The internet has a way of crowdsourcing what researchers have not. A TikTok video from @marlemyeuoo recently went viral for attempting to break down the psychology behind why some people choose to stay ink-free. As detailed by BroBible, the clip leans on clinical-sounding theories, but the comment section told a different story entirely.
The video, which appears to be AI-generated and features a man in scrubs, suggests that “future self continuity” may be a factor, meaning that people want to feel like the same person today that they will be years down the road. The video argues that getting a tattoo could create a separation between a person’s present and future self. It is worth noting that no actual research connects this specific concept to a lack of tattoos. The clip also touches on more conventional reasons, such as wanting to maintain a professional appearance or adhering to spiritual beliefs.
There is, in fact, a surprising lack of formal research into why people choose not to get tattooed. Pew Research found that about 32% of adults in the United States have at least one tattoo, with 22% having more than one. Since tattoos have become increasingly common in workplaces and even among members of the U.S. House and Senate, society has clearly become more accepting, yet the 68% of adults without a tattoo still represent a large and understudied group.
The comment section gave a more grounded set of answers
Viewers were candid about their motivations, and many pointed squarely to the potential for regret. One commenter explained, “A lot of my friends that have tattoos regret getting them. I’m not going to do that to my body. I don’t want anything on it that I can’t take off.” A 2022 study by the Indian Journal of Dermatology found that up to 44% of people with a tattoo regret at least one of them, and while most tattooed Americans do not feel that way, about a quarter do, which is a meaningful number for anyone on the fence.
Age and physical changes also came up frequently. One commenter, who is 51, said they have zero tattoos because they find the process painful and worry about how the art will change as their body ages. Amid a wider TikTok conversation about workplace expectations and personal choices, others simply noted they had never once regretted skipping the parlor, pointing to friends’ experiences as enough of a deterrent.
Some of the reasoning offered was more blunt. One person wrote, “You don’t put bumper stickers on Ferraris,” while another compared getting a tattoo to choosing a single hairstyle for the rest of your life. These comments suggest that for many, the choice is not about psychology at all, but about personal aesthetics and a preference for simplicity.
There are also real-world considerations at play. The Princeton Legal Journal has noted that it is legal for companies to discriminate against people with tattoos, since tattooed status is not a protected identity. The data on behavior reflects a similar pattern to other surveys tracking how Americans approach personal risk, where a substantial portion of the public holds habits that others find surprising.
About 85% of untattooed Americans say they are not too likely or not at all likely to get a tattoo in the future. Younger adults are more open to it, with about 19% of those under 30 saying they are extremely or very likely to get one, but the majority appear content with their natural skin.
Published: May 20, 2026 06:30 am