For those who have visible tattoos- how has your experiences with jobs, fellow parents, and the general public

Question

been?
I personally, had a visible tattoo on my right ankle. I wanted to get it removed and did my research on qualified doctors who remove tattoos with lasers. I found what i believed to be a highly qualified, board certified dermatologist who practiced removing tattoos by this method. This doctor is a well known doctor in a prestiguis town, who is also highly ranked specialist in mohs surgery and other procedures as well; including cosmetic. I obviosly believed him when he said that he could remove my plain black lettering tattoo of my ankle. After three years and several thousands later...My tattoo seemed visible. i decided to not only go to tattooo show for their opinion, but to another doctor who specialized in tattoo removal. As it turns out the original doctor who was removing the tattoo, had not spaced out the treatments long enough and had scarred my leg. Basically, I was left with a dull scar-like remneant of my old tattoo. I have since then gotten a butterfly over it....

Answer 1

Well personally I love the attention my tattoos bring. I have a chest piece so it's quite noticeable. I often hear people whispering behind my back. "oh my god...did you see that girl's tattoos?" Some people compliment me and others look at me with disgust. And that's just fine with me. I like to be looked at but I don't really care what they think. I think my ink is beautiful and that's all that matters.

Answer 2

Overall, I've had fairly good reactions to my tattoos. Granted my mom isn't thrilled about them, but she actually admitted one of them is beautiful (gasp!)

My friends either love them or don't say anything, which most likely means they don't really care for them, but have enough respect for me not to say so.

As far as work is concerned, I'm an artist, so I think I'm allowed a bit more freedom from the general public with my appearance because I'm one of those "artsy-creative" types. I do tend to cover them when first meeting with screening commitees or new clients, but once I have the commission work, or my art passes the commitee to get into a new show I don't bother to cover them anymore.

Alot of my shows are outdoors in the summer, so if I'm wearing a tank top I can have quite a bit of ink showing. Sometimes I'll notice a customer doing a double take, or their jaw dropping when they notice, and although rarely, I have had one or two people just flat out stop talking midsentence and walk out of my booth when they would see part of my back piece, but oh well. It just makes me laugh how judgemental some people still can be just based off someone's apperance.

My most visible one is right above my wrist, some flowers with scrolling vines, and I'm always suprised by how many eldery ladies compliment on how cute or pretty it is. Who would have guessed! :)

Answer 3

I've heard that tattoo removal tends to leave some clues that a tat was in the given location; some people get something over that area, which I guess isn't an option for you.

My own experiences are very good with respect to people's reactions. That is at least partially due to the following:

I live in an area that is extremely accepting of most kinds of body mods.

I work in a field (high tech & university education) that is very accepting of such things.

Work-wise, it's generally illegal to discriminate (exceptions exist), and I wouldn't let someone get away with it if they tried something.

My work isn't tremendously visible - it's covered by a normal t-shirt, although even slightly rolling up the sleeve shows the start of my back piece.

Answer 4

Up until recently, my most visible tattoo was easily covered with a short-sleeved shirt. But when I did show it, I had a positive reaction, except from my mom. As for jobs, I made sure I had it covered during the interview, just to play it safe. However, once I started the job, it wasn't a big deal (casual dress allowed).

I just got a really visible tattoo, and I have had mixed comments about it, mostly because of its location and size (I am small-boned).

Answer 5

I have several tattoos, two on my shoulders reaching down to my upper arms. I used to work for the City Hall until I moved, my job was case worker meaning my tats couldn't be shown and was frowned upon. I wore long sleeve shirts or short sleeved shirts to my elbows in the office but out side I wore sleeveless. Being a woman my parents went ballistic when I showed them my first tattoo at the tender age of 32. :) they got used to me after the third one, my brothers and sisters think now at 47 I am just going through "that change of life thing" I live in a tiny country town where most people rate you by your actions. I keep to myself and respect my neighbors. When I am in a big city where my parents live I get those odd looks but I feel my true friends know the real me and the other people I'll probably never see again so I don't care. Judge me on what I do not my skin.

Answer 6

When I got my first ones my mom wasn't happy about it. My dad really didn't say much. For job wise I work in the health field and on tattoos are showing. I am a mother of three and my kids all have tattoos too. I look at it this way the tattoos you get mean something to you what does it matter what other people think as long as your happy with what you put on your body.

Answer 7

sorry to hear about your bad experience... the butterfly sounds cute though.... I got a small black rose tattoo on my shoulder many many years ago... It is visable in summer when i wear vest tops.. or if i am wearing a dress with small thin straps etc.. i generally dont really think about it much.. and peeps who do notice it think thats its nice and discreet. ( even though im now 35 ) .. i had planned to get it re inked so i had a red rose.. but as time fly's by i havn't as yet actually done it... After i 1st had it done ( 15 years ago ) my husband ( married 16 years now ) was horrified and paniced about infection etc. I have never had another tattoo since though.. not because of what peeps would say.. just because nothing ever inspired me enough to have one done.

Answer 8

I work at a college bookstore. The company I work for has no restriction on tattoos in their dress code but, my boss hates them. She wasn't the one or hired me and, truthfully, I don't think she would have *regardless of the tattoos, we just don't get along* Every time I get a new one, she just rolls her eyes and later in the day finds something extremely tiny I'm doing wrong to yell at me about for an hour. So, that's a negative reaction. Also, when I go to church I get stared at a LOT. Nobody there ever talks to me about my tattoo but they certainly glare at them plenty.

Other than that I don't usually get bad reactions. I choose my pieces carefully so that they reflect who I am. Everyone who knows me that sees them thinks that they are wonderful.

Answer 9

My husband and i both have ink; he has WAY more than I, and keeps as covered up as possible for work (white-collar)...I haven't had any really bad or weird experiences, other than small children at the YMCA pool that want to touch my tattoos...I think it's so common now, that it's not even really an issue.

Answer 10

unfortunately, with tattoo removal, you never know how the result will end. i also have one on my ankle, but i don't regret it. my mom didn't like it at first (cause i'm a GIRL), my grandma asked where the color was (it has a little in it), and my dad said FINALLY. i get tons of compliments on it, and still love it, 6 years later. i think that even if i end up hating it, i would leave it as a reminder of a part of my life. i'm sure your butterfly looks great...