50 Broken Heart Tattoo Design Ideas

Broken heart tattoos can be strong visual symbols of lost love, heartache, and pain. They can represent losing a family member or partner, or a failed relationship. No matter what the specific meaning is, a broken heart tattoo can powerfully express the painful emotion and hurt experienced by the wearer. At the same time, it also gives you something to remember and commemorate the event so you can stay positive to move on.

When you plan to get a broken heart tattoo inked, you should bear in mind that it could be a part of you for the rest of your life, so you should choose design to suit your style and personal preferences. You may come across a lot of options when looking for broken heart tattoo design ideas, so it is advised to first decice the type of heart that you want to include in your tattoo.

For instance, you may go with a black heart or a gothic-style heart to express the gloomy side of the tattoo design. Or, you can depict the heart in bright colors to show your positive side and signify how you can overcome any tough situation with optimism. In any case, you can always add different elements to demonstrate the versatility of the tattoo design and achieve something that will hold a special meaning for you.

Choosing the Right Placement for Your Broken Heart Tattoo

Apart from the type of heart and the overall design, you should also consider where you want to have the tattoo inked on your body. With perfect placement you can bring an awesome tattoo idea to life. Here are some tips to help you determine the right placement for your broken heart tattoo.

Size Matters

Small, minimalistic tattoos go well on smaller areas of the body, like the inner forearm, wrist, or ankle. If you wanted an intricate tattoo, then choosing a large area, such as the thigh, upper back, or shoulder, would be ideal.

Keep It Visible

Choose the placement based on how visible you want your tattoo to be. If you want everyone to admire the work of art and understand the meaning behind your tattoo, then inking it on the wrist, forearm, or neck would suit your needs. If it’s more personal, try an area that won’t be visible most of the time

Consider Other Tattoos

You need to balance your tattoo placement based on your future ideas and existing tattoos too. For instance, if you want to extend the design into a more intricate tattoo, then you should go with areas that have enough space to turn it into a statement piece as per your vision.

Putting It All Together

It is very important to consider where the broken heart tattoo will look the best on your body. This, however, will also depend upon the size and complexity of the design, your styling preferences, as well as the other factors mentioned above.

Now that you know the significance of choosing the right tattoo design and having it inked on the right area, check out these broken heart tattoo design ideas to narrow down your choices and make an informed decision.

1. Broken Heart Ombré Tattoo

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Heart tattoos can always look beautiful; even when the heart is broken. This red and black broken heart ombré tattoo will not only be special to you, but it will also accentuate your style with some added color. You can have this small tattoo inked on any part of your body, such as the forearm, neck, chest, or wrist.

2. Broken Heart Tattoo With Hibiscus Flower

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In many cultures, the hibiscus flower symbolizes immortality and life after death. This symbolic representation makes this broken heart tattoo a delicate way to honor a loved one you have lost. The patched-up heart in the tattoo design will represent how you have accepted the loss and are ready to move on. At the same time, it will also be a subtle reminder that the person you lost will always be a part of you.

3. Broken Heart Tattoo With Musical Note

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This tattoo design is another subtle way to pay respect to someone you have lost. The musical note on the tattoo design can portray their dedication to music while also symbolizing harmony and peace. Likewise, adding angel wings gives it special meaning and denotes heavenly protection and spiritual guidance. It can also be a reminder of how your deceased loved one always offered you the right guidance.

4. Pixelated Broken Heart Tattoo

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If you are looking for something unique and trendy, then this cute heart tattoo idea will be an excellent option for you. The three pixelated hearts in this tattoo design are reminiscent of old-school video games like The Legend of Zelda. A broken heart at the end means that you have lost part of your “life,” which can symbolize the loss of a loved one or a broken relationship.

5. Broken Heart Lock Tattoo

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This simple broken heart tattoo design speaks of the pain of a failed romantic relationship. The broken lock and teardrops included in the tattoo design can be symbols of your broken dreams of starting a life together with your partner. Meanwhile, it can also be a subtle reminder for you to come to terms with your past, start afresh with a positive outlook, and create new relationships with utmost care.

6. Barbed Wire Shattered Heart Tattoo

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This is a creative tattoo design where barbed wire forms the outline of a shattered glass heart. This is not only a beautiful and unique tattoo idea, but also expresses how you have overcome hurt and emotional pain. The barbed wire can stand for the struggles and difficulties that you had to face because of the loss of a loved one, or your broken relationship. The shattered glass heart, on the other hand, can denote the irreplaceable bond you had with them.

7. Broken Heart Tattoo With Safety Pin

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This unique tattoo design features a tiny safety pin reattaching the two pieces of a broken heart. This can denote how you are trying to mend your broken relationship, or that you have acknowledged your flaws and are ready to make changes to start again. This tattoo idea can also be a subtle way to commemorate a lost loved one and show your acceptance of the loss.

8. Stitched Broken Heart Tattoo

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Stitched broken heart tattoos are commn, but they hold exceptional symbolic meaning and can be inked in a variety of styles to give them a unique twist. This small heart tattoo features a black and gray heart stitched between the broken lines in a corset-like design. It can represent your heartbreak and lost love while reminding you to continue your healing process no matter how difficult things may seem.

9. Crying Girl With Broken Heart Tattoo

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A broken heart tattoo does not have to be a dull representation of hurt feelings. You can also go with vivid colors and intricate designs to create a more graceful tattoo. This design, for instance, has a crying girl with a broken heart that sends a bold message about your loss and feelings. Meanwhile, the band-aid on the broken heart in this can symbolize hope and show how you have overcome your past.

10. Shattered Heart Diamond Tattoo

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The heart-shaped diamond is one of the most popular diamond shapes out there, and is often considered a symbol of love. A shattered heart diamond tattoo will typically mean just the opposite – denoting a broken relationship or personal loss. The angel wing in this tattoo design gives further develops the special meaning, symbolizing hope, guidance, protection, and faith. This tattoo idea is a great way to express your lost love or commemorate a deceased family member.

11. Broken Glass Heart Tattoo

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If you are looking for a minimal but powerful representation of a broken relationship, then this small tattoo design will suit your needs perfectly. You can have this artistic broken red glass heart tattoo inked on any part of your body to create a low-key yet powerful statement. It can also mean that you are still looking for the missing piece to be whole again, while reminding you to keep trying no matter what.

12. Broken Heart in Hands Tattoo

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This black and gray artistic broken heart tattoo can be a simple way to convey how you are holding up after the loss of a loved one or a failed relationship. It will be a subtle reminder of your good times together, while still motivating you to move forward. This tattoo can also show the sense of responsibility you have toward your family, and symbolize how you need to carry your past for the common good of your loved ones.

13. Broken Heart Tattoo With Heartbeat

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Heartbeat tattoos look great on the forearm, wrist, or sleeve, and can show your love for your partner. This tattoo design features a broken heart in the middle of a heartbeat to give it a new dimension, which can also show how you feel disconnected because of your broken relationship.

14. Broken Heart Tattoo With Hammer

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This artistic small tattoo sends a bold message depicting how you feel after the loss of a loved one or due to a failed relationship. The hammer in this can represent the huge blow to your life due to the lost love, while the cracks in the heart can signify how you are trying to hold everything together to stay positive and move forward.

15. Sewn Broken Heart Tattoo

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This is a more vibrant and creative version of a Stitched Broken Heart Tattoo design. Here,  red and black ombré broken hearts are sewn together to signify your transformation and optimistic attitude toward life even after a tragic loss or breakup. The subtle yellowish glow near the top of the heart makes it more charming, while blue teardrops at the bottom add to its overall magnificence.

16. Blue Broken Heart Tattoo

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If you are looking for a minimalistic tattoo design that will hold a special meaning for you, then this blue broken heart tattoo will perfectly justify your ideas. Inking a tiny blue heart is one of the trendiest wrist tattoo ideas; the broken heart in this design elevates the appeal while ensuring that it clearly sends the message across that you want to convey.

17. Broken Heart Tattoo With Quote

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Quote tattoos always look mesmerizing and are considered one of the most elegant tattoo ideas to communicate a message. This tattoo design includes a small “I’m fine” quote inside a broken heart shape, painted as if the quote is stitching the two pieces of the heart together. This makes it a bold and expressive tattoo design to represent your feelings, showing how you have accepted the loss and started to move on.

18. Broken Heart Tattoo Outline With Flowers

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If you liked the concept of the Broken Heart Tattoo With Hibiscus Flower design but wanted something less intricate, then this tattoo idea would be a good choice for you.

This one features a broken heart tattoo outline with floral vines holding the pieces together. The blossoming flowers signify your transformation and represent how you have evolved through the challenges after the heartbreak.

19. Gothic Broken Heart Tattoo

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This intricate broken heart tattoo design can speak a thousand words about your bold and vivid personality. The chain, lock, and the strap holding the patched-up pieces of the heart together show how you can overcome any difficult time in your life. The gothic bat wings can represent your independent nature, freedom, and free spirit. You can also ink this tattoo design in color to give it a unique twist.

20. Broken Heart Tattoo With Rope

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This broken heart tattoo design powerfully illustrates the struggles you have experienced to repair your broken heart. The rope included in the tattoo design effectively represents the pain you have endured without giving up, showing how you have become stronger because of problems you’ve faced in life

21. Broken Heart Tattoo With Dagger

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Heart and dagger tattoos are one of the classic tattoo ideas to symbolize disloyalty or deceit in a romantic relationship. This tattoo design is a visually stimulating symbol to express that you feel you have been scorned or wronged. At the same time, it can also symbolize that the breakup felt like a sharp dagger cut your heart into two halves. You can also have the heart inked in a vibrant red color to give more depth to this tattoo design.

22. Painted Face Inside Broken Heart Tattoo

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This tattoo design features a classic artistic representation of a bad breakup. The sad face inside the heart-shaped jewel box with a crack in the middle is a unique and powerful tattoo design. It also gives this tattoo design a deeper symbolic meaning, showing how you cherished your relationship deep within your heart and how the breakup has hurt you.

23. Broken Heart Silhouette Tattoo

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Inking a tiny black heart silhouette is another one of the most fashionable small tattoo ideas. Similar to the Blue Broken Heart Tattoo design, this one also replaces the traditional symbol of love with a broken heart. This tattoo can represent the pain and sadness you have experienced due to your lost love, while being small enough to be concealed easily if you do not want to flaunt it often.

24. Crying Moon and Broken Heart Tattoo

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A crying moon tattoo can be a bold illustration of your loss. Yet at the same time, the crescent moon in this tattoo design symbolizes transition and can be a subtle reminder for you that this difficult time will also pass. The tiny red broken heart tied to the moon in this tattoo design gives you a colorful tattoo that still shows the message that you want to express.

25. Sewed Broken Heart Dotted Tattoo

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This tattoo is a minimalist, dotted version of the Sewn Broken Heart Tattoo design. Here too the pieces of the heart sewn together represent the struggles that you had to endure due to your loss, but also show how you overcame those challenges to become a new you. You can have this tiny heart tattoo inked on your wrist, forearm, biceps, or the back of the neck.

26. Minimalist Broken Heart Tattoo

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If you’re looking for minimalist wrist tattoo ideas, this truly delicate and simplistic broken heart tattoo can easily be kept hidden if needed. Plus, inking this minimal tattoo also allows you to accentuate it later with other elements when you are ready to move on. It can also be a great option for your first tattoo if you’re trying to face your fear of needles with some style.

27. Cracked Heart Tattoo With Initials

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This cracked heart tattoo can be a good way to represent the situations you have endured in life that left a mark on your heart, but were not deep enough to break you. You can have it inked to illustrate the wounds in your heart while signifying how you have always remained strong and grown as a person. The initials included in the broken heart tattoo design can give it a more special meaning and remind you of your lost love.

28. Drip-Paint Broken Heart Tattoo

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This artistic tattoo idea will give you the best blend of a bold, striking, and powerful tattoo design. The broken heart shape in this tattoo design is created in the form of a paint splash to give it a unique twist, while the crack in the middle is in the likeness of a Christian cross. That also makes it a simple yet stylish tattoo design to represent your faith and connection to God.

29. Girl With Broken Heart Tattoo

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This tattoo idea takes the Crying Girl With Broken Heart Tattoo design to another level. Here, a beautiful girl is painted on the forearm with a broken heart and roses adorning her hair. The sadness expressed on the girl’s face can send a strong visual message about your feelings and hurt because of your lost love.

30. Broken Heart Tattoo With Scroll

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This tattoo design features a scroll wrapping around a broken heart saying “Never Again.” It can stand for a brutal heartbreak that you have gone through and show how you have become a stronger person due to the challenging situation.

This tattoo design will also remind you to be careful regarding the people you should trust and never make another “mistake” ever again in your life that could lead to painful heartbreaks later on.

31. Broken Chain Links Heart Tattoo

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If you are looking for something unique than the usual broken heart tattoo design ideas, this one is worth a look. Here, the heart shape is formed by broken chain links, which can resemble your freedom from the bonds that were restraining you. This uplifting tattoo design that also features an intricate play of colors to give you something that you can admire for the rest of your life

32. Mending Broken Heart Tattoo

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This creative tattoo design features two hands trying to fix a broken heart. Similar to the Broken Heart in Hands Tattoo design, this one will also remind you how you need to be responsible and overcome the tough time to continue taking care of yourself and your loved ones. This tattoo design looks best when inked on the shoulder or biceps.

33. Broken Heart Tattoo With Scarf and Hat

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This cute tattoo is the perfect example to show that broken heart tattoo designs can be accentuated with anything you like. The scarf and hat in the tattoo design can stand for a loved one whom you have recently lost while highlighting how their loss has left a crack in your heart. This tattoo design can also symbolize how the love and affection of your deceased loved one always shielded you from the harsh elements of the outside world.

34. “Love Hurts” With Broken Heart Tattoo

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This is another classic tattoo design that exemplifies the pain of a failed relationship with an artistic illustration coupled with some strong words. Similar to the Broken Heart Tattoo With Scroll design, this one also features a ribbon wrapped around the broken heart, yet here it says, “love hurts” to express your emotions after a difficult breakup.

35. Yin and Yang Broken Heart Tattoo

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In ancient Chinese philosophy, the yin and yang symbol denotes a concept of dualism, meaning that there is always a balance between two opposites. This tattoo design merges that concept with the symbolic meaning of a broken heart tattoo to signify that there is always a positive and hopeful side in every failed relationship. It can also be a subtle reminder to move on and build better relationships in the future with a sense of optimism.

36. Dual-Color Broken Heart Tattoo Outline

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This tiny tattoo can be another great choice for those who are looking for a minimalistic broken heart tattoo design. It features the outline of a broken heart with one piece in black ink and the other in red ink. This gives it a unique touch while also signifying that the breakup was difficult for both of you, but you had to separate due to inescapable circumstances.

37. Cracked Heart Tattoo With Wings

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Heart tattoos with wings always make a stunning impression. You can go with angel wings or bird wings to add a personal touch to this tattoo and give it a deeper meaning. In any case, wings on a cracked heart will symbolize freedom, independence, and a free spirit, which can show how you have evolved through the heartbreak to become a new you.

38. Shattered Crystal Heart Tattoo

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If you liked the Shattered Heart Diamond Tattoo design but wanted a different take on it, then this one would suit your needs perfectly. Here, the shattered heart is in the form of a stained glass window that you can find in ancient churches.

This tattoo design follows a black and gray dotted color scheme, but you can also have it one inked in vivid colors to get a truer representation of a broken stained glass window.

39. Broken Heart Tattoo With Panda

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Pandas are considered a symbol of peace and serenity in many cultures. The stitched broken heart and panda in this design can represent how you have come to terms with your broken relationship and are ready to move on. Besides, the panda slightly biting on the heart makes it look quite adorable too.

40. Crumbling Glass Heart Tattoo With Birds

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This creative tattoo design features a crumbling glass heart where the broken pieces are turning into birds. It gives a unique touch to the usual broken glass heart tattoo while adding to its typical meaning. This tattoo design can signify your transformation through the glass pieces turning into birds, and depict how you have adopted a positive outlook even in a difficult time.

41. Arrow Through Broken Heart Tattoo

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An arrow through a heart typically represents love and affection, symbolizing how cupid’s arrow pierced your heart when you met your special someone. An arrow through a broken heart, on the other hand, can signify the breaking of your heart and denote how that special person took a little piece of your heart with them after the breakup. This is a versatile tattoo design showing that your heart is not completely shattered, but it is not the same as it was before.

42. Broken Heart on a Stick Tattoo

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This tattoo design features another unique illustration of a broken heart. Here, the partly-shattered heart is on a wooden stick, representing how you gifted your heart to someone special but they broke it into pieces. This can be a way to express how you longed for them but it did not work out, but this tattoo design can also mean that you are still optimistic to find love again.

43. Broken Heart Tattoo With Dragonfly

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While the broken heart in this tattoo design resembles your lost love, the dragonfly symbolizes positivity, hope, peace, maturity, and strength. This can be a great way to signify how you have overcome your heartbreak with optimism and are ready to move on to the next phase of life.

44. Pieced Together Broken Heart Tattoo

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A broken heart pieced together can mean how you have collected yourself after the breakup and are now prepared to move on. This tattoo design features a bright red broken heart to uphold the symbolic meaning of a heart tattoo intact, which is a vivid representation of love. Yet the breaks on the heart, even when pieced together, show that your heart will never be the same again.

45. Broken Heart Tattoo With Blue Flame

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Flaming heart tattoos are often considered to express passionate love, affection, and devotion to your partner. This tattoo design takes the concept to another level by depicting a broken heart with a blue flame, which can signify the lost love, compassion, and desire you had for your partner.

It can also be seen as a unique take on the sacred heart illustration as seen in many early Christian paintings. The blue flame can represent the shining divine light, while the broken heart can be reminiscent of Christ’s sacrifice.

46. Smashed Crystal Heart Tattoo Silhouette

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This is another version of the Broken Glass Heart Tattoo design, featuring a dark silhouette of a shattered crystal heart. A black heart represents sadness and mourning in itself, which makes this tattoo design a delicate way to express your sheer pain due to the loss of a loved one.

The shattered heart in this tattoo can mean that you cannot mend your heart no matter how hard you tried and that the presence of your deceased loved one will always be missed.

47. Patched-up Broken Heart Tattoo

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A patched-up broken heart tattoo can ideally symbolize your strength, resilience, and positive character. It can also show how you have embraced the changes in life and evolved as a better self.

This tattoo design tiny pieces of tape attaching the sewn heart to your body, adding to its overall elegance. You can also accentuate the appeal of this tattoo by adding some flowers or other elements to the design.

48. Glitchy Broken Heart Tattoo

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If you admire abstract art, then this creative broken heart tattoo will be the ideal choice to match your tastes. This tattoo design features a simple yet unique glitchy style while keeping the symbolic meaning behind inking a broken heart tattoo intact.

You can play with different colors and gradients in this design as well to create a surreal masterpiece that goes well with your styling and fashion preferences.

49. Blood Dripping Broken Heart Tattoo

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If you like to keep things simple, then this tattoo design will be a good choice while giving you a graceful symbol to clearly express the message that you want to convey.

This tattoo is very similar to the Broken Heart Ombré Tattoo design, but it features blood dripping from the broken heart to represent the immense pain and hurt you have experienced because of the lost love.

50. Cut-Out Broken Heart Tattoo

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This tattoo idea gives your broken heart tattoo design a new dimension by making it appear as if the heart-shaped piece is cut out of your body. This shows how the loss of a friend, family member, or partner has broken your heart and left a void in your life that can never be filled. This tattoo design can also depict the depth of heartache and pain you are going through while reminding you to be strong and keep going.

Choosing the Best Broken Heart Tattoo Design for You

Broken heart tattoos can not only represent lost love, but they can also signify the pain you had to bear through the experience, which will remain with you forever. A broken heart tattoo can also be a reminder of the lessons your loved one or partner gave you while also depicting how you are healing and accepting the situation. That is why you should choose a broken heart tattoo design based not only on aesthetics, but on your personal experience as well.

Your tattoo should also have all the elements necessary to clearly convey the message. At the same time, it should be a creative and artistic design that will accentuate your styling and appeal.

For instance, if you are getting a broken heart tattoo in memory of a lost family member, then adding something that they always admired will make it more special (like the Broken Heart With Musical Note tattoo design). If it is to honor a beloved pet, then you can add something like paw prints to the broken heart tattoo design to make it special.

Another important aspect to consider is how broken you want the heart in the tattoo design to be. For instance, if you are getting the tattoo inked to symbolize a truly tragic loss, be it the loss of a loved one or a broken relationship, then you may want the heart in the tattoo broken completely in half.

Yet if you feel that the loss or heartbreak is an event that you can eventually recover from, then you may choose a cracked heart design like the Broken Heart Tattoo With Scarf and Hat design instead of a fully shattered heart tattoo.

No matter which tattoo idea you choose, you will need to follow proper aftercare measures to ensure that the tattoo design lasts for a long time. It is recommended to use a good-quality moisturizing lotion like INKEEZE Ink Enhance to keep the tattooed skin moisturized. If you wanted a vegan alternative, you can try the After Inked Non-Petroleum Jelly to soothe your tattooed skin and reduce the chances of flaking and peeling.

Apart from applying the moisturizing lotion, you should also make sure to gently wash the tattooed area twice a day using an antibacterial soap to get the best results.