Hollywood Stars Who Deeply Regret Their Famous Tattoos

The culture of body art in the entertainment industry often leads to impulsive decisions that celebrities later come to lament. Many famous actors and musicians have spent thousands of dollars on laser removal or cover-up pieces to erase reminders of past relationships or youthful mistakes. These permanent marks can become a burden during film productions or serve as painful memories of life chapters they wish to close. From misspelled foreign phrases to the names of former spouses the following stars have been remarkably candid about their tattoo remorse.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie famously wore the name of her former husband Billy Bob Thornton on her upper left arm. After their high profile divorce she underwent several laser treatments to remove the script and the dragon underneath it. She eventually replaced the space with the geographical coordinates of the locations where her children were born. The actress has stated that she would never be foolish enough to tattoo a man name on her body again.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp famously altered his Winona Forever tattoo after his relationship with actress Winona Ryder ended in the early nineties. He chose to have the last two letters of her name removed so the ink would read Wino Forever instead. This modification became one of the most cited examples of celebrity tattoo regret in pop culture history. The actor has since dealt with other relationship related ink including several changes to tattoos dedicated to Amber Heard.

Kaley Cuoco

The star of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ had her wedding date tattooed in Roman numerals on her upper back. Following her divorce from tennis player Ryan Sweeting she decided to cover the numerical sequence with a large moth. She shared the transformation on social media and warned her followers against tattooing wedding dates on their bodies. The new design was chosen specifically for its ability to completely block out the previous lines.

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria had multiple tattoos dedicated to her former husband Tony Parker including his jersey number on her neck. She also had their wedding date inscribed on her wrist and his initials hidden in a more private location. After their split she underwent an extensive and painful laser removal process to clear her skin of the reminders. She has since advised others that tattoo removal is far more uncomfortable than getting the original ink.

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams decided to remove the extensive tattoo sleeves that covered both of his arms several years ago. He cited a change in his personal perspective and a desire to see his natural skin again as the primary reasons. The musician underwent a skin grafting procedure to expedite the removal process rather than relying solely on traditional laser treatments. He has been open about the fact that he outgrew the aesthetic he chose during his younger years.

Melanie Griffith

Melanie Griffith displayed a large heart on her shoulder with the name Antonio written inside to honor her longtime husband Antonio Banderas. When the couple announced their separation she immediately began the process of erasing his name from the design. For many red carpet events she used heavy makeup to mask the fading ink while the laser treatments took effect. Eventually the entire heart was removed to leave her shoulder clear of the sentimental mark.

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg spent several years undergoing laser treatments to remove almost all of the tattoos on his body. He decided to clear his skin because he wanted to set a better example for his children and simplify his morning routine. The actor noted that sitting in the makeup chair for hours to cover his ink for films like ‘The Fighter’ was becoming a major inconvenience. He even brought his children to his removal appointments to show them how painful the process could be.

Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon had a massive tattoo of the name Mariah across his shoulder blades to honor his then wife Mariah Carey. After their marriage ended he visited a tattoo artist to transform the name into a large elaborate religious scene. The new piece covers his entire upper back and features a depiction of a crucifixion. He later joked that he should have considered the permanence of such a large tribute before committing to the original design.

Pete Davidson

Pete Davidson has spoken frequently about his decision to remove many of the dozens of tattoos that cover his torso and arms. He explained that the process of covering them with makeup for his roles in movies like ‘The King of Staten Island’ took far too much time. The comedian has already successfully faded several pieces including those dedicated to his former partners. He admitted that he did not think about his future acting career when he was getting tattooed as a teenager.

Kelly Osbourne

Kelly Osbourne has documented her extensive tattoo removal journey on social media to educate her fans about the process. She expressed regret over several pieces including a keyboard on her forearm that she felt no longer represented who she was as an adult. The television personality described the laser sessions as incredibly painful and much worse than the initial needles. She has successfully cleared a large portion of her arms through multiple years of consistent treatments.

Hayden Panettiere

The actress known for ‘Heroes’ had an Italian phrase tattooed down her side that was intended to mean live without regrets. Unfortunately the final word was misspelled by the artist who added an extra letter to the end of the script. Hayden Panettiere eventually chose to have the entire phrase removed after years of it being pointed out in bikini photos. She maintained a sense of humor about the irony of having a misspelled tattoo about not having regrets.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba has expressed regret over several tattoos she received during her youth including a bow on her lower back. She also chose to laser off a cluster of flowers on her neck that she felt was no longer her style. The actress mentioned that she was going through a breakup when she got some of the ink and made the decision impulsively. She has since encouraged young people to wait until they are older before making permanent changes to their bodies.

50 Cent

The rapper and actor 50 Cent chose to remove most of the tattoos on his arms to help further his career in Hollywood. He realized that the time spent in the makeup trailer every day was cutting into his sleep and production schedules. While he kept the large pieces on his back he felt the arm ink was too difficult to manage for diverse acting roles. He described the removal process as a professional decision that helped him transition more effectively into a serious actor.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato has covered or removed several tattoos including a set of lips on her forearm that she received from a friend. She later referred to the tattoo as a mistake and replaced it with a large image of a rose. The singer has been vocal about how her body art often reflects specific periods of her life that she eventually moves past. She continues to get new ink but has become much more selective about the designs and their meanings.

Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie has called her lower back tattoo a classic mistake and expressed a desire to have it removed entirely. She also voiced regret over a tattoo on her neck that features her last name and a bow design. The television star has joked about how her younger self did not consider how these designs would look in her thirties and forties. She has undergone several laser sessions to lighten the ink on her wrists and back.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox famously had a portrait of Marilyn Monroe on her forearm that she eventually chose to remove. She explained that she felt the image carried negative energy because of the iconic actress difficult life and mental health struggles. The removal process was long and required multiple sessions to completely clear the dark ink from her skin. The ‘Transformers’ star has since stated that she is much happier with the clear space on her arm.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has a tattoo of his former girlfriend Selena Gomez on his wrist that he has tried to alter several times. He admitted in interviews that he tried to cover her face with some light shading but people still recognize the likeness. The singer has a massive collection of body art but this specific piece remains a point of public discussion. He has expressed a complicated relationship with the ink as it represents a significant part of his past.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson became famous for the barbed wire tattoo around her bicep which she got for the film ‘Barb Wire’ in the nineties. As she transitioned into a different phase of her life and career she decided the look was too tied to a specific era. She underwent laser treatments to fade the band until it was barely visible on her arm. The actress has stated that she prefers a more natural look now that she is older.

Denise Richards

Denise Richards had the name of her former husband Charlie Sheen tattooed on her ankle during their marriage. Following their contentious divorce she decided to transform the script into an image of a fairy. The new design was large enough to completely mask the letters of his name while providing a whimsical update. She has been open about the fact that she wanted to erase the permanent reminder of the relationship from her body.

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen reciprocated his former wife gesture by having her name Denise tattooed on his wrist. After their relationship ended he also sought a way to remove the tribute to his ex-spouse. He eventually had the ink removed through laser treatments to leave his wrist clear. This instance of mutual tattoo regret is often cited as a cautionary tale for couples considering name tattoos.

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum had a tattoo on her inner arm that featured the name of her then husband Seal along with stars representing their children. After their divorce she began the lengthy process of having the singer name removed from her skin. She chose to keep the small stars that represent her children but the script of his name was completely erased. The supermodel noted that the removal took several years to achieve a clean look.

Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony had the name of his former wife Jennifer Lopez tattooed on his wrist during their high profile marriage. Once they separated he chose to cover the name with an elaborate tribal design that spans across his wrist. He has since moved on to other relationships and has been careful about how he incorporates new tributes into his body art. The cover up remains a visible part of his collection of tattoos.

Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea had the name of her former boyfriend A$AP Rocky tattooed on her fingers during their brief relationship. After they broke up she famously visited a tattoo parlor to have the name crossed out with a single line of ink. Eventually she decided to undergo laser removal to get rid of the marks entirely rather than keeping the crossed out version. She has since advised fans to think twice before getting someone name permanently etched onto their hands.

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande experienced a public tattoo mishap when she tried to get the name of her single 7 Rings in Japanese characters on her palm. Fans quickly pointed out that the translation actually referred to a small charcoal grill instead of the song title. She attempted to fix the tattoo with additional characters but the correction did not entirely solve the translation issue. The singer eventually stopped showing the palm tattoo and joked about the cultural misunderstanding.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears once had a Hebrew tattoo on the back of her neck that was intended to mean healing. She later realized that the characters were not correctly placed and decided to have the ink removed. The singer has several small tattoos but this specific one was a source of frustration due to the linguistic error. She has since been seen with a clear neck after completing her laser treatments.

Zoë Kravitz

Zoe Kravitz has dozens of small tattoos but she recently decided to remove an Arabic phrase on her shoulder blade. She admitted that the translation was not exactly what she had intended and felt it was time for it to go. The ‘The Batman’ actress has been seen with the ink significantly faded in recent years as she continues her removal sessions. She remains a fan of tattoos but prefers them to be accurate and meaningful.

Amber Rose

Amber Rose had a large and detailed portrait of her former husband Wiz Khalifa on her arm. After their divorce she decided to cover the face with a different image to move on from the relationship. She transformed the portrait into a depiction of rocker Slash to maintain the aesthetic of her sleeve. The model has always been a fan of large scale ink but felt the specific tribute was no longer appropriate.

Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham had several tattoos dedicated to her husband David Beckham including his initials on her wrist and a Hebrew phrase on her spine. In recent years fans noticed that the tattoos were significantly fading until they virtually disappeared. The designer explained that she simply felt the tattoos did not fit her current high fashion aesthetic as she grew older. She denied there was any trouble in her marriage and stated the decision was purely based on her personal style.

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds has expressed regret over getting tattoos when he was younger and has even considered having them all removed. He mentioned that he finds them distracting and that they require a lot of time to cover up for his movie roles. The ‘Deadpool’ star admitted that he does not identify with the designs he chose in his youth anymore. While he has not removed them all yet he has been vocal about his change of heart regarding body art.

Rihanna

Rihanna has over twenty tattoos but she has expressed some regret over the placement and size of some earlier pieces. She famously had a trail of stars on the back of her neck and back that she eventually expanded and modified. While she still loves body art she has admitted that some of her younger choices were impulsive. The singer now works with world renowned artists to ensure her new additions are precisely what she wants.

Dakota Johnson

The ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ actress has admitted that she regrets some of the tattoos she received as a teenager. She described some of her ink as being silly and mentioned that she wishes she had kept her skin clear. Dakota Johnson often has to have her tattoos digitally removed or covered with makeup for her film performances. She has advised others to wait until they are older before committing to permanent designs.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry had a matching tattoo with her former husband Russell Brand that featured a Sanskrit phrase on her inner arm. After their divorce she kept the tattoo for a while before eventually deciding to move on. She has since added many other small tattoos to her collection but that specific one remains a reminder of a past chapter. The singer has not fully removed it but has discussed the complicated feelings associated with marriage tattoos.

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck received a massive amount of public attention for the giant colorful phoenix tattoo that covers his entire back. He initially claimed the tattoo was fake for a movie but later admitted it was a real permanent piece. While he has defended the art he has also acknowledged the criticism and the intense process of getting such a large design. The actor has since been seen keeping the piece covered during most of his public appearances.

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer has been very open about her regret regarding a tattoo on her lower back that she received in her youth. She has frequently joked about the placement and the design in her stand up comedy specials. The actress refers to it as a cliché mistake that she would not make today. Despite the regret she has mostly kept the tattoo as a humorous reminder of her younger self.

Cher

Cher was one of the first major female celebrities to have highly visible tattoos including a large piece on her buttock. Over the years she has undergone extensive laser removal to clear much of the ink from her body. She stated that she simply got tired of looking at them and felt they no longer suited her image. The legendary singer has successfully removed several of her most famous designs from the seventies and eighties.

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell spent a significant amount of time and money to remove several tattoos from his arms and chest. He explained that he grew tired of sitting in the makeup chair for hours to have them hidden for his film roles. The actor also felt that the designs were representative of a period of his life that he had moved past. He has successfully cleared most of his visible ink through consistent laser sessions.

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone had a large portrait of his wife Jennifer Flavin on his shoulder for many years. Following a brief period of marital trouble he chose to cover the portrait with an image of a dog from his movie ‘Rocky’. While the couple eventually reconciled the original tattoo of her face is now permanently replaced. The actor has several large pieces of ink but this specific cover up made headlines around the world.

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