10 Historical Figures You Didn’t Know Had Tattoos

Tattoos have been around for a long time. While they remained taboo in the Western world until recently, quite a few powerful political leaders had hidden ink of their own. So next time someone shames you for your tattoos, inform them about these 10 historical figures that had tattoos of their own.

Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the 7^th president of the United States. He’s mostly remembered for his controversial campaign to kill and relocate Native Americans. As if that wasn’t enough, he ironically had a tattoo of a giant tomahawk on his inner thigh. Yeah, a tomahawk, a weapon, and toll closely associated with the culture he tried to destroy.

James K. Polk
Another president with another hidden tattoo. James Polk spent most of his presidency buying up land for the US. We can also credit him with starting the Chinese character tattoo craze. President Polk had a tattoo of a Chinese character, which translates to “eager”. It could have been worse!

Teddy Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt was the 26^th President of the US and had such a great run as president that his face even made it up on Mount Rushmore. What Mount Rushmore didn’t capture was his ink. Roosevelt reportedly had the Roosevelt family crest tattooed on his chest. We would expect nothing less from a man like him.

John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth wasn’t a president, but you probably learned about him in history class. He was a 26-year-old actor that shot and assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. They say actors have big egos, and we believe it after learning that Booth had his own initials tattooed on his hand.

Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison invited a ton of things, but did you know he also had a hand in creating the first tattoo machine? He was the one that created the first electric pen, which Samuel O’Reilly then used to develop the first tattoo machine. Edison was so intrigued that he ended up with 5 cryptic dots on his forearm.

Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was a fantastic leader for Britain during WW2. Many would be surprised to know that he had a tattoo, a classic anchor on his forearm. His mother probably didn’t mind, seeing as she had a tattoo of a snake on her wrist that she hid with jewelry.

Czar Nicholas II
He’s known as the last emperor of Imperial Russia, but Czar Nicholas also had some ink. In 1891 he traveled to Japan to try to improve Russo-Japanese relations. He came back with a little souvenir- a colorful dragon tattoo on his arm. That’s one way to mend a relationship.

George Orwell
The famed author of classics like, 1984, no only used ink to get his words across but also to mark his body. While serving as a policeman in Burma in his youth, Orwell for a blue dot on each knuckle, the dots were supposed to protect the wearer from harm.

King Frederick IX of Denmark
King Frederick led Denmark for 25 years, and he was known for being a badass. His number of tattoos only reinforced this. His ink covered his arms and chest and he acquired them during his time as a sailor.

R.H. Macy
You might not know the name, but you sure know his legacy. R.H. Macy was the founder of Macy’s department store. You probably know the red star logo, but did you know it was inspired from R.H. Macy’s own tattoo? He had a red star on his forearm that he got in his youth when he was a sailor.

Want some cool ink? Contact us to set up an appointment today.

12 Celebrities That Seriously Regretted Their Couple Tattoos

As much as we love tattoos, we never recommend couple tattoos. Even the most stable relationships can end. Just ask any of the celebrities below and you’ll get the same advice. From initials, wedding dates, names, and even jersey numbers, these celebrities have regretted their couple tattoos so much that they’ve gone through the painful process of removing or covering up their ink.

1. Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has a unique way of getting rid of his couple tattoos. He doesn’t just remove them or cover them; he changes them into something unique and new. He was once in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Winona Ryder. But after that relationship ended he changed this arm tattoo from “Winona Forever” to “Wino Forever”.
Depp didn’t learn this lesson about couple tattoos though. When he got married to Amber Heard he tattooed “Slim” on his knuckles, which was his nickname for her. After their extremely messy divorce, he changed that tattoo to read “Scum”. Harsh.

2. Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera might be a pop princess, but even she makes mistakes. When she divorced her husband music executive Jordan Bratman in 2011, she got her tattoo honoring him removed. She had his initials in Hebrew on her arm, but they have since been removed.

3. & 4. Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen’s love life can be hard to keep track of from his multiple failed marriages to his beautiful “goddesses”. Once upon a time though he was married to Denise Richards. They were so in love they even got each other’s names tattooed on each other, with Richards getting “Charlie” on her ankle, and Sheen “Denise” on his wrist.
Not surprisingly they ended up divorcing. Denise covered up her “Charlie tattoo” with a cute fairy. Charlie, however, went a different route. He covered up “Denise” with his favorite saying, “Winning”!

5. Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez once had one of the most covered relationships in Hollywood. Unfortunately, they didn’t last. When they divorced though Marc wasn’t just left with a broken heart- he also had Jennifer’s name tattooed on his wrist. In 2014 he finally covered it up with a new design.

6. Angelina Jolie

Before “Brangelina”, Angelina Jolie was in a relationship with Billy Bob Thronton. The couple did numerous odd things, such as wear vials of each other’s blood. Angelina didn’t stop there though, she got his name tattooed on her upper arm. After the split though she got the tattoo removed. It has since been replaced with the coordinates of where her children were born. It seems she finally learned that relationships aren’t forever, but being a parent is.

7. Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria made the mistake of getting, not one, but three tattoos honoring her ex-husband basketball player Tony Parker. After it came out he cheated on her, it’s no surprise she got that ink removed. She once had his jersey number “Nine” on her neck, their wedding date “07-07-07” on her wrist, and his initials somewhere hidden, but they have since all been removed.

8. Heidi Klum

Model Heidi Klum and singer Seal seemed to have the perfect marriage. Klum even celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary by getting his name tattooed on her arm. Unfortunately, they divorced in 2012 and she began the process of getting his name removed.

9. Amber Rose

Nothing says love like getting your husbands face tattooed on your arm…until you divorce that is. Amber Rose ran into this problem when her divorce to rapper Wiz Khalifa left her with his face on her arm. Thankfully, she has since removed it and replaced it with some gorgeous roses.

10. Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea might sing about being fancy, but it’s not so fancy to have a tattoo of your boyfriend's name after a breakup. The singer got “Live”, “Love” and “A$VP” on her fingers in honor of boyfriend ASAP Rocky but after they broke up she was photographed with bandaged fingers suggesting the tattoos are now gone.

11. Nick Cannon

At least most people that get the names of their significant others do it on a small scale. Not Nick Cannon though. He got a giant tattoo of ex-wife Mariah Carey’s name on his back. Since their divorce, though he has replaced with another huge tattoo to cover it up.

12. Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner is fond of small tattoos. She even got a tiny “t” to honor her on-and off again boyfriend, Tyga. He in return got “Kylie” in massive script on his arm. Unfortunately, this young couple is over for good now. Kylie recently covered up her ink, turning the lowercase “t” into “la”. Tyga still has yet to cover up his Kylie tattoo, maybe he’s hoping they’re going to get back together. They probably won’t though considering Kylie just got matching butterfly tattoos with her new boyfriend Travis Scott.

7 Questions People With Tattoos Always Get Asked

1.    “Did it hurt?”

The simple answer to this question is, “duh”. All tattoos hurt, but the amount of pain depends on a lot of things. Some locations on the body hurt more. Design, size, the length of time, and personal pain tolerance are also factors.

2.    “Don’t you respect yourself?”

This question is so rude and judgmental it almost doesn’t even deserve a response. People need to let go of the outdated thinking that tattoos are related to rebellion and criminals.

3.    “Do you regret them?"

Some people do regret their tattoos, but most don’t. The longer you live with a tattoo the more meaning it takes on. It becomes less about the design, or even the original meaning, and becomes a marker for who you were during the period of time when you got it done.

4.    “How will you feel about then when you’re old?”

People’s bodies change when they age. Skin gets looser, wrinkles take over, and all of this does impact a tattoo. Maybe your tattoos will be faded and distorted by wrinkles but how great will it be to reminisce about your youth when you’re older?

5.    “What does your tattoo mean?”

Here’s the thing- sometimes tattoos don’t have meaning behind them. I know, shocking right? Sometimes they do, but not everyone is willing to share those stories. It’s ultimately up to the person who has the tattoo if they’re willing to share the story behind their tattoo (if there is one). If they don’t want to then respect that. 

6.    “What do your parents and grandparents think about them?”

This question assumes that everyone’s parents and grandparents think the same. Some parents are against them, other’s annoyed, some amused, and some for them. The same with grandparents. We aren’t the first generation to get tattooed so chances are that some parents and grandparents are tattooed themselves.

7.    “Would you ever get them removed?”

Tattoo removal is expensive, painful, and not guaranteed to work. Asking someone if they’re getting a tattoo removed implies that you think they should. If someone does want to change their tattoo there are tons of options out there today from removal to cover-ups.

Contact a Toronto Tattoo Shop to book your next appointment. 

Jobs and Tattoos

Society’s perception of tattoos has changed a lot through time. Today, tattoos no longer signal a rebel. It’s trendy to have one, a firm part of popular culture rather than a sign of counterculture. Even with these changes, people worry about how tattoos will affect their ability to get jobs.

Changing Attitudes

Tattoos are used as a form of self-expression. More industries are accepting of them than ever before. Many young professionals, 86%, don’t think that tattoos or piercings will reduce their chances of getting a job. They’re right often. Attire and grooming are shown to be far more important influences.

Limiting Attitudes

Not every workplace shares the new changing attitude about tattoos. Hiring managers might not hire someone with piercings or tattoos. This isn’t necessarily due to personal view, but rather they worry about how customers will perceive workers with tattoos. This concern is valid too since consumers have shown a preference for non-tattooed front-line staff.

Factors

In a lot of workplaces, there isn’t a hard and fast rule on tattoos (although be sure to check out the company dress code policy to be sure). Instead, the size, placement, and design make a huge impact on whether they’ll be allowed or not. Smaller tattoos, like wrist or finger tattoos, tend to be accepted but facial tattoos are usually a hard no. Employers also reject offensive tattoos like swear words, racist symbols, and nude images.

What To Do

Consider the location, size, and design of a tattoo when you get it. Don’t ever let a job dictate your self-expression but keep employment in mind. Most tattoos can easily be covered up by clothing so don’t worry. When in doubt ask your boss, in most cases it should be fine.

Contact a Toronto Tattoo Shop today to get a new tattoo that everyone will love- even your boss.

Options For Regrettable Tattoos

Tattoo artists always hate when they hear stories about people regretting their tattoos. As more people are getting them it’s only fitting that the rate of regret and removal increased too. Whether it’s design, time, or a bad artist, the reason for regret are numerous. Luckily, so are the options for removal.

Laser Removal

Laser removal is the most popular option for completely removing a tattoo. The ink is targeting with pulses of concentrated light that break down the ink. The bad news it that it takes at least 10 treatments for the tattoo to be fully removed. This is less if you only go in for a partial fading. The more treatments you get the more your skin gets damaged which means blisters, scabs, and scarring are all possible side effects of laser removal. This process is incredibly painful and it’s pretty pricey. Colored ink, especially blues and greens, are significantly harder to remove also.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

IPL is another treatment option that is gaining popularity. It’s similar to laser removal. A high-intensity light is emitted from a wand onto the targeted areas. This method is a lot less painful than laser but unfortunately, it is also more expensive. It’s relatively new so specialists aren’t sure about recommending it or not yet.

Dermabrasion

This is an old school removal option that isn’t used much today. It involved “sanding” or “blasting” away the top layers of skin through abrasive friction. If it sounds painful that’s because it is. It’s also not super effective, which is part of the reason it’s not even offered in most places anymore.

Tattoo Creams

Tattoos creams claim to lighten and fade tattoo ink. If this sounds too good to be true because it is. Most of them don’t work or at least don’t work effectively enough to match their hefty prices. Chances are they won’t work but if you really want to try them there aren’t really any side effects other than a loss of money.

Cover Up

Cover-ups are a good option for some people. A skilled artist that specializes in or has experience with cover-ups can give you a new ink to replace the bad one. If done well you can’t even see the old one at all. Cover-ups are only good if it’s the design, not the idea or placement of the tattoo, that you regret. A good cover-up can be expensive depending on the size and detail needed. Look at artist portfolios to make sure you’re not getting another bad one. Colored tattoos are harder to cover up and may require some laser fading first.

Restoration

Ink fades and spreads as time goes on causing some people to fall out of love with their tattoo. In this case, restoration might be the option for you. Top tattoo artists can go over old pieces and bring them back to life. Be sure to find an artist that specializes in this.

Conclusion

Tattoo regret is unfortunate but there are tons of reasons people regret tattoos. In order to avoid regret always research your artist, make sure you love your design, and think about the long term. Thankfully, there are far more options out there for removal than there used to be. Contact our Toronto tattoo shop today to set up an appointment for cover-ups or restoration.

Everything About Tattoo Regret

It’s a shame when people regret their tattoos. Tattoos are expensive, time-consuming, and pretty permanent. Unfortunately, it happens, though. As more people are getting them more people are also getting them removed. It raises some questions, like who, why, and when are people getting their tattoos removed. Here is everything you need to know about tattoo regret so you don’t end up regretting your own ink.

Who

People often wonder who is regretting their tattoos. Women actually make up the majority of people getting their tattoos removed. They account for closer to 72% of all tattoo removal procedures. It might also be surprising to learn that it’s not teenagers or young adults getting tattoos removed. Most people who regret their tattoos are middle aged.

When

A big concern for some people getting tattoos is that they’re worried they will regret it when they get older. The majority of removals happen between the ages of 35-50 so it’s a valid concern. In the past few years, people over the age of 85 gave been starting to make a dent in the removal population.

Why

There are a number of reasons people regret their tattoos. Some of them are pretty valid too. Here are the top reasons.

It’s Related to An Ex

The biggest reason people regret a tattoo? It’s related to an ex. Whether it’s their name, one-half of a couple tattoo or just something that reminds them of the ex, any tattoos related to an ex-significant other is cause for regret. Love isn’t permanent but tattoos are, so be 100% before getting a tattoo with your S.O.

It’s Too Visible

Sometimes people regret a tattoo not because of the design but because of the location. A tattoo being too visible is a cause for regret. Society is more accepting of tattoos now but some jobs still require them to be covered, which can be difficult. People often feel that certain visible tattoos hold them back professionally.

Faded Ink

No matter how good a tattoo artist is, ink fades. The older the tattoo is the more faded it will be. Certain things can be done to slow this down but nothing can be done to stop it. Some people love their original tattoo but as it fades it starts to lose their appeal. Luckily, a faded tattoo can be restored so it doesn’t have to be removed.

Poor Quality Work

There’s nothing worse than going in for a tattoo and coming out with poor quality work. A poor job done on a tattoo is probably the top reason people regret them. Not all tattoo artists are the same so be sure to research yours before hand.

Design Mistake

Who hasn’t gotten a good laugh from seeing those tattoo mistake pictures online? Whether a word is misspelled, a translation wrong, or a font choice that makes a word look like something else design mistakes suck. They’re not only a product of a bad artist but they are a cause for regret. Sometimes they can be fixed but other times it’s a permanent reminder of not double-checking.

Feelings Towards Image Changed

Feelings and attitudes towards certain things change over time. Sometimes it’s because of age or maturity, or it could be because of a major life event. There’s no way to tell if you’ll love your tattoo in the future. If you’re worried about this write down your idea, put it away for a while, and then look at it again. If you still want it then go for it and get it done.

Drunken Mistake

There’s a reason tattoo shops don’t like to tattoo drunk people. Alcohol makes people’s blood thinner, which causes more bleeding during the process. But more than that, people tend to make bad decisions when they’re drunk. So do yourself a favor and stay away from tattoo shops when you’re intoxicated to avoid a butterfly tramp stamp in the morning.

Inappropriate Image

When you’re young an inappropriate image seems funny and daring, even rebellious. When you’re older it’s just stupid. Even the most relaxed jobs about tattoos will take issue if it depicts something offensive or inappropriate. Not to mention many parents regret certain tattoos once they have children. Kind of hard to explain that naked girl on your arm to your toddler.

Aged Badly

Certain tattoos don’t age well and it’s not always because of ink fading. Bodies change, as people get older. Muscles disappear, fat appears, and skin becomes less tight. All of this can impact the look and design of a tattoo. Certain areas will be more affected by age than others so consider this when getting inked. No wonder the older crowd is beginning to make a dent in the removal population.

Conclusion

It’s a good thing that tattoos are becoming more accepted and popular in this age. It’s even better that tattoo removal options are becoming more effective and cheaper too. In order to prevent regretting a tattoo though thing about it before you go through with it. Sit on a design for a while, research your artist, and make sure you’ll love it now and in the future. Contact our Toronto Tattoo Shop today to discuss getting a tattoo, covering one up, or getting a touch-up.