When choosing a location for your tattoo, there are a number of considerations that should be weighed. Is the tattoo for your benefit, or others? Which spots on the body are allowable for my career, for what I wear, for my body type? What are your good/attractive attributes and can you improve on them? Or will a tattoo mess up an already good feature?

Clearly, you need to walk a fine line. A tattoo will definitely draw attention to itself where ever it’s seen. If you have unattractive feet (bunions, corns, fungal thickened nails), putting a tattoo on them will draw attention to your feet, and may not be a good idea. If you have a nice firm stomach, you need to have the discipline to keep your stomach firm, or your tattoo will sag along with your stomach, and actually make it look worse!

Among the people who have indicated that they have tired of their tattoo, many report seeing too many of the same tattoo (Chinese lettering, barb wire on upper arm, and the “classic” lower back emblem). Initially these commonly removed tattoos were rare and unique. Then they became more commonplace and the lower back tattoo began to take on a different and more denigrating meaning.

You could choose a unique tattoo that then becomes common.

The most important financial issue to consider is a tattoo’s impact on your wallet.

A study at the University of Tampa, confirmed that 86 percent of students believe that having a visible tattoo is a detriment to their business prospects.

Researchers at the Harris poll found that older respondents are less tolerant of visible tattoos as the prestige of the job position rises. While a vast majority of people age 51 and above are comfortable with professional athletes having tattoos, the acceptance decreases significantly when doctors, primary school teachers, and presidential candidates are included.

The pain associated with getting the tattoo also needs to be a consideration.  Look at the Pain & Tattoos page for more information. The latest trends seem to be actually seeking a painful place to get a tattoo so as to show your machismo!  People are now getting underarm and back of the knee tattoos to show how much pain they can endure.

The take home message is. . . if this is your first tattoo, please place it somewhere that is easily concealed.

Check out the personal appearance guidelines at some companies in a field you may want to work. You may be surprised to see that obvious tattoos aren’t the only things some company’s ban.  UPS bans long hair and beards in addition to visible tattoos and multiple piercings.

Your first Tattoo?

Go small and easily hidden!

Remember

Choose a location that you can conceal at will. It may not matter now, but there may be an opportunity for advancement that depends on your not showing your tattoo.

. . .just a consideration.