Two very different things get called “regret”: the panic in the first days, and a real wish, months or years later, that a tattoo were different. They need different answers.
A new tattoo is swollen, shiny and a little red, and it is suddenly part of how you look. A wave of doubt is common and usually passes as it heals and you get used to it. Don’t make any decisions — about removal or “fixing” it — until it has fully healed, typically a few weeks. If the problem is a real mistake (a spelling error, a clearly misplaced line), talk to the artist calmly once it has healed.
In a 2023 Pew survey, 24% of tattooed US adults said they regret at least one of their tattoos.[1]
“Around 25% of tattooed persons have regrets at some point, resulting in a likely growing demand for tattoo removal.”
“However, the commonest complication is patient dissatisfaction that compels them to seek removal of the tattoo.”
In plain terms: about one in four people with tattoos regrets one at some point — so it is worth taking time over the design, placement and artist. Names, impulsive choices and small early pieces are the usual suspects.
| Option | Best when |
|---|---|
| Rework | The idea is fine but the execution is weak — lines can be strengthened, shading added |
| Cover-up | You want something different in the same place and are happy to go bigger and darker. Cover-ups |
| Laser removal or fading | You want it gone, or lighter so a cover-up has more freedom |
“The gold standard for tattoo removal is Q-switched lasers (nano- or picosecond), making use of selective photothermolysis.”
In plain terms: very short laser pulses shatter ink particles into smaller pieces that the body then clears over the following weeks. Different colours need different wavelengths; black responds best.
Removal usually takes 4–15 sessions, repeated every 6–8 weeks, so a full removal often takes a year or more.[4] Treated skin must be protected from the sun.[5] Because each session is paid separately, total cost is often higher than the original tattoo.
“In addition, tattoo removal can be a prolonged tedious procedure, particularly with professional tattoos, which are difficult to erase as compared to amateur tattoos.”
“Practitioners treating darker skin types, coloured tattoos, permanent makeup, and younger tattoos reported a higher rate of complications.”
In plain terms: blistering, lighter or darker patches of skin and, rarely, scarring can happen; the risk is higher on darker skin, with coloured ink and on recent tattoos. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends having removal done by or under a board-certified dermatologist.[5] Avoid removal creams and DIY kits — they are not approved and can burn or scar.[6]
If you want a new design over an old, dark tattoo, two to four laser sessions can lighten it enough to give the cover-up artist far more choice of design and colour. Ask a cover-up artist first — they can tell you whether lightening is needed.
Fact-checked against the sources above · last reviewed September 30, 2026. Quotations are taken word for word from the dermatologists’ published work; they have not reviewed this page. Who we quote and why →
General information, not medical advice. Your artist’s instructions come first for aftercare; signs of infection or an allergic reaction — or any health condition or medication you are unsure about — are a reason to talk to a doctor.