Tattoos

So what? Is it hurting other people if someone decides to cover their bodies with tattoos?

And Hildegard my personal opinion is that there is more self abuse in obesity and alcoholism than in tattooing. And I'm not aware that it is bringing the NHS to its knees as are the other two

Live and let live.

when I was young it was only ex service men that we knew who had tattoos ,mainly hearts with initials in them or mum and dad on their arm .I dont ever recall seeing a woman with one

My main problem with them is that most of them look awful with clothes - particularly dresses.

I think they look gross, though my adult GD has one which is not visible unless she's wearing a bikini. The other GC aren't old enough yet, but I wouldn't put it past them. Oh dear!

Thanks for your comments I am glad it isn't just me DH says it's a form of self abuse.

I really detest them - why anyone might want to spoil the body they were given is quite beyond me. They are so irrevocable. As we ancients will know, we do change as people over the years and doing something that cannot be reversed when you are one person might be a huge burden to you when you change as you age.

I really do think they are gross and have not seen an acceptable one yet.

We have some tattooed grandmas on here who will now give me hell!

Neither of my children have them. I'm not totally adverse to a small descreet one. D did talk of getting a scorpion (star sign) at the base of her spine, no problem with that but to be covered in them is just ugly.

I'm also not a fan of tattoos. My sil has one arm completely covered and he also has to keep it covered at work. Have to say though, If I had to choose, I would rather see someone with a tattoo that one of those ear stretcher things that leaves a great hole in their ears

I really don't like them on anyone. I remember the soloist on the Military Wives choir who had them all over her chest - they looked terrible with a low cut evening dress. I'm sure a lot of people will regret them in years to come.

I hate them, whether on males or females. 2 of my daughters have a small one each, not all that visible, but one grandson, and my granddaughter, have the whole of one arm covered in them. My granddaughter`s job doesn`t allow visible tattoos, so she has to have her arms covered, even in the hottest weather.

One of my daughters has 3 small discreet tats and one on her wrist of the purple epilepsy ribbon to alert any medic should she have a seizure away from home. Needless to say I'm happy they are mostly hidden by clothes.

I dislike them on anyone and glad none of our children have been so inclined.

Apparently, in Japan, visibly tatooed people are not allowed in certain places as tatoos are a sign of criminality. Don't know if this applies in other Far Eastern countries.

I don't like the obvious large ones, small ones which can be hidden are fine. I think job prospects must be affected by large tattoos although we should see past them. It's old fashioned I know but I dislike them more on a woman than a man.

teetime a doctor I know wrote a blog about tattoos and skin stretching, it was titled "When the dolphin becomes a whale ..."

I understand the need for people to have a tattoo or two, but don't understand the body-as-giant-canvas approach.

I was fascinated when I listened to the Desert Island Discs broadcast of the Scottish woman who is a forensics expert, and she spoke about how bodies can be identified by tracing the ink in their tattoos (she was talking about victims of the tsunami, if I recall). Can't remember her name ...

my daughter had a small one on the top of her arm for about 10 years then after her first marriage broke down she had another huge one on her back ,its hideous and I cant believe she did it,but she's an adult and its her choice and it is covered most of the time so I dont have to see it.She has friends who have whole arms and legs covered in tattoos and like you say ,theres a lot of work and thought goes into them but its not to my taste ,my son doesn't have any and has no plans to have any

I really don't like them at all and don't find them in any way artistic or attractive.

Having said that I think for some people they are a personal statement of independence and originality that's how it has been explained to me by my many tatooed daughter (the naughty one) and her daughter. I think they may regret them later when skin starts to sag and they cant afford the cost and pain of removal but I'm probably in the minority I usually am.