In training my clients what I have seen is that the tattoo will shrink in on itself if its in an area with alot of extra tissue. Because of this, if you want to get a tattoo as a male, the areas that will shrink the least would be the thighs and the calves.

Upper arms and midsection would be bad

That sounds about right. I always wanted one on my stomach but refused to get one until after I'm done having children (those can get pretty bad after pregnancy).

I have one on my ankle, and through 2 pregnancies (lots of swelling), it hasn't bothered it a bit. I also have two on my lower back, they stretched out through the pregnacies but have gone back down to normal with no appearant problems (although my dolphin tattoo became more of a killer whale tattoo there for a while ).

I have 3 on my chest and everybody kept telling me that sylvester is going to catch tweety. Don't get any on your boobs and if you do, pray that it shrinks back to what it was originally, god knows I'm doing that. The other 14 are in places I don't think that they should be bothered (arms, thighs, ankle, back).

On the top of your foot is a good spot, I have a butterfly on the top of each foot(different designs) I'm overweight and losing also and this is a place rarely effected by that.

I've always wanted one on the top of my foot, but a lot of artists won't put them there because they have a higher tendency to fade as opposed to other places. I have seen lots of them really faded out on the feet, but have seen some that still looked great.

How are yours doing? Have they faded? It seems to be more of a gamble to get them on the feet, but I think I'm still gonna have to do it one of these days.

I've had no problems with mine, it's been about 3 yrs for one and 2 yrs for the other and they still look great! Just be sure to follow the "instructions for care" that the artist gives you after you get it done to the T, like keep antibiotic cream on it until it completely heals and whatever you do if it scabs don't pick it!! Also, alot of people don't bother to but sunscreen on their tattoos which is a big factor in them fading. Also, you can always go back after a few yrs and get them recolored if fading is an issue. Alot of times if you return too the same artist that did the original they will re-color it at a bit of a discount.

Yeah, the sun can fade them big time. I've always put sunscreen on all of mine when getting into the tanning bed too.

I have three tattoo's- one on my lower back, one on my hip and one on my breast. I have had two kids and they all look the same as the day I got them, a little fadage over the years but still really good. It really depends on the elasticity of your skin.