I don't think I will ever get a tattoo. Why? Because I am so paranoid I ask myself "hmm, why would I pay money to give the government a free way to ID for the rest of my life?"

That being said, I know many do have a tattoo and most have great stories to go along with their tats. Care to share stories and pics?

I got the first one as a statement of rebellion against my ex husband. He hated it. Then I got another one.

Several years later I got one more. Then at some point I decided I liked them a lot and rather enjoyed the needles jabbing ink into my skin. Now I have one on my leg, one on my forearm, two on my chest, and my shoulders are nearly covered in them.

I do not have pics of them but they are all colorful and fun. No death daggers or bleeding hearts.

I do not regret getting them.

Below is a copy and paste from another thread...

But it fits the original request by @@OKCPirate

Hopefully it works...

I know it's been a while but I've just worked out how to post properly...

Anyway, here it is...

I'm not sure whether I explained it previously so I'll do so again...

It's the sheet music to a section of Sinatra's 'My Way' which means something to me...

It's the bit where the lyrics are as follows...

"For what is a man

What has he got

If not himself

Then he has naught

He'll say the things

He truly feels

And not the words

Of one who kneels"

And the next one will look like this...

As stated, it's my starting weight (255kgs) in Roman numerals, with "Never again..." in Latin...

It's going on my left pec/chest...

That'll take some shaving!!!!

Nothing more planned at this stage...

But I'm pretty sure there will be...

Very cool ink @@KindaFamiliar

@@sharonintx that's sounds interesting....and about how I could see it going for me....start with one...and then build on it. I'm fairly certain I'll get one down the road.....just not sure what and where.

So my biggest piece yet goes shoulder to shoulder across my chest it's a heart wrapped n chains n padlocked shut with angel wings. I got pregnant with my son at 19 and was madly in love with his father even after he ran out on us before I had him. Well before I could completely move on from him when my son was 4 we lost him to a stray bullet in a drive by meant for another house. I was devistated. And I heard this song which is how I came up with the tattoo design

"From angels wings

To falling stars

God makes everything

But unbreakable hearts"

Figured if God couldn't make it unbreakable I'd lock it away. So that's my big one I've got a small red bird for my mom that says love, and a Chinese symbol for mother. I want tons more a Maltese cross for my dad who passed away who was a fire fighter, a tat to brand me a nurse once I graduate and a sister who lives 1,500 miles away. I also want corset ribbons up the back of my legs with pretty bows once they are all toned after surgery. And once I reach my goal weight I want the difference between start and finish on my wrist

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I have 7 tattoos. My first one I got when I was 18. I don't regret any of them. I think you're either a tattoo person or you're not

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I have always said I would get one if I had something really important I wanted to say but could never come up with anything. I have been thinking about it a lot lately and really LOVE the ones mentioned here showing starting weight. What a great idea!

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I'm not a tattoo person. But if I were and wanted to memorialize my WLS surgery successes, I think I'd get a tattoo of my goal weight, not my starting weight.

Sometimes it is about a number, y'know?

Since I was about 18 I kinda wanted a tramp stamp lol but always thought it would look stupid on my fat butt. I have 4 others that I love but put them on less... Squishy... Areas lol so when I get down to goal I'm gonna get my lower back done. Don't know what yet, but something for sure!

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I have a lizard on my thigh. I'm obsessed with getting more, but it has to be meaningful to me. I'm thinking a butterfly, which is a symbol of transformation. Or a lotus to symbolize the dark, murky Water I came from, yet turning into a flower.....Yep, sounds cheesy, but I don't care.

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@@Mamapiller

I have a huge lotus on my shoulder. I love it

@@Mamapiller

I have a huge lotus on my shoulder. I love it

It does have such a deep meaning, which is incredibly personal to each person who has it. I'm certain yours also comes with a beautiful story behind it.

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I have a flower with a vine wrapping around my big toe. I wanted a tattoo there because no matter what I weighed it wouldn't stretch too much.... and I still love it 15 years later

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On my right shoulder I have a blue monarch butterfly that I got after I got out of an abusive marriage. A few years later I had three little butterflies in my kids favorite colors trailing behind the big one to represent each of my kids. I also have a Celtic shamrock on the inside of my left wrist in memory of my dad and his pride in our Irish heritage. I have two more that I plan to get, my mom has a specific way that she always signs cards to me and I want to get that by my shamrock and then when I get to goal weight I want to get a bird flying free from its cage because that it how I feel, like I've been set free after a lifetime of being caged in this weight.

The first one I got on my ankle in my early 20's. It was originally just the Zuni bear fetish and I had the feather added later just cause I liked it.

The second one of the desert canyon/river is on my lower back. Got it in my late 30's. Rafting was, and still is a huge part of my life since my mid 20's. My annual trips through the desert clean my soul and gets me back at peace with myself. Each of the petroglyph symbols hold a special personal meaning and the names are in honor of the dogs I've lost....obviously Belle and Abraham were added years after the original tattoo and the whole thing needs to be touched up. But honestly, tattooing in that spot hurt way more after WLS when I lost all that back fat cushioning and I'm just not up for the pain at this point.

The feathers on my arm were because I wanted a tattoo I could actually see. (Socks cover the first one and need a mirror to see the second one). My brother had gotten a huge tattoo on his upper arm and I really liked the feathers in his. This one wraps all the way around my forearm.

The last one has the most profound meaning and one I wished I didn't have. A tribute to my younger brother who died 4 years ago. He was an incredibly talented musician. His signature from the last birthday card he sent me is above the keyboard.

At 35, I got drunk with a tattoo artist friend and he decided we all needed a tattoo at my kitchen table. And that's where I got it....at my kitchen table.

It's a terrible tattoo of a sunflower on my ankle that I actually want to remove. I don't even want it covered. I have no interest in getting another. Never really understood the appeal of them, personally, but I DO appreciate nice art on other people.