Tattoos: love them or hate them? If you are like me, you shudder at the thought. The mere word can conjure movie images of bikers, sailors, trollops\u2014not to mention the creepy, all-night tattoo parlors\u2014and brings to mind a long-held belief that tattoos are for someone who fits a mold to which I do not aspire.<\/p>\n
But I am starting to think my notions old fashioned. Ink is everywhere these days.<\/p>\n
In an article in the Washington Post<\/i>, I learned that boomers are shedding their inhibitions\u2014and stereotypes\u2014and getting inked along with the younger set. It seems many reach an age when they no longer feel society has a hold on them when it comes to appearance, and they let go of a need to conform.<\/p>\n
For some, the midlife tattoo is a liberating statement that says they are their own person. I’ve seen prayers, inspirational messages, birds, flowers and religious icons on people my age and older. I know a woman who has a pink-ribbon tattoo to acknowledge her sister’s battle with cancer. Another friend sports a butterfly to say she is free from the bonds of her unhappy marriage. <\/p>\n
Memorial tattoos span the ages too. The old image of a \u201cMother\u201d tattoo on a muscled arm has given way to a rose for the first grandchild on grandmom’s shoulder. Some memorial tats feature the date of a loved one’s passing. People even incorporate cremains\u2014ashes from a cremated loved one\u2014into the ink. <\/span><\/p>\n Tattoos today can have practical purposes. In an article in the Atlantic<\/i>, I learned that tattoos can provide medical information for doctors<\/a>, such as DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) tattooed by the heart. For women who require reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy, tattoo artists can ink a realistic areola and nipples where there are none. Watch an inspiring video here<\/a>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n