When did the popularity of tattoos among British people start increasing, what do you think caused?

[LadybirdsTakingTurds]

Can you tell me when tattoos became very popular in British culture? I recently went to a new gym and noticed a large number of young people, both men and women, with tattoos covering their bodies, even up to their necks and covering limbs. I was aware tattoos are much more common now than they were in previous decades but it was even more noticeable with everyone showing more skin.

It's now perfectly normal in the UK to see a person with a heavily tattooed leg, whereas this would have been considered unconventional just half a century ago. What do you think caused it - was it influenced by pop culture or a trend? Do you think its here to stay?

Some of the designs I've spotted repeatedly include lions, clocks, naked women, prayer beads, eagles, elephants, mandalas, chequered flags, clown faces, flowers, skulls, butterflies, roses, stars, and crying eyes.

Here they are, the two on the left.

You know what @TemplesofDelight I don't really know!

I just know that I had this really quite visceral urge to make certain facets of myself more visible to the outside world. Between my tattoos and piercings I feel like my insides and outsides somehow match.

Without them I felt like a sanitised and duller version of myself. I suppose back then I didn't know myself well, but having got older and gone through things, I do now, and I wanted that represented somehow visually.

It's certainly exploded in recent years, I see so many people on TV and in public covered in tattoos and with full sleeves etc.

Curious (and possibly stupid) question if there are any nurses or phlebotomists on here. How do you draw blood from someone with full sleeves or blacked out arms. Is it just a case of finding a vein anywhere you can on the body? Where is your second and third go-to blood draw location?

Two of them with blacked out arms!
Are they in a band or in a club or is it coincidence?

Yes, I would like to know too.

40% of people have a tattoo?? Wow! I would never have guessed it was that high 😳

I think there are lots of people with a single little tattoo squirrelled away somewhere on their body.

This is so interesting. Must admit I can’t say I notice many tattoos, so I’m quite surprised at these stats. I’m also thinking of my friends, unless they have secret tattoos (which is entirely possible) then as far as I’m aware none of them do. I’ve worked with people who had tattoos but I’m in law, which in my experience is still an area of work where tattoos are probably hidden… so I guess more people than I think around me have them and I just haven’t seen or noticed them!

No different to finding veins on someone with dark skin.

I’m a HCP and I’ve been “up close” with many full blackout arms and to a man they were coverups. You can see the old tattoos under when you are close. It makes zero difference with cannulation. A surprising amount of elderly ladies have tattoos that would be covered by normal clothing but elderly women were only in their 50s in the 1990s when tattoos were gaining popularity. Lots of older people have obviously got homemade jobs - often names with the letters all uneven. A surprising amount of people have their own name tattooed on them (could be a parent or child name too oc).

I’m not sure that these statistics are credible. I think it highly unlikely that almost 1 in every 2 Americans has a tattoo, even if we are excluding under 21s from the population count.

It's simply become normalized. Gone are the days that one could make the argument "no one will ever hire you if you've got tattoos!" because half the people going for the job probably have a tattoo. Another popular argument was the ol' "it'll look stupid when you're old and wrinkly", which again doesn't hold much weight when you consider how commonplace tattoos will be on older people by the time gen y and gen z reach that life stage.

The simple matter is that people who get them like the look of them, and there are no longer any real social barriers to prevent people from getting them.

They aren't associated with the same stigmas as they were in the past.

Sums it up

Lol at making me look tough. Pillock.

I love my tattoos. I am almost done with my left sleeve, have my next appointment in just over a week! Every one means something to me on that arm. They make me happy to look at them. I enjoy going for tattoos as well.

I am covered in surgery scars which I have no say or input in. So my tattoos are things that I have chosen. I don't care if they aren't to others tastes. 🤷

I'm almost 34

I find any Australian programme is awash with them!

I have several myself.

*reality programme

I don't get what its summing up? Is it summing up when people get tattoos in a different language not meaning what they think? Is it supposed to sum up tattoos in general, which doesn't make sense as the other character also has tattoos? Is it summing up people with tattoos are scumbags?

Yes.

Ah I see. Very clever 👍

Hmm OK then. I'll let my consultant know next time I see him

I bet it is more than 40% of people under 45. I feel unusual not having any.

The cartoon makes no sense though because the other character has a tattoo. And it's clearly relating to a cultural tribal type thing so if it's summing up all tattoos is it a slightly racist cartoon too?

Or, is it a really clever cartoon with so many layers......like a philosophical musing in art form, produced by a genius and then lifted off the internet by someone with equal high intellect who could interpret the many complicated hidden meanings?

Really surprised at people believing tattoos are done to make you tough or unattractive!
Honestly did not know people still thought like that.

I don’t have any tattoos, mainly because I am quite changeable and have never thought of a design I want to carry for life.

Has anyone noticed an increase in face tattoos?
Two of the moms on the school run have had a patterned design, one coming down from hair line at side of forehead and the other on cheekbone.
They had them within weeks of each other, new fashion?

I've seen some really nice delicate white tattoos coming from the hairline, for example.

I think people are just done with the idea that they'll be judged or unemployed if they get a tattoo. They see that isn't really the case any more, and are choosing something very visible because they now can without heavy repercussions.