"I Regret My Tattoos" — Woman Warns Younger People to Be Smart About Tattoos

We all strive to be forever young. However, since we’ve aged up IRL, there are some things that we look back at and that make us cringe. From jeggings to kitten heels, there are some trends that should really stay in the past.

But @leahbbeth said she’s reminded of her past every day when she looks in the mirror. In a viral TikTok, she explained why she wishes she could go back in time. According to Leah, she’d give her younger self a few words of advice about getting tattoos.

Thanks to years of hard work and dedicated tattoo artists, most of Leah’s body is covered in ink. Now that she’s all grown up, she’s full of regret and warns young people to wait until they’re at least 25 to get tatted.

“When you were a teenager and you were like, 'This is not a phase Mom, this is the real me.' It was a phase,” she explains in the video.

Although she started on her latest piece as recently as “last year,” she’s already second-guessing her decision.

Leah said “something just switched” in her head weeks ahead of her 25th birthday. “There really is something to be said about brain development and decision-making,” Leah said.

The TikToker added: “Like I woke up one day and I was like I am cringing the eff out about the majority of my tattoos, most of them do not bring me joy.”

Leah showed off some of her tats, which stretch from her shoulders to her feet. For her, most of them “have no meaning” and don’t represent the woman she is now. She also gave us some insight into why she inked her whole body in the first place.

“I think I was looking for a sense of identity and outward validation from other people. I just don't feel like at this point in my life that I crave that attention and validation anymore,” she said, adding that she wishes she could “scrub them all off.”

Leah also shared: “I just don't feel at home in this skin anymore.”

Additionally, Leah made another bad decision in her youth: she got a botched breast augmentation.

“My advice to you is, wait until you're older than 25 to get tattoos or make any changes to your body,” she warned.

And she isn’t the only one who feels this way. Her story resonated with plenty of users on TikTok, who shared their perspectives in the comments.

“I waited until I was 30 to start getting tattoos — so relieved,” @strawberryvino wrote. “Some of my friend’s tattoos are rough. I also have [money] for quality artists!”

Another person empathized: “Same ... I want all mine gone too. Why did I do this to myself?”

On the other hand, there were plenty of users who didn’t regret their tattoos at all. “If it helps I'm 50 and wish I never got mine removed. Thinking of getting new ones,” @mattiehac commented.

Remember, it’s your body so it’s your choice! But maybe you should wait until you’re old enough to drink to make that decision.