Tatttoos as a form of self care

The thing with tattoos is you have to be really sure if you want to get them and know deep down you won’t regret them. I mean I personally don’t think I’d regret getting like a Yoshi tattoo but I wouldn’t feel ok getting like a special someone because I just have that feeling we would fall out. I have heard so many stories of that. As I said if my parents hadn’t persuaded me against I may have had a Yoshi tattoo by now but say my pain and jab phobia is awful anyway haha. 

I feel the same as you! I have 4 tattoos and my most recent one is covering my forearm and i definitely feel like the sensation of tattooing is nice and makes me feel sleepy and relaxed. Not sure what that ssays about me lol. I do find I have a very high pain tolerance though. I love admiring my own tattoos and they do make me feel more confident and secure on myself especially in areas of my body where I have previously felt uncomfortable or insecure about. I definitely want a lot more 

I have 3 tattoos only one fi them has no meaning the first one reminds me that even from bad times good things can come and my latest one although it say cray cray for Tay Tay it was done during a time of huge change at work snd it will remind me forever abour those people  and the impact they had on me

I believe that my life experiences "tattoo" me quite enough and sometimes sufficiently perceptively so; for their virtual recognition by others - that I personally do not feel the need to acquire any tattoos to emphasise, or advertise: my outlooks / passions / concerns / allegiances.

(Each to their own / live and let live).

It does seem a really divided debate but on the pain side of things It didn’t hurt me much, it’s a little like being scratched with a sharp object along with vibrations. I guess it depends on pain thresholds and where the tattoo is being done on the body. It’s definitely a bad idea to get a partners name though because as you mentioned above things can go sour and you are stuck with it unless you somehow managed to find a partner of the same name but that may fail too. 

Do you mean its the acceptable face of self harm? Self harmer's like the pain for the release it provides, but they try and hide it.

What happens when you run out of skin?

I remember my skin therapist saying one time she had her then boyfriends name tattooed on her arm and then he just dumped her when she said she was having his child so she chose to get the tattoo removed which I believe was very painful. Like having a lit cigarette on your arm but worse. Can’t remember if she had to get another one to cover up the scar of the removal. I do believe even if they get “removed” there is still ink that remains. Say I never see the point in them personally but there again I have a scar on my arm where I burnt myself in cooking class so therefore been tempted to have that covered up but again my phobia of needles steers me away from that option as well as my parents lol. 

I have a couple of tattoos. They have meaning to me and also I feel they protect me a bit because of where they are on my body. I have had a hard time in the past and one holds particular significance when I look at it. I think many people have a tattoo that they have thought about and put great research into. 

If there is writing on someone's T-shirt or jumper I always have a strong impulse to try and read what it says and worry that the person wearing it will think I'm staring (especially if it is a woman wearing it).

TheCatWoman said:

I'm not a fan of patterns, pictures and writing on clothing either

Ooh! Me, too!

I figure if some brand wants to advertise their name on my clothing, they can bloody well pay me for it. My body is a temple, not a billboard.

I'm not a fan of patterns, pictures and writing on clothing either, I don't mind murals, although it does depend on how good they are and what sort. I'm less keen on grafitti types than others, but I've seen some terrible trompe d'loi ones.

I find to much pattern overwhelming and some patterns capture my eyes and don't want to let them go, I can't stand this maximalist style of interior design, all clashing colours and patterns.

I've seen some very good art work on people, but I wouldn't want it on me. Lots of people are amazed that I  have no tatts at all. 

I don't like heavy full face make-up either, probably for the same reasons I dislike masks, and things,.

I'm not sure I understand the motivation. I get the self control, the mild pain, the sensations. I don't get why you want it visible, the fact you only get the sensation once or that it's permanent.

Strangely, I'd get it more if there was no ink. 

It is curious you call it self-care. I assume you mean the psychological element.

Anyway, people can do what they want. It is not new; been going on for a very long time.

See I had two hidden just incase I regretted them for the way they look ro the meaning speical t considering they were spur of the money things and one was a band I only knew 2 songs of at that point a band which I still love and I didn’t regret them so when I thought of getting a swiftie tattoo I knew I wanted to wear it proudly visible 

I feel the same, Cat woman. I've been trying to work out why I don't like them - it's difficult to pinpoint. I think it might be the same reason that I dislike clothing that has writing, pictures or garish patterns on. So perhaps it's a visual sensory overload? Or maybe it's rigid thinking, as I'm not keen on murals either - so perhaps my brain insists that art goes on paper or canvas, not on bodies or concrete?

I wouldn't tell anyone that they shouldn't get a tattoo though - it's their body and their choice. 

Well, that’s a personal choice Mr UNO too, perhaps Tay Tay has life long meaning for you too

I don’t have  tattoos and I wouldn’t want any, but I have no objection to somebody else having tattoos.

Or Tay Tay

I don't have any tattoos, as of yet. I might get one in the future. I've always liked the look of tattoos on other people. If I were to get a tattoo, I would first get it in a visible place rather than get one and have it hidden. I might get one on my forearm 

I like the Maori tattoos—on Maoris. They have real significance that goes way beyond aesthetics. To have your genealogy, ancestry, identity and personal history tattooed on your face is really saying something.

For me they allow me to express the thing I like they allow me to say screw feeling ashamed about my tastes in music or tv or whatever plus bare skin doesn’t look good to me haha 

but I don’t like tribals or lack of any skin showing i like the stickers on a guitar look where people can look and go oh i get that refrence