If you don't like tattoos

[TheAverageJoanne]

Can you say why?

I'm fed up of people who think those with tattoos are rough arsed bikers, thick or common.

Personally I'd rather people got to know me and then judged me based on my personality.

If someone looked at me and thought "common" or "simple" based on the way I looked it says more about them than me.

Why am I not surprised most on here don't like them. Funny how most people in real life have them even if its just one or two

Nobody's business what other people do to their bodies and I would never comment.

Privately I think they are ugly and common, but keep that opinion to myself.

So what would you say is "spoiling" your body more, getting a tattoo or getting pregnant? Most c section scars are way uglier than a bad tattoo, at least you can cover a bad tattoo.

Don't use the response on MN as a basis for whether or not you get a tattoo. 1, it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks and 2, the people posting on this thread are incredibly old fashioned pearl clutchers. It's 2023, tattoos are very common and wide spread in all social circles.

I don't like them just because it feels like that person can never be a blank, naked bare slate again, there's something a bit impure about it, like something that has been graffiti'd. It's just permanent scribbling.

I also don't know how anyone can imagine they want a single image/wording etc forever. The things I liked 10, 20, 30 years ago are not things I like now, I'm glad I don't have them permanently etched on my body.

The tattoos I like best are the ones you can see the owner is in the process of having lasered off. I always try and make out what they used to say 😁

It’s a bit like asking why some people don’t like long nails or blue hair or piercings or botox and fillers. We signal to each other via clothes and body modifications. The signals have meanings (which can change over time) but it’s kind of a foundational human trait and useful to be able to read between the lines.
We used to literally have tribes.

I think you can get fading ones now. Quite fascinating. https://www.allure.com/story/ephemeral-semi-permanent-tattoos-review

Because bodies change. Skin swells and sags as we gain and lose weight, as we grow babies and push them out, as we age. I have never seen a tattoo which looked better after 5 years, 10 years. And you're stuck with them. When I look back at me twenty years, I see an idiot. I'm glad she didn't write her particular passions on my skin indelibly.

I don't like them for me - I don't want one and never have. I suppose I don't mind them but I've never seen a tattoo that makes me think they are worth the time, effort and money of getting one. I don't really care if other people have them. I'm surprised people still encounter the old-fashioned stereotypes - I'd say I know more people with tattoos than without (and I don't know any rough arsed bikers and most of my friends have degrees and professional careers so pretty sure they aren't thick!).

Most of them are rubbish. Very poorly done. I've seen about 20 tattoos in my whole life that I thought were well done, by a good tattoo artist.

I just think they mostly look a bit jarring.
I’ve never seen one that I think looks nice or enhances anything in a positive way.
Just not for me.
Don’t give a flying crap what anyone else chooses to do with their bodies!
by the way I’m talking about patterns/designs type tattoos, not things like tattooing on eyebrows or anything like that (though I don’t have that done either).

Haha this is great

I’m not keen enough on them to want one myself. So many of the ones I see look a bit rubbish when they are done, and do not improve with age, but that is possibly just because there are a lot of crap tattooists around. I generally wouldn’t judge anyone for having one, and I can understand why someone would want to tattoo a new nipple after a mastectomy, or cover a scar if they are unhappy with it.

I toyed with the idea of having a zip design put onto my c-section scar, but I thought that joke would wear thin quite quickly.

I hope that I am not the person that I was when I was 20; I am glad I didn’t get any permanent modifications done back then as I would have a very visible reminder of that person every day. I made poor decisions in so many things at 20.

The only ones that I properly judge are offensive ones (like swastikas done to identify political allegiance) or when you steal someone else’s precious culture (like a Māori tattoo on someone with no connection to that culture).

I like the ones that show achievement; I met someone with an Olympic tattoo recently, and I can understand the motivation for that one. I know a lot of people who have done extreme triathlons with a Norseman or Celtman logo tattooed on their calf - a useful technique to psych out anyone following them on a bike. I have no sporting achievements, so have never had to make that decision.

@kitsuneghost Are you Scottish?

I have no objection to tasteful, artistic tattoos, appropriately placed and skillfully executed.

That describes about 10% of the tattoos I see every day. The rest are just ugh.

And if you are one of the other 90% - and have paid money to have it done to you, then yes, you are thick. And if that is being judgemental, who cares.

They clash with most clothes!

I really don't like tattoos but I wouldn't tell anyone that in real life.

Stroopwaffels · Yesterday 14:22

Because in my experience, people with tattoos are rough arsed bikers, thick or common.

Oi! I'm not thick.

I just have a strong visceral dislike of them. I don’t like the idea of permanently altering your body. But everyone can do their own thing!

With regard to the bee one mentioned above (contestant on MasterChef), I recall lots of people in Manchester got a bee tattoo in response to the Arena bombing.

What on earth are you talking about?!

No, a C-section scar isn't 'uglier than a bad tattoo'.

Comparing the two is (a) pretty offensive and (b) one of the more stupid analogies on this thread (the other being 'what about nipple tattoos following a mastectomy!!')

I considered getting a tattoo when my mastectomy scar has completely healed (another year apparently) and practiced with those water-based temporary ones. Found a lovely spray of petals which incorporated the scar itself and loved it. 2 weeks later I couldn't wait for it to fade as the actual scar was more meaningful to me than a cover up. Thank heavens for temporary tattoos!

Mumsnet is a very unique place isn't it. I honestly think it's full of bots sometimes. (Boring ones)

What a lot of replies! Interesting to read all of them. Yes I've got two tattoos myself. Both small and discreet not tramp stamp ones, the word made me laugh as I'm not really sure what that is but an ex made rude comments to me about it. Thank you for your comments and replies really interesting.

I used to hate tattoos. I thought they were silly and why would you want to permanently change your body. Then one day I realised my body was already permanently changed from scars and stretchmarks and other things I had absolutely zero choice over, so why not add something I actually liked for a change. So I got a tattoo and I'm a convert. Who cares if I'll still like it when I'm 80, I like it now and that's what matters. There's plenty I don't like about my body that I'm sure I'll still dislike when I'm 80.

I don't understand why people get them on their faces and necks .