I work at a tattoo shop. 16 and 17 year olds that come in with their parents (state law) usually have a good story behind their tattoo.

It’s not so much the tattoo but the PLACEMENT.

Most young people are doing the wrist or the ribs. The ribs make more sense because these kids do not know how they are going to pay their bills when they are independent.

Yes, a wrist tattoo can be covered with a large watch or bracelet, but I suspect they want the tattoo because it is noticeable.

Personally I have over 100 tattoos but I would never get my wrist tattooed.

better to see a professional then get it done by their gangsta friends who can barely do a good scull or cross. and that shit be permanent

I’m not a tattoo artist, but I am a teenager with an intersting in getting a tattoo. My tattoo is in memory of a friend who passed away at 18 just last weekend.
I suppose it would depend if the teenager was getting the tattoo with some special meaning or not. If they’re getting the tattoo just because they can, I wouldn’t look highly at that. However, if it was something with meaning, like mine (a memorial tattoo) or a tattoo professing their faith or something important to them, then I think I would approve of it.

When a teenager come in to our shop we want to help them the best we can. This will be on there forever. So we wonder if they really know what they want and how long have they thought about this tat. We try to get them to pick a smaller tattoo if they are of a smaller build.We also make sure that they are 16 and have a parent signature.
It better it the tat has meaning to them and they have a story about it but we will also tattoo them if they open up the book and point to one.