Most people who get a tattoo really enjoy the experience and love their tattoo for years to come. Given that it is usually a permanent change which you are making, it is a decision that you should very carefully think through before you go ahead and get one. Tattoo artists will generally tattoo any part of your body that you wish, but there are some areas of your body where it just is not a good idea to get a tattoo done. These are the top three worst places on your body to get a tattoo.

Face

You may think that you are being uber-cool by getting a tattoo on your face, but this is really the worst place that you can get one done. Unless you want to spend the next 20 years wearing a balaclava to work, there is really no chance of hiding it, and it probably won’t go down to well with your boss. No matter how inappropriate a tattoo is for work, at least if it is done on your arms or legs you can resign yourself to wearing long-sleeved shirts or pants. Not so with your face. Also, your face is exposed to the sunlight far more than the rest of your body (for most people anyway), so there is much more chance of the tattoo bleaching and losing its color. This can make your tattoo look really awful, a few years down the line – but it is too late by then, because you are stuck with it!

Hand and Fingers

For partly the same reason as the face, your hands and fingers are also not a great place to get a tattoo. You may be able to get away with small tattoos, but most of the time you are not going to be able to hide these either. There are also problems with germs on your hands, as these grow really well between your fingers and under your nails. When you get a new tattoo it is basically an open cut on your skin and is really prone to getting infected. It is quite easy to stop this in most places on your body, but your hands are not one – it is quite easy for germs to get in there and infect the tattoo. This will make it irritatingly itchy, can prevent it from healing, and can actually damage the overall look of the tattoo. In some severe cases it may even lead to more serious illness.

Feet

OK, so your feet are quite easy to cover up. But they are another place where a tattoo is quite easily infected when you first have it done. The way that the skin moves on your feet can also mean that the image on the tattoo will change after a while and most tattoo artists will not guarantee the quality of anything done there. Your feet also quite often bleed more when getting a tattoo, which is not only unpleasant, but can also prevent color from taking which can make the tattoo look pretty bad. The only real way to make sure that the tattoo stands a good chance of coming out well is to not wear shoes and socks for at least three weeks. For most people that is pretty impossible.

Whether you decide to get a tattoo in these places or elsewhere on your body, the best way to ensure that it comes out as desired is to make sure that you carefully follow the instructions given by the tattoo artist to care for your new artwork.

Ankle tattoos, like wrist tattoos are slightly painful. There is less fat between the skin and bone on the ankle then on other parts of the body. When there is less fat, there is less cushion for the needle to go into during the tattoo process.

Design
There are two main design choices, an ankle band or a petite ankle tattoo. The ankle band can be anything from a barbed wire to a vine of flowers. It depends on the look you are going for. When men chose to get an ankle tattoo, most of the time they opt for something masculine like the tribal bands and Celtic bands. Women tend to go for a more feminine and delicate design. When deciding on your design, choose something that is unique and special to you. Whatever you decide on, make sure that you and your tattoo artist are on the same page, so to speak. Let them know exactly what you are looking for, and they will be able to give you advice on exactly where you should place it, and what the draw backs may be.

Location
Due to the location, ankle tattoos may require touch ups in the future due to wear and tear. Clothing and shoes that may rub against it and the exposure to sun light that it may get. Lower extremities, like the foot and ankle tend to bleed more also, so do not be surprised if your ankle tattoo bleeds more than one you have had on another location. Summer time is the best time to get an ankle tattoo, because in order for it to heel properly, clothing needs to kept off of it.

Ankle tattoos are especially popular among women. Many women choose ankle tattoos because they can easily be shown off, and are easily covered. Long pants or socks cover them up just fine.

Placement
Placement of the tattoo is something that should be considered. You may choose to have your tattoo placed on the inside of the ankle, the outside of the ankle, or all the way around the ankle.

Depending on which style of ankle tattoo you choose, the amount of time required to plan and get your tattoo varies. If you go with a design that is very detailed and circles the entire ankle, it will most likely take more time then a simple butterfly or heart. The cost of the tattoo usually increases with the amount of work involved.