No.1   Any tattoo on your face or neck

Unless it is for medical reasons, a tattoo on your face or neck is not advisable.  It will limit your career options and advancements dramatically. If you are independantly wealthy, and are assured of an income for life (and thus never need a job), it may be a option for you.

No.2   Your significant other’s name

In the heat of true love, most people search for a meaningful way to express their deep seated feelings for another.  Saying “I love you” seems to fall short.  Sailors and soldiers have consistently chosen MOM as a safe tattoo selection while away at sea or war, but even they rarely tattooed a love interests name on their arm.  While your ‘endless love’ may endure (despite statistics that show it won’t), it is always a bad idea to tattoo a mate’s name on your body.  Setting aside the fact that the relationship might end, and you will be left explaining the persistent tattoo to others (and quietly to yourself), the so-called act of love actually has a paradoxical effect on the relationship.  In some cases, the tattoo is seen as a manipulation. The thoughts that “I am owned by you” or “you own me, and no one else” can instill a sense of smothering or binding to a relationship that frequently hasn’t been mutually agreed upon.  It would be smarter to affirm your love of “LOVE” or “Commitment” in the form of a small easily hidden tattoo.

No.3   A Chinese symbol

The reason for not getting  the Chinese symbols falls in the ‘avoid a fad’ category. Certainly, if you speak Chinese, are of Chinese heritage, or love martial arts, then you can still use this overused theme, but if you (or others) have to do research to determine the meaning, it’s a bad idea.  Besides, you might accidentally put something “stupid” in Chinese on your body.

No.4   Barbed wire

Wow, that’s really tough!  If you really want to impress someone, wrap a real barbed wire around your arm. The first guys to do it were cool and creative, now it’s just unimaginative and repetitive.

No. 5   A Cartoon Character

While SpongeBob is funny, and I doubt he will be going away any time soon, it also is too trendy and fleeting for your body.  Who remembers Oswald??  Design your own cartoon personalized to you.  Imagine if you designed a cartoon for yourself, had it tattooed on your arm, and then the guy down the street put your tattoo on his arm, too.  That would be annoying.  Create your own stuff.

No.6   A pop-culture reference

That would be something that is hot now, and gone in five years, like the peace sign, or “Yes we can.” Please be a little more creative with your permanent art, don’t use pop culture references. Especially Monster Energy Drink symbols. . . really, is that going to be around in 10 years?

No. 7  An iconic face

Your body should have only one face. . . yours. More than one face on a body is “just creepy.”  If the person is still alive, they will change.  What if you had Michael Jackson at age 15 tattooed (and many did), and then Michael at 45 showed up. . .two totally different pictures.  What if you were an avid Buffalo Bills fan and had OJ Simpson (an incredible running back in the 1970’s) tattooed on your arm.  Twenty years later you now have a generally hated convict prominently displayed on your arm. This woman placed Michael Jackson on her bottom on an impulse within 24 hours of his death. How do you think she feels now???

No.8   An anchor

See Number 4 above.  Cool for the first people who got one, now. . .  just tired.

 

No.9   A mythical animal

I’m really okay with this, unless it’s a unicorn or something overdone like that.  Do some research, be creative, and then personalize it.  Or just wait, and see what life presents down the road.

No.10   A super hero emblem

Avoid this unless you are the actual super hero. It’s okay for Clark Kent, although the tattooist would have trouble penetrating that steel, but the design is too short-sighted for earthlings.