Your child is officially an adult and celebrated no longer being under your thumb. Get used to it.

Black ink tattoos are not that hard to remove these days. Depends a bit on the tattoo, the location, and certain skin qualities, but the technology is pretty advanced. Yes, removal costs more than getting the tattoo in the first place. But it's not like prohibitively expensive -- maybe around 1k for a small-to-mid-size black ink tattoo. It can take a few years. But it's doable.

Pete Davidson is in the process of removing something like 200 tattoos all over his body, and you can see how dramatic the transformation is: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DF5_4v4vt7f/
I'm sure close up you can still see some shadows from some of them (especially the color ink) but it's really not that noticeable).

I say all this because I see a lot of people in this thread freaking out about tattoos and acting like they are irreversible mistakes. They aren't. You can get an ill-advised tattoo at 18 and get it removed at 25 for 1-2k, and it's like it never happened. The cost of removal is high enough that it will deter future tattoos for people who regretted past ones, but not so high to prevent someone from doing removal.

Also the lasers they use to remove tattoos seriously get better all the time. The technology has advanced a ton in just the last 10 years and will likely only get better, because tattoo removal has become a big business and being able to promise faster, better removal is a big selling point.

An ill advised tattoo is so far from the worst thing an 18 year old could do, I would honestly count your blessings that this is what his rebellion amounts to -- an ugly but reversible physical adornment that he got primarily to annoy you (and it's working!).

Dd got one the summer after turning 18 and I wasn't bothered by it. It's a small dragonfly, nicely drawn, at her hip. She also has a belly button piercing. I was much more concerned about the septum piercing she wanted (but didn't get-- yet)! I have one tattoo, which I got at 50 with my college girlfriends, and it's mostly not visible. We have strict standards for artists where I live so I wasn't worried.

My college kid said that some other kids got tattoos while at college and make significant effort to hide them from their parents. When home they wear long sleeves, add extra under layers and generally avoid being seen naked.

My kid doesn't have tattoos but has cutting scars that they usually hide so they know how to disguise.

Consequences

No more money from mom and dad except tuition and room and board

He lied to get money for something you are against. He has now expedited his transition to adulthood and can use part-time jobs in summer work to pay for any other bad decisions he plans to make.

What were the tattoos???

Anonymous wrote:Are none of these kids and/or parents concerned about the possible health implications of this?

My 18 YO DS has been talking about getting a tattoo as well. I (mostly) remained calm and asked that he just research the increased risk (21%) of developing lymphoma after getting a tattoo. For the moment, that has stopped the conversation.

This. Between infections and now cancer.
It doesn’t help that sports figures seem to all have them. Also, I am not happy with chipotle promoting buy one get one free for showing your tattoo today.

Are none of these kids and/or parents concerned about the possible health implications of this?

My 18 YO DS has been talking about getting a tattoo as well. I (mostly) remained calm and asked that he just research the increased risk (21%) of developing lymphoma after getting a tattoo. For the moment, that has stopped the conversation.

Anonymous wrote:People are way more relaxed now. Some tiny tattoos or ear piercings aren't going to stop you from becoming a diplomat or analyst or partner at your law firm, covering your body with dozens of tattoos and having those black button ear piercings likely still would.

+1 and in some fields it's almost expected. DD (21) does environmental work and doesn't have any tattoos. She says she's usually the only one on a team who doesn't. She's also an artist and very particular about what she might commit to on her body. So, she'll get a tattoo but only when she gets the design right and finds the right tattoo artist to do it.

Anonymous wrote:He lied to his parents and took their money to get the tattoos. They have ever reason to be angry just for that reason alone.

+1 this is what you focus on. He needs to pay back the money he stole from you.

Other than that, let go of the tattoo issue. I get it, I hate them too, but it's not your body. I fully expect my DD to eventually get one since she talks about it all the time but, fortunately she's super indecisive so I'll be shocked if she ever commits to a design LOL