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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

244 replies

cavycavy · 26/09/2018 20:16

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! :(

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
Findingdotty · 26/09/2018 22:12

I think your problem might be that you keep using Facebook for recommendations. Hmm
You need to do some proper research about tattoo artists in your area and then look in to getting it sorted out. But I wouldn't do anything about it right now. Let your skin heal and recover.

AnnieANonimouse · 26/09/2018 22:12

I thought it was really cute in the first picture 🐝

...but to ‘bee’ honest, it’s not like the one you took in and the placement on your foot isn’t right. Once it’s healed I’d go and see the other guy and see what he can do. It needs ‘something’ to balance it properly on your foot. I think it’s ‘too heavy’ to be ‘in flight’ , so unless the other guy can transform it, then something for it to rest on might be best.

...but it’s not at all dreadful, it just needs ‘finishing’.

Enjoy your wee bee!

gamerchick · 26/09/2018 22:13

Eh I was expecting all sorts. That is a healing tattoo and its going to look lovely when it's finished.

Stop with the stuff you're using, it's not recommended anymore.

Don't pick and it'll be fine. I'll look up your thread with the same fears when I get my midlife butterfly Grin

StrawberrySquash · 26/09/2018 22:13

That is much nicer than I thought it would be and I'm not a tattoo lover at all.

FunSponges · 26/09/2018 22:14

Was going to say Bepanthan should NOT be used and the tattooist should have told you that. I had one done last year and I got the stuff they sell as they said it really is better. They told me not to use bepanthan because of the change in ingredients. Also a tattoo should never be spontaneous (I can attest to this with shit awful blob on my shoulder). A decent tattooist will never have space just like that for walk ins. Unless they do a specific slot for walk ins and if they're popular, expect a queue.

Sorry OP, but I do think it looks a bit amateurish. If you don't like it when it's healed, I imagine a cover up would be easy to do on that.

Lilicat1013 · 26/09/2018 22:15

It's a really cute tattoo, it looks lovely. Hopefully when it heals you will feel more confident with it.

Aridane · 26/09/2018 22:17

ellen - no picture showing

AlphaBravo · 26/09/2018 22:17

It's fine btw OP from the pic. That healing is normal and healthy. Will take a few weeks to settle down and a few months for the outline to flatten. It will look just like the picture when fully healed.

AlphaBravo · 26/09/2018 22:20

@FunSponges I'm covered head to toe and can assure you every single tattooist I use and have used over the past 15yrs has walk-in slots available every day, with one-off designs ready to go and up for grabs.

Nothing amateur about it. And OPs tattoo will heal to look almost identical to the original photo so your comments are a bit bizarre Hmm

Blameanamechange · 26/09/2018 22:21

I think it looks almost real. If you hadnt seen the original sketch OP then you might have been pleased with yours? If you do decide to cover up be aware they sometimes have to go a lot bigger to hide the original. Maybe you could get a little GP going by yr poster name...Smile although I wouldnt think thats much harder to get right. I love bees.

reservoircats · 26/09/2018 22:22

OP your tattoo is so cute! I also have a bee on my foot :) it does look a little sore and raised, but with time it will settle.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 26/09/2018 22:25

When you said it was on your foot I imagined a naff Cheryl Cole type scrolly thing.

It's cute OP. Grin

BrendasUmbrella · 26/09/2018 22:29

I think it's cute looking. I certainly wouldn't think it was a botched tattoo if I had't read your thread. But if you do want it to look more like the pic, book the good artist, and I'm sure he can refine it. There's so little difference between the head and body I'm sure he can make a new more elegant head for it?

If I were in charge of you I'd get it sitting on a little colourful mandala design to make it clear it's a tattoo and not a random bee on your foot, but that's just my preference. It honestly doesn't look bad at all!

Joinourclub · 26/09/2018 22:30

I like it and prefer it to the original picture actually.

Hohofortherobbers · 26/09/2018 22:30

I don't like tattoos but that is really cute! Nothing wrong with it at all. Looks in proportion to me and quite pretty

LauderSyme · 26/09/2018 22:33

Glad you are feeling better; you should because that's a really pretty, sweet little tattoo.

You're just not used to making decisions which haven't been mulled and pondered and analysed to the nth degree, that's why you're freaking out. Or it's a version of buyer's remorse such as many of us experience after a hairdressing appointment.

You can give your worried mind and aching neck a rest now! Grin

TittyFahLaEtcetera · 26/09/2018 22:41

That's seriously cute! I think it'll heal up tine and then you can get a better idea of whether you want to touch it up or not.

I have tattoo envy, I need a 'fuck it' attitude and to go and sort out getting the one I want.

Nichelette · 26/09/2018 22:48

I think yours is really cute! Yes it's slightly different to the photo you had but it's still lovely :).

SmokeAndBone · 26/09/2018 22:49

It's nice!
I think it was probably a bit unrealistic to expect yours to come out exactly like the picture you took in, as all artists have their own styles, but it's a cute tattoo.

FunSponges · 26/09/2018 22:56

@AlphaBravo, that's great. But the very reputable tattooist I have been to only does walk ins on 1 day a week unless they have had a cancellation. They don't all work the same way and the OP said she isn't happy with her tattoo and that its doesn't look right and I agree. My comments are fine thanks.

Honeypickle · 26/09/2018 23:02

Very cute! I like it!

Original poster
cavycavy · 26/09/2018 23:04

I genuinely feel a bit guilty for being rude about the tattoo artist now. He was a really nice bloke and all of his other work is amazing!

Ok, so maybe my little bee isn’t that bad after all. And I like the idea of adding something else for balance. He actually suggested adding something else... I like the idea of it sitting on a flower

OP posts:
LooksBetterWithAFilter · 26/09/2018 23:05

From your original post I was genuinely not sure what to expect but your tattoo is lovely. I can see that it is slightly different to the picture but remember it was a different person that did it their style and interpretation will be different.
Small tattoos can be hard for the size of yours I think the tattooist has done a great job with the detail for so,etching so small. In a few weeks when the swells no has gone down and the colour is a bit less bright looking it will look brilliant. By the time you start getting your feet out again next summer you’ll love it I’m sure.

OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 26/09/2018 23:10

Seeing the idea picture, I can get why you weren't happy to start with but if I'd seen your tattoo without realising I'd not have batted an eyelid - I think it looks great and when it calms down will be even better.

Linning · 26/09/2018 23:13

I thought your tattoo would look horrible, OP but NOT AT ALL!
It looks really cute and I quite like it!

I feel for your regarding the guilt, I got myself TWO (yes, two!) spontaneous tattoos 3 weeks ago and while I love the one on my ankle, I am less of a fan of the one on my arm. I came up with the design and it's a feminist tattoo so I should love it and many people apparently do, but I wish I had chosen a different spot as I can't really hide it unless I wear long-sleeves, most of the time I don't think much about it but when I do I dread a little bit the fact that I am going to have it on me forever (I don't mind the design as much as I mind the spot.) but well, what's done is done, so I shall just rock it and take it as a reminder not to be "too spontaneous" in the future!