Why get lots of tattoos?

[NeedASolution]

Why do people who have lots of tattoos get so many? I ask because I have a relative who gets them so often that it seems like an addiction. I don't know if she is happy and wonder if it's a bit of a coping mechanism for something. Or not, maybe she just likes it.

FWIW I have no tattoos myself and no strong feelings about them, just interested.

Everyone who has one?

I’m a tattoo artist - I Obviously have people through the door with a range of reasons ranging from memorials, the love of art, some feel it’s therapeutic and others sadly use tattoos to cover parts of their bodies they don’t like or to cover scars

The majority however tell me it’s simply because they like tattoos, not everyone has reasons behind the piece and I’m right behind them when they say they shouldn’t have to explain their reasons.

Thankfully the world be live in is much more liberal than it used to be and thankfully for the most part we are free to express ourselves in any way we see fit. Not everyone will agree in the same way some won’t agree with plastic surgery, aesthetics, clothing choices etc…. But if we all liked the same things it would be a really rather dull world to live in

My body is my temple and I'll decorate it how I want.

I have a couple of tattoos. I got them because I was hideously controlled by my parents growing up and have been slowly working my way through the stuff I never got to do.

I will get a couple more - I definitely don't get a buzz off having them but as my body ages, I quite like the idea of 're-claiming' it.

I am nobody's child and can do what I like!

Also. I have surgery scars. I'm stuck with them. I might as well make them something I want to look at. I've a half sleeve and I'm getting a leg piece next.

@Kanaloa

Depression , anxiety , insecurity, not liking yourself are all issues the people I'm thinking of have had and these large multiple tattoos are a way of hiding or disguising your real self . We had a young girl join our company covered head to toe in them , she had been off work for a year with mental health issues . Our manager for reasons only known to himself gave her a second chance and she lasted two weeks before being signed off again . She has been off for 4mths with no sign of return .
For some people it's easier to believe people are unwell because why would you disfigure yourself like that if you're of sound mind especially if you have tatts on your face or neck .
Tatts always provoke strong reactions you either see them as art or you see them as disfiguring.

Well. I'm disfigured from my scars. My arms. My back. My legs. They're all surgery scars. Not self harm. There's no way they'd be mistaken for self harm either.

I don't care what anyone else thinks. I love my tattoos. They have a meaning to me and they are a sign for me of what I've overcome.

And what I’m saying is tattoos have little to do with mental health issues - the girl you’re mentioning obviously had mental health issues but many many people will have tattoos because they like tattoos. Simple as.

Not sure what ‘people being more likely to believe you’re unwell’ has to do with it. Do you think she got tattooed head to toe to make her mental health problems more believable?

Because they make me smile.
nothing to do with being trendy or my mental health. I have them Because I want them and the older I get the more disposable income I have so the more I can afford.

@Kanaloa

I think there are definitely people who like them but all I'm saying is that those youngsters I've met who had extreme numbers of them have all suffered depression and mental health problems.

Not linked to MH problems at all. They're so mainstream now. About as radical as wearing earrings.
Personal choice, art, copying others, whatever floats your boat.

@hahattie43 all the people I know with depression had no tattoos at all but had brown hair and like wearing blue 🙄

I've no idea how some people can afford them, someone I know can't afford to too his gas card up yet has a new tattoo

Well that’s just coincidence, isn’t it? I mean it’s unusual that you’ve met a large number of youngsters who are both heavily tattooed and suffer mental health problems, but it’s an odd coincidence and really nothing more. Tattoos are more and more mainstream now so more people (mentally ill or not) will have them.

For some (not my opinion, was watching a program on mental health this week which discussed it) a tattoo can have the same feeling or rush as self harm. I hadn't thought about it that way but was interesting peoples views on it

Because they look nice.

I see it like getting cosmetic braces, what was there before (plain skin or wonky teeth) was fine and functional but it looks better now, and it looks good in photos and the mirror.

Its not always that deep

I have one that must be 30 years old now , I cannot see it unless I use a mirror and it isn't visible unless I choose to show it. Size about 1.5"
Probably needs a colour touch up , I'm thinking about a slight re-work

DH has 5 , 1 small , 4 large . They take a lot of planning , they're ££ and he needs to wait 3 months or so for the Tattoo Artist .
I don't know if he's planning more ?

When I see tatoos, I can't help thinking about how they will look when you are elderly, or a corpse.

I think one tasteful tattoo can be lovely, like a peice of jewelry, but one that you can never change. How boring is that.

But you do you. I admire the commitment

Oh and I have surgery scars , no-one is getting a tattoo needle near them

Oh gosh what if I’m an ugly corpse??? Who will want to date me then? How will I find work as a hideous corpse?

I presume having gone through death I’ll look and feel pretty shitty as a corpse. Either way I’m hoping nobody will notice because (fingers crossed) I’m not going to be propped up in someone’s front room, I’ll be in a coffin waiting to be cremated.

@Sandra1984

I get this. I wonder what they’ll feel when they’re 95 & have all those tats from when they were 20.
Plus I heard getting them lasered off is excruciatingly painful, so many people just end up leaving them.
Makes me think of Pete Davidson - he’s had some removed.

What a really weird way of thinking

@IDreamOfTheMoors well when I’m 95 I shall be thinking, fuck sake I’ve lived a long and interesting life, can’t see me sitting thinking I’ve regretted my tats.

I personally couldn’t care less what I look like as a corpse, I’m not planning on entering any corpse beauty contests after death, are you?

I have a lot. I started when I was 18 and thought they should all have meaning so over the years, got several "meaningful" ones. I stopped for years, no reason why. Years later, I started looking into tattoos again, went on a great forum and learned a lot about them, the changes over the years, and what was really available if you put the time and money into it.

I researched loads and finally booked in with an artist 60 miles away for my first large tattoo. Realising what art you could get changed my whole mindset. There are some good studios near me, but not in the styles I like, so I travel to collect from artists I love. I used to just go to a local studio, now I realise that unless you're very fortunate, the local studio probably isn't that great. I've travelled to other countries, been chosen by an artist to be tattooed for free at a convention as he'd heard about me from other artists and knew I'd sit like a rock. I was meant to be travelling several hours tomorrow to start my back piece but had to cancel - thanks train strikes!

Even the older members of my family who hate tattoos have recognised the artist's skill in the ones I have. I still have some of the shit ones but they're being lasered then covered.

I don't regret any of mine, especially not the ones in the last 10/11years since I discovered the art. The people I go to are so good they have waiting lists of 8months+ so plenty of time to think about it. I always allow free reign to do whatever they want as I have done my research and trust the artists. I have tried encouraging friends to do the same but some of them just want to get tattooed next week or whatever so go to their local studio and get something not that good, but if they're happy with it, that's up to them.

I think there are a lot of young people who are going for maximum coverages ASAP and so just book in with someone local without checking the tattooist's style works for what they want, ie they go to someone who specialises in neo-trad but then the customer wants Japanese. They just want cheap, cheerful, and to have it done now. Each to their own, but I think those are the people who will eventually regret them. If you invest time, money (decent tattoos are NOT cheap), and do your research, you will end up with a beautiful piece of art that will hardly fade and still look as good in 10 years as it did when you got it done. Go to a cheap and easy tattooist, your tattoo will scab (very bad to scab!), lose colour/be patchy, and fade relatively quickly.

Oh, and as to what they'll look like when I'm old and wrinkly....

Sorry for pontificating 😁 As you may be able to tell, I am very into tattoos!