So very sad, those of you who are strongly against tattoos and have commented on here are the ones that have made the most nasty of comments.

Some of you have used words such as "loser", "trashy", "ugly", "disgusting", "turnoff" and made comments about IQs being that of a retarded person etc etc all because that person's view is different from your own? All because they have decorated their skin and YOU don't like it. Some of you portray those with ink to be of a lower social level than yourselves, but yet it is you that resorts to insults and abuse. Insults are not clever - they do not show you are of Mensa intelligence, infact insults show an insecurity in one's self to accept others.

Those of you claiming you'd never go out with a woman with tattoos? How very shallow, you are obviously wanting a piece of eye candy with no intelligence, no opinion and no self worth. Your own arrogance astounds most of us.

I've always been of the beliefe that very intolerant people need to jump in a time machine and head back to the 1800s - as they seem to have ended up in the wrong century and wrong country for that kind of behaviour and refusal to accept others different from themselves.

my body. your body. her body. his body. We decide what we want to do with our 'vehicles' for our souls. stop judging. end of comment.

Am 55 have about 15 tattoos.have accumulated over last 35 years.. just like them ,got last one done three weeks ago unless i walk around shirtless you wouldn't know...but some people make me laugh ,walking around freezing cold tattooed legs shorts on or those with strategic cutouts or rips in their clothing exposing a tatt....they want you to know. when you look at the old Maori chiefs facial tattooes they look awesome ,as if they were chiselled,grooved,carved into their faces...wow .The ones (facial)I see today look plastic

I have 10 tattoos and personally I resent being lumped into the category of celebrity copying 16 year olds with no brain. Getting the same tattoo as a celebrity, just because it is the same tattoo as a celebrity is just stupid. And it is illegal for 16 year olds to get tattoos at a professional shop so ditto on the stupidity there.

All the people who say they don't find tattoos attractive, well that is your right and sweet as. But people saying brainless things like 'Tattoos make you look like a munter, end of story'...Seriously dude, there are way more significant things to judge people on, like whether they kill kittens or some-such.

it's probably already been said before but- the difference between tattooed and non tattooed people is that tattooed people generally aren't bothered if you haven't got a tattoo...

each experience we have adds to the richness of our lives. tattooes are like tapestries, documenting our journeys.

let it be. let the folk who choose to tattoo themselves wear them with pride. and the folk who choose not to tattoo themselves, they'll tell their tale in another way.

This was a really interesting article. I am a business woman and have several tattoos, all of which hold special significance for me and I am proud to show them off. One in particular (a backpiece) I consider a work of art and many comments I've received reinforce this (Dave McEwan/Tattoo Freaky in Lower Hutt is a true artistic genius). I often laugh at people who ask "yeah, but how's it going to look when you're 80?" My answer - mate, if I get to 80 and decide to get my kit off in front of you, I highly doubt you're going to say, "you know what? You'd look mint if it wasn't for that tat". And either way, I'd still love and remember my reasons for having them done. And yes, it does seem as though tattoos are becoming more & more prevalent but a good number I've seen are truly beautiful and I always like to think each has a story, even if it's not something I'd personally have done. Everyone's entitled to their own choice when it comes to decorating the body.

@Marissa #531

That's interesting... I've been a model (both photography and life drawing) for the last three years. I have a significant amount of ink in my skin, and I've never had a problem getting bookings. Of course, I get booked for a particular aesthetic, but I don't have any issues finding work.

As for artists, I've modeled for many, many life drawing classes, and I've never heard any disparaging remarks about my tattoos. I get consistently re-booked for classes because I'm a good model, and my tattoos don't change that fact at all. If anyone found trying to draw my tattoos distracting, they just ignored them and drew my body without them.

It sounds to me like that artist already had their mind made up, and their opinions had nothing to do with their art.

wow this has sparked so much controversy! love it, tattoos are each to their own, everyone is ALWAYS going to have an opinion and it doesnt.. well SHOULDNT matter what anyone else thinks about it because they'll never say it to your face, only those who immediately care for you.. PS the idea of something being in a different language, my new tattoo was going to be of similar design because it was going to be a name which meant something only to ME and I didnt want anyone else to know because it was personal altho it wouldnt have been on show anyway most likely! people have their own reasons!!!!! its when they're on show and they're home jobs or something that ruins it for others (again MY OPINION no one else should care LOL)

I totally agree with this article, increasingly, I see people getting meanness tattoos. I'm 30 and lready some of my trends are paying $$$ to get theirs removed.

I completely disagree with this article. its every ones personal decision if they want to get a tattoo and what they get it of. It shows what kind of person you are and if you choose your designs properly they can mean alot to some people. at the end of the day its body art. Time and effort goes into them and if you dont like them then thats your opinion and its not your body so why worry? Im 16 and i have 3 tattoos, one resembles my Mother, one resembles my sister and I and one resembles the good and bad in life. Doesnt change what kind of person i am by the way that i look..