrong. It was well-executed, and the lines were super-clean. The artist did everything I asked for, down to the ink-blot pupils of the eye on the castle door. However, although it wasn’t objectively bad, I just didn’t feel any connection to it. Instead of feeling like my vision had been brought to life, as I felt with my first tattoo, it felt like something ugly and foreign had been stitched into my skin forever.

Should I Get a Cover Up?

In the days following my diamond tattoo, I didn’t freak out or let it ruin my week. In fact, in the beginning, I tried to tell myself I just needed to get used to it. Although I didn’t have any “adjustment periods” with my last tattoo, and fell in love with it right away, I figured maybe things were different each time.

However, as the weeks crawled by and I still felt a pang of sadness every time I looked at the new tattoo, I realized that I needed to do something about it. Naturally, my mind went straight to cover-ups: but the tattoo was decently sized, and it seemed like a huge waste of money to get it hidden with an even larger tattoo. The colors were extremely dark as well, so that limited my color choices.

How About Laser Removal?

I briefly considered laser removal as well, but again, I felt like I would be pouring far too much hard-earned money down the drain. I spent almost $200 on the first tattoo, and then I’d have to spend hundreds of dollars on laser removal as well . . . And it seemed anticlimactic to end up with nothing but the same skin I had before, but with a faded tattoo and potential scar tissue.

Neither of these options were particularly appealing, so I knew there was only one thing left to do: Let creativity take the reigns.

Finding the Right Artist is Key

Adding on to a tattoo you hate is risky business indeed. By opening the same can of worms again, you run the chance of making even more of a mess of your precious skin. That’s why I knew it was imperative to choose the right artist.

For my next tattoo, I did my homework and found an artist whose style was far closer to my inner vision. When I found my artist Jamie Santos, I was instantly impressed by her extensive portfolio of darkly feminine designs — and I knew right away that she would be able to salvage my tattoo. I recommend browsing artists in your area on Instagram to connect with someone who understands how to bring your vision to life.

Whether you’re reworking an old tattoo or getting a brand new one, I can’t stress enough how important it is to find an artist you trust. When examining an artist’s portfolio, look for hints of your own style in every single piece. You don’t want just one or two of their pieces to overlap with your tastes: You want every single tattoo they’ve completed to impress you and resonate with your personal vision. You may have to travel, you may have to take time off work, but the commitment is worth it.

For Best Results, Develop a Game Plan

After you’ve found an artist with the style you crave, it’s time for the fun part: Deciding how to improve your tattoo. Whether your tattoo is too small, not edgy enough, too cute, or anything in between, this quick checklist should be enough to get you started:

Identify the problem: I would recommend beginning the add-on process by doing some serious introspection. Try to figure out how where your tattoo fell short, and more importantly, how you can grow to love it.

· For me, it was easy to identify what I disliked about my diamond tattoo. I explained to my artist that the edges were far too sharp and geometrical — the dark, sanguine elegance I envisioned in the original design just wasn’t there. Jamie understood right away that I wanted something a bit more feminine, and she designed a gorgeous Victorian frame to take the edge off the harsh, geometric lines.

Decide on new elements to incorporate: Next, it’s time to figure out how to evolve your less-than-stellar piece into something that suits you. To get the initial waves of creativity flowing, try browsing popular tattoo tags on Instagram, such as #tattooideas or #tattoolife.

· In my case, I felt like the original diamond design was far too harsh and sharp for my tastes. That’s why I chose to incorporate blue roses into the new tattoo. However, we decided to preserve some of the original sharpness with a classic dagger. The roses delicately resting on either side of the blade did a great job of injecting a level of timeless elegance back into the design.

Leave room for creative freedom: Nothing does a better job of teaching you that life doesn’t always go as planned than a tattoo that didn’t match your inner vision. That’s why sometimes, you should kick back, relax, and leave things up to the artist. A great artist should be able to make suggestions about how to improve your design in ways you never dreamed of.

· Personally, I had no idea how to envision the composition of my new tattoo. I knew I wanted blue roses, a dagger, and a Victorian frame . . . But I had no idea how to combine all these elements without making a busy, confusing mess. I decided to step back and trust my artist — and she knocked it out of the park.

Don’t Settle for an Artist that’s “Good Enough”

If you’re dealing with a design you hate, I definitely recommend reworking the tattoo instead of pretending it never existed with laser removal, or blacking it out with a cover up. Even though I had a rough relationship with my diamond in the beginning, I was determined not to let it ruin my love for tattoos.

Now, as the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind leg piece fit for a space pirate, I know that the journey was worth it. My artist did an awesome job reworking my tattoo, and now, the diamond I hated so much on its own is just one small element of a gorgeous work of art.

My experience ended up teaching me how important it is to research your artist beforehand. I settled for an artist that wasn’t ideal because I thought he was “good enough”, and now, I realize how silly that was. The lady cooking at the local burger joint can be “good enough,” or even the guy who cuts your hair — but not your tattoo artist.