It reaaly bugs me to see an increasing number of young people fashioning permanent ink tattoos on their forearms and necks.
Tattoos really are so fashionable now but in 5 years time they probably won't be, yet all of these fashion victims are going to be scarred with some very unsightly item of fashion from their youths.
I absolutely gringe to see young girls and guys with disfiguring art all over their skin just because its in vogue.
I got a few tattoos on my upper arms in my youth. I asked the tattooist to do one on my forearm but he advised me against it until I was older and wiser. How grateful I am now!

Having seen some horrendous examples today, I think its time for tighter regulation to safeguard people from their own stupidity.

It's little more than attention seeking self harm and most of the more extreme examples I've seen are from people of below average intelligence.

It's been fashion for thousands of years then............

The recent surge in popularity of tatoos amongst young people, particularly with visable 'sleeve', leg and neck tattoos, is a fashion.

Not just young people. The Middle aged have tattoos and so do Seniors.

Plenty of them are part of a gang and have the same tattoo in my town. I have no idea what it means but I worry about their employment.

I have 3 tattoos and am training to be a barrister. Only the one on my foot is visible though. However, I have a friend with a sleeve who is a teacher and his tattoos don't affect his job at all. I don't class my tattoos as disfiguring at all. I don't consider myself below average intelligence nor do I find my tattoos disfiguring. People are more tolerant nowadays and most people realise that just because people have a lot of tattoos doesn't mean they're stupid or rough or anything else negative. Each to their own I say

Why does it 'bug' you so much OP? I cant say I'd ever get annoyed by what someone else choses to have done on THEIR body. Each to their own at the end of the day.

I had my tattoos done when I was 18, wore tons of black eyeliner, had indigo hair and bought all my clothes from Army & Navy.

Now I'm in my 30s, I dress like the Middleton sisters, and wear high end makeup, and I can't wear sleeveless tops because my tattoos embarrass me so much! And I can't consider lasering because I no longer think it's fun and cool to inflict pain on myself for no good reason.

So though I do agree that everyone can do what they like to their own body, it's impossible as a young person to know how you will grow and change as you get older, and what you like as a 20 year old could repulse you as a 40 year old.

I used to want a tattoo when I was younger, it was a lot less fashionable then and not every tom dick and tracy had one only certain types of people had them, but in the end I decided against it as I know I would change my mind later on when it would cost a fortune to get rid of it. I don't get all these girls who get these enormous ones on their arms or legs or the ones with someone's name (I bet Cheryl Cole regrets having Mrs C tattooed on her neck). I have a friend who has one on her leg that she got done when she was younger and she hates it now as when she wears shorts or skirts you see this horrible tattoo.

I don't think many people have problems with small tattoos - I see so many people with 'Mum' or 'Dad' or stars or flowers inked onto their wrists or ankles or hands.
When I was younger it seems as though the belly or your upper arm was the place to have tattoos done. Mel C was one of the first mainstream celebs I remember who wore tattoos loud and proud and didn't cover them up. (Then again, I was only ten when the Spice Girls were first famous, so if there were other people wearing them on the cover of magazines I would have been too young to pay much attention!) I don't seem to remember them being so visible when I was younger - even when I was a goth, most women seemed to have them in places that could be covered up.

I have noticed recently though that the forearm and neck seem to be 'the' places to get inked up. I know several people who have tattoos in places where they aren't meant to be seen every day - hip, back, shoulder etc, but now it seems as though people want them on view all the time. I couldn't do that - I think one day I'd just want to take it off and never see it again.

And I think tattoos can have an impact on your employability, but it depends on individual factors. I know a teacher with tattoos on his hands who had several complaints from parents who felt they were inappropriate in a school, and other teachers who've had no problems at all. Some people always will be biased against them and think of them as 'biker' or 'gang' body art.

Eluf you mention Mel C, I was reading an interview with her in a magazine the other day and she was saying that she is going to get some of hers lasered off. They had photoshopped them out of the pictures with the articles and she actually said she much prefered them not being there.

I think I remember reading that article too. At the time she probably thought the tribal arm-band screamed cool, but as the OP said, it's a fashion and one she's clearly outgrown.

The difference is that she can afford to have them lasered off. Not many NHS trusts offer that service, so a lot of people really are left with their mistakes....

Platform boots, union jack dresses, and Victoria Beckham's clothing range... were any good trends inspired by the Spice Girls? (Says the girl who had a Spice-inspired 11th birthday party!)

That's the best attitude to have

I also think many don't just see tattoos as a fashion

On the young people, everything looks nice. When they get older, when skin gets soggy....hm

I tend to worry about illness and other such things when I think about getting old... Not wether my tattoos will look daft.
In do think people should think carefully when they get one - but other than that, if a person wants one, then they should get one!

People shouldn't be saying things like 'it's a fashion' and 'they'll regret that' because it's someone else's skin that at the end of the day (I do hate that phrase :S) it won't affect you.

Also with regards to the mention of a teacher having one, well I bet the majority of children nowadays have a parent with tattoos, so it can't be a strange thing really. Unless it was something really inappropriate (bad language etc) then why should they cover it up? Why hide these things from kids?

I agree - I think there are far more important things to worry about when you're 80. And personally, I'd rather look down at my wrinkly old skin with at a faded tattoo and smile because I remember what it stood for or what it meant, or a crazy happy time in my misspent youth, than look down at my wrinkly old skin and think thank goodness I didn't do that wild thing I contemplated all those years ago.

But that's the impression tattoos do give. It's the same with shaven heads, facial piercings - you wouldn't see many of the well - to - do sporting them in a million years. Women in evening / wedding dress with tattoos on show look absolutely awful

They only give that impression to shallow judgemental idiots

You are missing the point. What you are going to think when 80 is irrelevant. Your tattoos will look ridiculous.

You are getting the point. If we can't look ridiculous at 80, then when can we? And at 80 - we won't give a damn what anyone thinks anyway

I'd imagine some 80 year olds would look good with tattoos.

I was speaking to someone the other day as a matter of fact who'd recently got a very bad tattoo done. The individual was very nonchalant about the mistake I must say.

Shaven heads and tattoos can't be compared. One's permanent, the other isn't.

Some people just get them too young. I know a girl who, being underage at the time, still got a tramp stamp (pervy tattooist i think as she looked about 14 at this point) and now she regrets it.

It's her name above her bum, basically, and when she puts on a little bit of weight, it makes the lettering really huge and mad looking.

I don't have any. I can't see myself ever getting any either.