Did something spontaneous... now regret and feel stupid!

[cavycavy]

So I am a very sensible, professional, 39 year old mother. I’m not (totally) boring but I’ve never really done anything really spontaneous.

But at the weekend I decided to be spontaneous and get a TATTOO.... so I got a very small one on my lower back of a bluebird.

The picture I took in was a black line drawing, similar to that you would see in an old nature book. Kind of sketched but realistic.

Went to the best tattoo shop in town and checked out the artists work. All looked amazing with loads of nature pictures. On Facebook he had countless rave reviews and a few people a know who have tattoos confirmed his good rep. He appeared totally confident and I booked in to have it done the following day.

So in a go, and he does it. It’s very small (50p sized) and it hardly hurt at all.

He told me to keep it wrapped for 1 hour then uncovered or very loose clothing until fully healed. Wash/cream etc.

Firstly, I’m not that happy with it but it’s hard to know what it will look like when fully healed. The proportions of the bird look a bit off and very different to the picture I took in and the transfer he printed off. Also the skin behind the tattoo immediately become very red and sore and all the lines became really swollen so I couldn’t really tell what it really looked like even straight after.

Since then (4 days later) it has become even more red and swollen. It actually looks like it has been drawn by a child with black felt tip!

Looking at all his other tattoos the lines are so thin and precise! There’s a tiny spider (literally about the size of a 20p) and you can see the individual hairs!!

Anyway, have seen a practice nurse and a GP today who both confirmed it is definitely not infected or an allergic reaction, I just have delicate, pale skin which has effectively been injured by the tattoo.

However, I still totally regret having it done! I feel like MASSIVE wanker for thinking I’d be spontaneous, not doing any proper research etc, only for it turn out a bit shit.

The few people I have shown have said “oh that’s lovely” but I can tell they are just being nice bless em!

Anyhoo... my AIBU question is:

AIBU to go back and ask to have it corrected? Can it even be corrected? I have since learned of an amazing artist in a nearby shop who apparently can work magic so is it worth going somewhere else... ? The only problem is, I can see they are friends on Facebook....

The other thing is my tattoo artist posted pictures of all the other work he did that day but not mine!! He obviously wasn’t that proud of it! :(

[Bambamber]

Wait until it's healed and then go from there, it may turn out better than you expect. They can't do anything to correct it until it's healed anyway

[Alwa]

Awww that's annoying. Maybe it's not as bad as you think.

Would you be happy showing a photo? We may be able to suggest improvements.

[Bobbybear10]

Could you show us a picture so we have an idea of what it looks like?

It’s difficult to tell just from an explanation whether it could look better when healed or if it could be made into something else etc.

[Namechangeforthiscancershit]

If you’re happy to put up a picture you’ll have some good suggestions I’m sure. They never look right to start with from what people say.

And spontaneous is ALWAYS good!

[Mainchanger]

I would wait until its healed and 'settled in' then see how you feel.

[gamerwidow]

Wait until it’s healed it’s too soon to tell what it’ll end up like especially if you’ve got sensitive skin.
If worse comes to worse it’s easily hidden. I got a shit tattoo done 25 years ago when I was still at school and honestly most of the time I don’t even remember it’s there. It’s not the end of the world.

[wouldHAVEshouldHAVEcouldHAVE]

Until it’s healed you won’t really know what it will be like.
I’ve recently had a couple of new tattoos and they looked like I’d drawn them on with Sharpie pen as they were so raised and scabby and shiny while they were healing. Fine now though!

[DragonMamma]

I agree with PPs, it would be easier to see the tattoo and the picture you took in to see if it’s a bad job.

The biggest alarm bells I have ringing is that this person is supposedly highly rated but could fit you in the following day.

For my latest tattoo, I booked in October and had it in April, as he’s that busy...

[nancybelle]

I have one that is all lumpy to the touch and there’s nothing can be done about it, just how my skin reacted to the ink.

[mummymermaid]

You really should wait until it's healed so the swelling goes down, it might look much better then. But if you are not happy with it then, you can try get it corrected.

[Foodylicious]

Definitely give it a couple of weeks to heal.
I have a really fine a catch type tattoo and remember when it was first done the lines were really thick.
It was just the inflammation and scabbing

[MynameisJune]

Have you been putting anything on it? Bepanthen nappy cream used to work well with mine. You really need to give it a good few weeks to heal. It’s an injury, it will not look amazing straight away. Keeping the skin moisturised will help with the healing.

[FoxFoxSierra]

Give it a couple of weeks and it will look completely different, they go red scabby and itchy while they heal

[BackWhenIWas4]

I had similar feelings after my first tattoo. I love everything about it now, even the imperfections.
Hope the swelling goes down soon.
If you're not happy with it when it's healed, go back. Or, if you think the artist was not as good as you hoped, go to someone else to have it modified.

[Bunnybigears]

Does it look out of proportion because of it distorting when you twist to look at it? Can you get someone to take a photo of it straight on and see if it looks better that way. If the tattooist was held in such high regard as you say im suprised he could fit you in spontaneously. I have to book my tattoos over 6 months in advance!

[Pieceofpurplesky]

You need to wait. What have you been putting on it as some creams can encourage the lines to 'bleed'

[Itsear]

Photo please.

[BlueJava]

Give it a few weeks to heal then review - you may change your mind!

[fishfingersandketchup]

Same as gamerwidow, I got a crap tattoo when I was 19, its on my left shoulder, its really rubbish. I don't care though, I hardly ever remember its there if I'm honest. Wait for it to heal but its not the end of the world

[Easynow]

The other thing is my tattoo artist posted pictures of all the other work he did that day but not mine!! He obviously wasn’t that proud of it

He might not have shown all of the work.

If it is the size of a 50p, it must be hard to show detail?

Leave it for a few weeks.

[FissionChips]

We need a pic .

[Shabeth]

You can definitely go back if you're not happy. I did with one of mine I made them go over it. They can touch it up but it has to heal first, sometimes the plasma and cream makes it look horrible but once it peals it'll look totally different.

Even if it doesn't try to see the fun side look at it as that time I was spontaneous and got a little tattoo. One of my 5 was like that and it's a bit crap but it makes me smile

[Livinglavidal0ca]

Just here for the photos really.

[oblada]

A picture is definitely needed here. It seems very tiny though, how can it be that detailed? I'm curious to see what it actually looks like! If your skin was inflamed at the time that'd be why he didn't take a picture of it.

[TokyoSushi]

Oh OP, you sound lovely, I hope it all works out!