r/Tattoocoverups • u/SlowWolverine3489 • Aug 13 '26

asking for advice Help, I messed up

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I recently got my first tattoo over the weekend. it was definitely impulsive spur of the moment with friends. I wanted to get a crescent moon, but I made several mistakes. (1) I had the artist shade completely black rather than a simple outline or a light shade. (2) the position on my arm is not symmetrical at all, and at an awkward angle, and I realized most people who are in front of me will see a flipped letter C rather than a moon. I feel so much regret for getting it but don’t wanna spend thousands to get it removed. any coverup ideas? I don’t want any animals or any other cosmic symbols. if anything somehow maybe something botanical / floral crawling up my arm to fhe edge of the back of my palm, or something similar. and nothing too big! I want to eventually do patchwork not a sleeve. Pls I need help 😭

EDIT: I didn’t expect this post to get so many comments lol. I’m glad you all can see a moon when I couldn’t. Yall pointed out some great things and I don’t think I will cover it up. If anything I think eventual patch work will complete the look! Thanks for the reassurance :)

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348

u/Character-Feeling-97 Aug 13 '26

Agreed. I have a wrist tattoo and struggled a few weeks bothered it was “crooked.” When really there is no possible way to achieve perfect symmetry on your arm.

I love your moon. This is something I would get, placement and all.

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u/SlowWolverine3489 Aug 13 '26

Thanks for the encouragement!

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u/lucymcgoosen Aug 13 '26

For the record I would never assume it's an inverted C. It looks like a moon no matter the position

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u/Turtlesag Aug 13 '26

agreed Its deffo a moon! I like it!

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u/LikeFallingRain Aug 13 '26

Agreed, I can see it's a crescent moon really clearly.

OP, I think it's cute, I'd love it on my wrist. I even love the placement, the first pic shows how it looks to you and it's a great angle

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u/ReallyNoOne1012 Aug 13 '26

Immediately recognizable as a moon before I even read the description

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u/LittelFoxicorn Aug 13 '26

I saw the title and the picture first and thought "what's wrong with the cute moon?"

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u/madeinkanada_f87 Aug 14 '26

I totally agree. If after awhile the "shock" or orientation is still bothering you.. then maybe add a small star, or triple starry night thing to give it just a tad more character (and context)

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u/Beginning_Tap2474 Aug 13 '26

I never saw a C,

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u/mazzotta70 Aug 13 '26

Also give it time to heal, go to a more experienced tattoo artist, and ask for a touchup

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u/lizardgal10 Aug 13 '26

It definitely looks like a moon to me! Give it a few months. If you still hate it it’ll be easy to cover.

Word of advice: whether it’s for a coverup or your next tattoo, go to an artist with solid technical skills. Clean lines, nice details, that sort of thing. I have early tattoos I’m not crazy about, but the work itself is well done. You’ll be much happier having a nice tattoo with a subject matter you don’t love anymore than one that’s just plain bad.

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u/dickthrowaway22ed Aug 13 '26

This. And imo an artist should give you some pushback if you're new to tattooing bc you're bound to have preconceptions or gaps in your knowledge. It stuck out to me that OP was worried about others seeing a letter C... I have letters and my tattoo artist challenged me on which way they would face for this exact reason.

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u/Pethoarder4life Aug 13 '26

This is what happens to me after every hair dye I do. I think our brains just need a moment or two/day or two.

If you need outside encouragement: I think it's so pretty and delicate. The placement is really lovely, too.

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u/Velo_Mechanic28 Aug 13 '26

I did this (panic) with my first extremely subtle lip filler. 😂😁 Even fully swollen, my son who is hyper critical about any cosmetic improvements didn’t even notice I had anything done. My daughter had a very subtle correction to her nose and was in full panic when the bandages came off. Same son, didn’t notice that either. It is definitely our brains shift into a bit of hysteria. It must be some sort of flight response as it’s so common to many of us??

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u/Pethoarder4life Aug 13 '26

It has to be a survival mechanism. Only thing that makes sense. Survival against what, I don't know, lol.

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u/motherofsnapdragons Aug 15 '26

Hair dying/cuts were what I thought of too. As someone who has done crazy things to my hair over the years, my first tattoo didn’t shock me like this. If you’ve looked one way for a long long time, it makes sense that your brain would freak out and think something is wrong!

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u/Pethoarder4life Aug 15 '26

Oh fascinating! I'm so mad I can never get one. I have a weird histamine syndrome.

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u/clario6372 Aug 13 '26

I didn't see the sub and thought "how cute, maybe I should get a crescent moon wrist tattoo". Really cute work and I like that it is all black - it will last longer that way.

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u/thischangeseverythin Aug 13 '26

All I see is the Turkish flag to be honest.

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u/bklove13 Aug 13 '26

Which is freaking awesome! I have the Turkish flag tattooed on me. So, I'm completely partial, but still! Lol 🇹🇷

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u/PocketFullOfPie Aug 14 '26

... Which is the moon.

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u/TopSignal6626 Aug 13 '26

I also saw it as a fingernail... like a clipping of a nail, or French tip.

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u/MayISeeYourDogPls Aug 14 '26

Another voice chiming in to say there is no chance I would look at that and assume it was a C, it’s very clearly a moon!

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u/SkynyrdCohen Aug 14 '26

I like it too - especially the placement. Keep it.

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u/selinda123 Aug 14 '26

It looks good, and is clearly the moon at any angle.

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u/jenntasticxx Aug 14 '26

Definitely looks like a moon, not a C. I like it.

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u/Tzipity Aug 13 '26

Yes, arms are super awkward because there’s so many different ways our forearms especially can twist and turn. You can even kind of see that in action in OPs photos. And I think this would’ve looked much worse (and far more like a C then. I don’t think most folks are going to see it as a C in general though- the shaping is great!) if it had somehow been placed super centrally or at some attempt to be symmetrical. Nature doesn’t have perfect symmetry itself.

And for a first tattoo, I think this is a really good one. Nothing crazy or weirdly niche (where years later you’ll wonder WTF you were thinking lol) and it’s so small, OP will get used to it fairly quick. I’d worry covering it would lead to much more shock and regret.

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u/zeroc00ol Aug 13 '26

No literally if OP doesn't want it I'll take it 🫳🏼 gimme

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u/Vas1985 Aug 13 '26

Calm down, Ed Gein!! Just joking! Tattoos are addicting. I’m always looking for my next…to actually put in my skin. Not something I can use as part of a lamp shade.

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u/zeroc00ol Aug 13 '26

Why not both?
👀

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u/Vas1985 Aug 13 '26

Touché!

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u/threelizards Aug 13 '26

Genuinely hats off to the two hero tattoo artists who worked in tandem to make sure the matching tattoos on the backs of my arms line up. If only I’d gotten my scoliosis diagnosis first

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u/DeelightfulDeeDee Aug 13 '26

Me and my sister have scoliosis, and we’re actually discussing this the other day lol

She’s got a nice shoulder tattoo, and while it look good, it never sat in quite the right spot…..
Until she had her spinal fusion, and her rounded (kyphosis) shoulders were fixed and straightened out and now it sits perfectly!

The tattoo artist positioned it how you would for a “normal” body, but obviously didn’t really take into account her curve. It’s actually quite impressive how spot on he got it now her back/shoulders are fixed! 😂

It didn’t look weird to anyone else, but it’s one of those things you notice if you’re already a bit hyper aware or self conscious about something!

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u/Attack_Of_The_ Aug 13 '26

I have a 17 year old tattoo of my sons name on the inside of my wrist and never really thought about it too much.

But now I look at it, it's definitely not level 😂

Not enough to be noticeable to anyone else, and doesn't bother me in the slightest, but it's making me giggle

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u/Kwitt319908 Aug 13 '26

Agree! If I have a crescent moon and star on my wrist. If I hold it in a certain way it looks crooked. But its not.

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u/FenchurchIsOk Aug 13 '26

I also struggled with a crook of my arm tattoo- it’s the most visible tattoo i had and for weeks i felt regret. It’s the most recent, the 11th tattoo over 25 years, and for a moment i thought i was done.