Getting a tattoo is supposed to be exciting. You pick your design, you sit through the needle, and you leave with something you’ll carry for the rest of your life.
So when it doesn’t go according to plan, the emotional fallout can hit hard, especially when it’s already on your skin.
Tattoo Gone Wrong
In a viral TikTok with more than 13.2 million views, content creator Chloe (@chloenotahoey) films herself crying in her car after a tattoo appointment.
“Crying in my car after my tattoo appointment because it was supposed to be an outline and she filled it in,” the text overlay explains.
In the caption, Chloe is quick to clarify that she’s not in the wrong despite what commenters were saying.
“Edit: I didn’t say anything AFTER it was done. Beforehand I had told her and she forgot. I’m not in the wrong here and I said nothing to her cause I couldn’t bring myself to,” she wrote.
In a follow-up video, she shares the tattoo itself. It’s three horses galloping in a line. They are clearly solid and filled, not the outline she’d requested.
The second caption reads simply: “Love her but not what I asked for.”
In a comment Chloe shared that the artist refunded her and offered a free tattoo.
Speak Up—Even When It’s Uncomfortable
According to Adrenaline Studios, a Vancouver-based tattoo shop, the worst thing you can do when you think something is going wrong is sit quietly.
Communication has to happen before, during, and after a tattoo, and if something looks off while you’re still in the chair, you are responsible for speaking up.
The artist, in turn, is responsible for responding, making adjustments, or explaining what you’re seeing. It’s your tattoo. Not theirs.
Jose Torres Tattoo, a North Carolina-based studio, puts it bluntly: Your tattoo artist is not a mind reader.
Even when you’ve explained your vision clearly, the gap between what a client describes and what an artist interprets can be significant, and the only way to close that gap is through constant, specific communication at every step of the process.
What To Do With Tattoo Mistake
The good news is she has options. According to No Pain Tattoo, the first step is to wait. A fresh tattoo is an open wound. And you can’t accurately assess the final result or take any corrective action until it’s fully healed, which can take four to six weeks or more.
Once it’s healed, reaching out to the original artist calmly and with photos is usually the most professional first move. Most artists who made a genuine mistake will offer a touch-up or rework at no charge.
If going back to the same artist isn’t something Chloe’s comfortable with, she can seek out a specialist in reworks or cover-ups. And if the tattoo is truly unsalvageable, laser removal can lighten it enough to open up more cover-up options. Per Adrenaline Studios, if the mistake was clearly due to negligence, the shop should offer a refund and a corrective appointment.
@chloenotahoey edit: I didnt say anything AFTER it was done. beforehand i had told her and she forgot im not in the wrong here😭 and i said nothing to her cause i couldn’t bring myself to🥲
Commenters React
“When it comes to tattoos- you guys have GOT to speak up,” a top comment read.
“Why is everyone so afraid of slight confrontation. lol you’re paying for a service. A permanent service,” a person said.
“I get not saying anything during like a haircut but a TATTOO,” another wrote.
BroBible reached out to Chloe for comment via TikTok direct message and comment.