Older Gen Z’ers Agree On One Big Regret

Author Mike O'Brian

July 10th 3:54 AM

A Gen Z'er on a road trip hanging out the window of a pickup.

Hey listen, we all have one or two regrets as we get older, but now older Gen Z’ers can agree on one big regret they all have. Of course, you have to take this with a grain of salt, because they all might not have the same level of regret.

It came out the other day and The Mike & Carla Morning Show talked about the fact that some “older” Gen Z’ers might have what they are calling “tattoo” regret! Yep, if they got them in their early 20’s, now in their late 30’s, this is one regret a majority might share.

Older Gen Z’ers Are Agreeing On One Big Regret

According to a recent article in the USA Today under Health and Wellness, it’s saying basically that the ink they got back then, doesn’t represent the person they are now. In fact, it seems to be happening more with women…especially those that are just getting married.

Amazingly enough, some women who are trying to find that perfect wedding dress and now trying to hide that one tat that made them the individual they once were. Young, rebellious, and making a statement that would last forever.

Now Carla Rea, who recently got a couple of tattoos, was asked about her tattoo regret. She has none at all. Getting them later in life, she positioned them in areas that people would only see them if she wanted them to be seen.

Carla also jokingly stated on the morning show, that her body wasn’t going to “sag” anymore than it could moving forward. She felt safe and confident on the decision. Asked if she would get any more, the answer was NO!

So, think about it…no matter what age you might be, if you got the ink work done, are you still happy with that decision? Chances are you are not the person you were 10, 20 or even 30 years ago, but they still represent who you are now.

Listen to the segment from the other morning and you decide…and enjoy!

Mike O’Brian is the Program Director and Morning Show host on 96.3 KKLZ in Las Vegas, along with Carla Rea. He has been with the Beasley Media Group for almost 23 years. Mike was named one of the “Best Program Directors In America” by Radio Ink magazine. Over the years, “The Mike & Carla Morning Show” have been presented with a number of proclamations for their work in the community and numerous awards. Having lived in Las Vegas for over 35 years, he writes articles on living in Las Vegas, sports, and odd stories happening within the state of Nevada. Mike is the host of the morning show and program director of 96.3 KKLZ/Las Vegas. He has been doing mornings in Las Vegas for the past 38 years. Over the years, he has hosted a numerous amount of community events and has been the P.A. announcer for a number of sports teams in Las Vegas. He has written on living in Las Vegas, the sports teams here, as well as odd & little-known facts about Las Vegas & Nevada.

Regret That Tattoo? Top 7 U.S. Cities With Huge Tattoo Regrets

Oh yes, Las Vegas is in the top 7. More on that in a moment. But tattoo regret is much more common nowadays than back when we were growing up. Fifty years ago, tattoos were pretty much just for biker gangs and sailors on leave. Nowadays, it seems like just about everyone has a tattoo. So, with more people getting more tattoos, there’s a better chance for tattoo regrets to surface.

Here’s How The Survey Determines Tattoo Regrets

At the present time, estimates show that at least 30% of Americans have at least one tattoo on their body. With this in mind, the folks at LaserAway.com set out to determine the amount of tattoo regret in cities and states across the nation.

Of course, the first question asked was: “Do you have at least one tattoo?” If the answer was “Yes,” then the survey could continue. Consequently, respondents were asked how many tattoos they had. Secondly, they were asked how much money they have spent on their body art. Thirdly, they were asked if they were ever pressured into getting a tattoo. Finally, respondents were asked if they regretted getting any of their artwork, and if so, why.

Here’s What They Found Out About Americans And Their Body Art

Overall, there are some very interesting findings in this study. For example, 1 in 4 Americans regret at least one of their tattoos. In general, the size and/or placement of the tattoo is what people most regret. At any rate, folks tend to like the artwork they choose.

Additionally, the survey finds that women are more likely to regret their body art than men. Moreover, nearly 1 in 10 Americans immediately regret getting a tattoo once they see it on their bodies. After all, tattoos are permanent for the most part.

Here’s What They Found Out About Las Vegans With Tattoos

As you’ll see below, Las Vegas ranks in the top 7 when it comes to tattoo regret. Furthermore, Sin City residents spend a great deal of money on body art. We rank 9^th in that respect, averaging over $500 bucks per person.

Nevertheless, two-thirds (67%) of Las Vegans with body art currently regret getting 2-3 of their tattoos. Ouch! That’s a lot of cash for a permanent decoration you’re not happy with. Moreover, half of Las Vegans surveyed say they have had a tattoo covered up.

If you’d like to see the full report from LaserAway.com, click here. Now, let’s see which U.S. cities join us in the top 7 with huge tattoo regrets.

7) Washington, D.C.
The folks living in our nation’s capital rank 7th in this recent study for tattoo regrets. 55.6% of those surveyed admitted to regretting at least one of their tattoos. And no, they don’t need an act of Congress to get that done.

View from behind a man with a shaved head and a large tattoo of the American flag on his bare back.
6) New York City
New York, New York. A city so great, they named it twice. Well, the folks in “The Big Apple” seem to have lots of tattoo regrets, with 56.5% of those surveyed saying they would remove at least one of their tattoos. However, the state of New York ranked 34th out of 40 for tattoo regrets.

A young woman leaning against a granite wall. She is sticking out her tongue. She has pink tinted, curly hair. She is wearing overalls, a red t-shirt, and she has a tattoo on her right arm.
5) Philadelphia
The “City of Brotherly Love” and home to America’s Liberty Bell ranks 5th in this study. 63.1% of those surveyed in Philly admitted to having regrets about at least one of their tattoos. That guy who got a picture of a cheese steak sandwich tattooed on his arm really regrets that choice.

Daytime photo of the American Liberty in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Independence Hall can be seen in the background.
4) Denver
Residents of “The Mile High City” have the fourth most tattoo regrets of any U.S. city. 63.9% of Denver’s respondents wish they hadn’t gotten at least one of their tattoos. The rest of the folks throughout Colorado also had lots of tattoo regrets, ranking 5th out of 40 states.

A daytime photo of Denver, Colorado’s downtown skyline. City Park is seen in the foreground. Snow-capped Rocky Mountains can be seen in the background.
3) Las Vegas
We’re number 3! 65.4% of the Las Vegas residents surveyed for tattoo regrets admit to wanting to remove at least one of their tats. Furthermore, the rest of Nevada has some serious tattoo regret as well, as the Silver State ranked 8th out of 40 states.

A nighttime photo of two young women standing on or near Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. They are holding lots of money in their hands and looking into the camera. The woman on the left has blond hair and wears glasses. The woman on the right has red hair, a rose in her hair, and a colorful tattoo on her upper left arm. Neon lights of the casinos can bee seen in the background.
2) Oklahoma City
Well this was kind of a shocker. Oklahoma City places second in this survey. 67.9% of those surveyed say they regret getting at least one of their tattoos. I bet the woman below regrets standing in cow dung a lot more than that tattoo.

Daytime photo of the bottom half of a woman’s legs. She is wearing gray leggings and she is warming her feet in fresh cow dung in a brown, grassy, meadow. A lake can be seen in the background. She is wearing a leather anklet on her left leg, and she has a tattoo of a steer’s skull on the calf of her right leg.
1) Phoenix
And the winner (or loser) is….Phoenix, Arizona! Over 75% of the folks surveyed in this desert city admitted to regretting at least one of their tattoos. Furthermore, the folks in the rest of the state have lots of tattoo regrets as well, ranking 2nd out of 40 states. That’s a lot of tattoo regret!

Daytime photo of a young, blond woman standing in a desert landscape. She is wearing rose-colored sunglasses. She is holding a golf club placed behind her back. She has a tattoo running up her left arm from her wrist, past her shoulder and onto her upper body.