Things to know before a wrist tattoo

Wrist tattoos are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to customize your body! From Hollywood A-listers like Victoria Beckham and Lindsay Lohan to ordinary people such as you and me!

Favorite designs for men include tribal tattoos, Celtic designs, flames and stars. Favorites for women include fairies, flowers, stars and rosaries.

Obviously tattoos are permanent so you need to be absolutely sure you have considered all the implications before you go ahead! Here are 3 things you need to think about.

First, the pain factor! It's just common sense that the wrist is quite a painful place to have a tattoo. Tattoos are drawn with needles, so somewhere without a lot of skin for cussioning is going to hurt! If you aren't good with real pain, or if it's your first tattoo, maybe you should think somewhere on your body that has a little more flesh!

Tattoos on thinner areas of skin take longer to heal, and may need to be refreshed more often to keep the design sharp.

Secondly, wrist tattoos (particularly those with stars) were traditionally associated with the gay and lesbian communities. This isn't the case as much now, but before you get a permanent tattoo, you should be aware of the history of your design.

Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, be certain you are sure you really want the tattoo! Perhaps this sounds obvious but many people don't think about it properly and end up regretting their decision. A tattoo on your wrist is a very visible place to have one. A tattoo on your shoulder, back or stomach is quite easy to hide - at least when you need to. But on your wrist it's almost impossible to hide it completely.

You might think it looks good, but what about your parents. And what about your boss or future employers! It would be unwise to negatively impact your job prospects for years to come because of one tattoo from your youth.

This might all sound negative, but it isn't all bad news! Wrist tattoos are a great way to make your body more individual and show people your style. It's just important to consider potential unintended side-effects!

Above all, just make sure you know what you're getting yourself in for!