Gingerninja

If you can head into Pittsburgh to do the tourist thing, totally worth it! @Tornado7

Me, personally, I say that you try to live with your tattoo for a while. You'd need to talk to the laser specialists for opinions on which type of laser would be best for you.

@Tornado7 Love it! I saw this on his IG! Did you hang out in Canonsburg at all?

Check out both Q Switched and Pico laser removal. I did six sessions over the course of a year on a very small tattoo that got it light enough (barely) for a cover-up. Expensive and not fun but glad that I got it worked out. If I really wanted it OFF, I would have followed up with Pico laser since the Q Switched was hardly doing anything....

You are not alone. Many people have tattoo regret. Sometimes, when people have tattoo regret, they end up figuring out that they have a lot of other things going on in their world and the tattoo was just the final straw. Be good to yourself...your health (both mental and physical) are the most important things!

Hey, if this is the worst thing that ever happens to you (or the dumbest) then you are golden. PR has some great artists and a couple of great conventions where you could find artists that travel. Do your research! Also, give that badass tattoo a nice feminine name. Hahaha!

Well, screw what people say. Their reactions tell you more about them than anything about you. My suggestion: own it. Use it to power you while you figure out your options.

Ah, gottcha. You'd be surprised to know how many women have imagery like this! I think it's bad ass... Take a bunch of deep breaths and do research on coverups. Where are you located?

I think it's a good tattoo, so there's that. What is it that's bothering you? Don't mean to pry...you don't have to answer.

Hey there...just breathe. When did you get it? Don't rush into anything. Don't let it control you. It can be fixed one way or another.

Yep, you need a touchup. Ping your artist for next steps.

Hey there and welcome! I'd send your artist a photo and/or contact the shop. You may just need a little touchup. If it's 5+ months old, it should be all healed. Question - did it scab in the areas where it's lighter? What was your aftercare routine?

Hey there...all tattoos will fade and settle in with time. It's style, application as well as aftercare that lead to longevity. Tattoo styles like traditional and Japanese with great black lines generally hold well. They don't have to be solid black as black fades, too and application matter. Aftercare is critical! The sun is a killer of tattoos. Someone recently posted a photo of two 25-30 year old tattoos. One had been exposed to sun without sunscreen (or at least not consistently) while the other never really saw the sun. The tattoo that was covered STILL looked amazing.

Anyone doing the walk-up event this weekend?

I am perfectly fine with my hubby not being tattooed...ever.

Find an artist and work with them on the design. A good artist can knock that out of the park!

That is amazing @Boiled Dove!!!

So good! @scottyg

@Autumn young Hey there...lay off on the ointment. Keep it clean and lightly moisturized. Your tattoo is a fresh wound, so it needs to breathe and heal. It will scab and it will get itchy! Don't pick or scratch it. Allow a solid 6 weeks before consulting for a touchup. The skin needs to heal. Good luck!

Call Smith Street! @AverageJer You never get what you don't ask for. :) You can always drop by, too. You never know. I am so looking forward to Pagoda, already. @Synesthesia I am back in with Grez but no other plans at the moment for anything else.

I'm with @Hogrider Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if someone wants to do this, it's not for me to judge. I, too, wonder about regret on a massive level.

It's just healing! How long ago did you get the tattoo? Your skin will go through many phases of healing. It your tattoo is less than a month old, you need to give it some time. :) Breathe!

I don't really see what you are talking about (sorry). Your tattoo looks "normal". Unless you are itching, it feels hot or starts oozing something nasty, follow you aftercare (don't over moisturize) and give it time to settle!

Doing the San Jose - SF - San Rafael thing. I would dig meeting you! @Dan

Making plans for a West Coast run in June....