Tattoos are growing in popularity; it seems like everyone has at least one these days, and employers seem more open to letting workers show off their personal art. If you are considering getting a tattoo, whether it's your first or your fiftieth, it's good to consider a few things before you go under the needle.

1. Tattoo Trends

Think about the subject of your tattoo. Is it trendy? Is everyone else going to have the same tattoo as you? While trendy tattoos aren't bad, consider how unique you would like your tattoo to be. If a certain image holds meaning for you, but you don't want to have the same tattoo as everyone else, try using a different symbol that holds the same meaning. If a feather turning into birds holds the meaning of freedom for you, try thinking about other things that symbolize freedom. Some examples might be a running horse, a cloud, or even a wildflower.

2. Words

Words are unchanging. Believe it or not, you might have different values at a future point in your life. While the meaning and symbolism of images can change for a person, words always remain constant. Consider what words you want displayed on your body thoroughly. It might be wise to have one or two word phrases as a tattoo as well, so it's easy to get a feeling for the whole piece without having to read an entire set of song lyrics.

In addition to the static status of words, it's also more difficult to make them look good on a human body. Words were meant for flat surfaces, and it takes a bit of planning to make them appear well done.

3. Money

While some simpler designs can turn out well for a bargain, more intricate tattoos should be done by an expert. When it comes to tattoos, the more money you put into it, the better it will look. Save up for a good tattoo-- don't go for the cheapest one you can get just to get another tattoo.

4. Tattoos are art

Tattoos are art, and tattoo artists are actual artists. Don't plagiarize other people's art by making a tattoo artist put your exact reference photo on you. Artists all have their own distinct style, so let them add their personal flair to it. Your body is a canvas, and you are commissioning an artist to make art for you. If you don't like an artist's style, find a different one. They will be happy that they don't have to do something they don't want to, and you will be happier with a different art style.

5. Placement, color, and size to prevent fading

All of these factors can contribute to how well your tattoo holds up over time. The skin on the hands and feet regenerate faster and come into contact with more things, so tattoos fade quickly. Over time, ink bleeds a little under the skin, so tiny tattoos sometimes can turn into blobs. Make sure you consider that before you get an adorably small cat behind your ear. Certain colors hold up better in general, as well. Black usually stays the longest. Some shops won't even do those trendy "watercolor" tattoos because they don't have black lines, so they fade very quickly. If you spend a lot of money on your tattoo, you don't want it to go away or have to get it touched up too often.

Altogether, your body is for you to decorate. It's good to consider some things about tattoos, but as long as you get it done in a safe, clean, environment, your tattoo is really whatever you want to put on your body.