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Original poster

Are you surprised if someone has no tattoos?

170 replies

Namechange240 · 06/09/2023 20:39

Is it more common now to have tattoos?
I'm almost verging on surprised if I see a celebrity that doesn't have any tattoos.
I almost expect someone I meet in real life to have at least one tattoo and am taken aback a bit if they don't.
For context, I don't have any at all however it just seems like almost everyone has one.

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 06/09/2023 21:40

Thankfully in my nice area of SE England they're rare (except for construction workers).

Most people are too intelligent to put something permanent on their bodies which is sag, fade, go out of fashion, never mind they'll go off.

I know a couple of people who have have regretted ones from uni, which they've tried to remove but that's it.

BranchGold · 06/09/2023 21:41

for the people who are saying that they know no one, or only a single person with a tattoo, is it that you’ve actually asked each person you’d consider to be known if they do? or just that you’ve not seen any visible tattoos?

just for curiosity really.

Alycidon · 06/09/2023 21:42

I don't have any, so no surprise from me.

Unless you go round asking people, I don't see how you can know that they don't - only that they have no visible tattoos.

I agree tattoos are very much in fashion at the moment - give it a decade or so and they'll drop out of fashion, I'm sure. These things go in cycles.

Interested in this thread?

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Beauty
diditbark · 06/09/2023 21:43

underneaththeash · 06/09/2023 21:40

Thankfully in my nice area of SE England they're rare (except for construction workers).

Most people are too intelligent to put something permanent on their bodies which is sag, fade, go out of fashion, never mind they'll go off.

I know a couple of people who have have regretted ones from uni, which they've tried to remove but that's it.

Good lord what an ignorant post.

Seagullchippy · 06/09/2023 21:43

Only if they're a northerner — seems more popular up north, but that's just from my observation, not researched!

Upandonward · 06/09/2023 21:45

A know very few people with tattoos, or at least visible ones anyway.

I don’t like any image enough to want to suffer pain to have it permanently on my skin.

ASDMumof2 · 06/09/2023 21:47

No, I'm not surprised if they do or don't have tattoo(s).

The only artistic tattoo I wouldn't recommend is anything on the face as it can affect career prospects, but even then, I think people with ink are inking their own body, so it's fine!

Each to their own.

TheHennaHairedHarridan · 06/09/2023 21:48

I'm not really surprised either way. My group of friends has a mix of both people with and without tattoos. It's just personal taste.

A lot of people have tattoos which are easily covered up for work. Today was roasting in the office so people were wearing sleeveless tops, and I noticed a few upper arm tattoos on colleagues that I'd never seen before, and someone complimented me on mine (which I've had for years). So there are probably more tattooed people around than you realise.

MrsRandom123 · 06/09/2023 21:48

I have a small one (massive regret from
when i was 17 as i don’t even like the design) my husband has none - whilst i was stupid & got one back then feeling “grown up” it wasn’t something i remember being particularly bothered about and if i hadn’t been stupid then i wouldn’t have any as they aren’t something i like. Thankfully mine is smallish and covered 95% of the time.

ShineBright1209 · 06/09/2023 21:51

I probably know more people with tattoos than without. I got my first one this year at 32 and it’s not something I’ll ever regret getting.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 06/09/2023 21:52

No one in my family or circle of friends has any. I really don't like them but if people want to have one that's up to them. I'd be disappointed if DD had one.

Jellycats4life · 06/09/2023 21:53

I really couldn’t care less whether someone has a tattoo or not.

Only on MN have I ever seen people get so snobbish, angry even, over people having tattoos.

C152 · 06/09/2023 21:54

Generally, no, as I've only known 2 friends with tattoos. After nearly a year in and out of various hospitals, I'm now very surprised to meet a nurse without a tattoo.

Cowlover89 · 06/09/2023 21:54

No but I do know loads with them. I've got 10. Can't wait to get more.

DramaAlpaca · 06/09/2023 21:55

Most people I'm close to don't have tattoos.

LorW · 06/09/2023 21:56

I am quite heavily tattooed but most people don’t know because they are hidden by my clothes day to day - I love mine, works of Art (I’m like a canvas of watercolour) always amazes everyone when they see I’ve got them 😁

think most people I know have them, even my grandparents have them 😂

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 06/09/2023 21:56

I'm afraid that I think tattoos are nasty. I know that I'm very much in the minority, but I do look at people and think "why?". I judge MYSELF for my judginess, but I just think that tattoos are awful. I'm not even sure what makes me feel that way...

underneaththeash · 06/09/2023 21:59

diditbark · 06/09/2023 21:43

Good lord what an ignorant post.

Show quote history

Why? It's is obviously idiotic to put something permanent on your body, You wouldn't weld clothes or glasses onto your face would you.

People think that you can remove them, but you can't with some colours.

Retrievemysanity · 06/09/2023 22:00

In terms of visible tattoos, very few of my friends and family have them and as far as I know, they don’t have any hidden ones so it wouldn’t shock me as that’s my ‘normal’. The few friends who do, have loads though. I did notice in the Women’s World Cup that most of the england players had tattoos and I think it was only Mary Earps who didn’t have any visible ones so that was noticeable.

Glonda · 06/09/2023 22:02

I think it varies massively from one social group to another. So it's quite common for people to know practically nobody with tattoos, or practically nobody without tattoos: it just depends on your demographic.

Age/class/job/wealth/locality/cultural affiliation - a lot of your friends probably belong to the same "tribe" as you. If you have lots of tattoos, chances are they do too. Obviously there are always going to be exceptions, but the general rule is there.

Katmai · 06/09/2023 22:03

I know quite a few people with tattoos. I also know one tattoo artist, who is really good. It's not something I'd want for myself, but I can appreciate the skill and artistry that goes into it.

HamBone · 06/09/2023 22:03

DH and I don’t have any, but I know several people in my age group (48) who got one in their 40’s.

Many of DD’s (18) friends got one soon after their birthdays, one has several, all easy to cover with clothing. I think times have changed and tattoos are viewed differently to the way they were in the past. They’re so mainstream now-all these girls are at university and career-oriented, they don’t view tattoos as something edgy or slightly taboo.

EquallyDetermined · 06/09/2023 22:04

Most people I know don't have them, or keep them well hidden. We were talking about it at work, out of 15 of us aged 25 to 65 only one has one and that is tiny. At the gym I see the odd one but definitely still in the minority.

UndercoverCop · 06/09/2023 22:05

I grew up in a very working class area, as did DH neither of us have tattoos, nor do either set of parents, nor my brother. My grandad had done he got in the army, he hated them old blue ones, he was very vocal about not 'scarring yourself', so maybe that's why

RoseMartha · 06/09/2023 22:05

Most people I know do not have them. I dont have any.

My exh had several all post divorce. And some younger members from his extended family.

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