Wedding Ring Tattoos

by Tracey Manailescu

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This is one of our most viewed blogs (2009), so I wanted to repost it.

Lately, I have to admit, I have been oddly fascinated by the growing trend of wedding band tattoos.  I decided to read up on them, and share my findings with you.

Tattooing your wedding ring onto your finger is a way to show your enduring love for your partner, forever.  It cannot be taken off during an argument, or put in a pocket while out-on-the-town for a night with friends. 🙂 

Apparently, this is not a new trend.  In fact, it started about 5000 years ago, in ancient Egypt when the pyramids were being built, Egyptians would tattoo their wrists and fingers to ward away illness.  In Scotland and Ireland tattooing your wedding finger has been popular for many years.  One of the designs that is most popular in North America stems from these two countries: the Celtic ring. The Celtic ring symbolizes “never ending love and devotion’, so what better symbol to be permanently etched into your finger. 

Wedding ring tattoos will cost you about $100 each.  The top half of your finger’s tattoo will last a lifetime, but the underside, or the palm side, tends to fade and blur rather quickly.  This results in having to do touch ups every few years, or you have the option of only getting a half ring done.

In the US, it is illegal in some States to get tattoos below the ankles, wrists, or above the neck, so check it out first if you are going there to get them.  It is said to be very painful, as there is no fatty tissue to block the pain.  It can even result in hairline fractures, if not done properly, or done by a professional. 75% of UK people, who have gotten wedding ring tattoos, regret it. (Sorry, I could not find any statistics in N. America).

Some famous people that have had it done for the exchange of their wedding rings, and have lived to regret it are:

• Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee (divorced after 5 years, she changed “Tommy” to “Mommy”)
• Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock (separated after only 4 months of marriage)
• Kathy Griffin and Matt Moline (married for only 5 years)

There are only a few ways to have the tattoo removed from your finger, and none of them are pretty.

1. Laser removal: An extreme amount of heat in the form of a beam is lasered into the tattoo; it will then break up the tattoo into pieces.  The skin will ingest these pieces and slowly make it disappear after several treatments.
2. Dermabrasion: The top layer of skin is sanded away.
3. Excision: The tattoo is cut out and the skin is sewn back together.

What I have found just by reading up on it, is that I do not want to get wedding ring tattoos any time soon.  If you or any of your couples do, please consider the serious repercussions of being unique or different.  

Love can last a lifetime, but I will stick to my eternity band, thank you very much.