Tattoos

[juliet]

I have been thinking of late about tattoos; & thus my mind turned inexorably to the research medium of the poll.

Poll #11 Tattoos

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 16

View Respondents

Do you have a tattoo, and if so how do you feel about it?

View Answers

Yes, and I love it madly
2 (12.5%)

Yes, and I am not particularly bothered about it either way
0 (0.0%)

Yes, and I regret it
0 (0.0%)

No, but I'd like one
5 (31.2%)

No, and I wouldn't like one
7 (43.8%)

I am a special snowflake and will elaborate in the comments
5 (31.2%)

Comments

[niqaeli]

I've got about seven different tattoos planned; they all have particular meanings, they symbolise something in my past or present that's part of me and that I want to have under my skin -- in a way I kind of view it as remaking my body to make sure it reflects me.

I do worry about concealability -- it's a factor in my choices of where to put tattoos. It can matter in the career(s) I'm interested in pursuing. But I've known I'd be wearing a lot of ink since I was 16 or so, I think.

I just can't afford ink right now. Or anytime soon, I imagine. Tattoos are spendy!

[juliet]

I have been thinking, of late, about the extent to which you inevitably carry your history on your body. I've got (actual real physical) scars from being clumsy (one particular barbed-wire-related accident in particular!), scars from relationships (for good and bad reasons), scars from being depressed & miserable.

And they're all things that I'm comfortable with, although they're none of them exactly deliberately chosen. A tattoo is kind of a deliberate extension of that, but with more deliberation and relevance.

The tattoos that I've liked best on other people have all been ones with personal relevance.

Concealability can be an issue, yeah - the one I'm thinking of getting would be under clothes unless I was wearing a fairly small bikini or deliberately choosing to show that skin.

[niqaeli]

My various tattoos-I-want would be concealable under a sleeved shirt and knee-length shorts/skirts; basically, can I hide it under professional wear? Other than that, I'm glad to let them sprawl across my skin. It really is a concern for me only from the point of view of: someone interviewing me someday might actually care and at that point I will care. Well, and... I'm pre-med with hopes of going through medical school and into pain management; someday I want to have my own practice but even with that -- not everyone is going to be comfortable with their doctor having visible tattoos. But really other than those concerns, I figure people can deal. *g*

[juliet]

In general that's roughly the level of concealability I'd be inclined towards; but I figure I'm better off starting small :) (Also I just really like that area of body!)