NAAMA: You argue that we should see tattooing in a more nuanced way, with class altering the types of imagery people get.

The predominant thing in my research is class. We can talk about class in such a nuanced way in this country. And I don't think it's easy to say people are working class or people are middle class or upper class. I think the boundaries are blurred a little bit. But tattoos are still in that working-class realm.

It's about where they are on your body and the kind of imagery that you get, and the kind of body that you have. This all feeds into class-based stereotypes.

When I was younger, I remember getting some tattoos in places that seemed really sketchy. And the context of where you go matters. Think of someone who gets a little heart on their wrist in a parlour. That’s positioned very differently from a class perspective to someone going to a studio and getting a full sleeve that's brightly coloured.

NAAMA: Tattoos are more permissible in some professions than others, why is that?

I always give the example that you wouldn't go to a tattoo artist who wasn't tattooed themselves. It’s the one profession where you expect it. And perhaps the stereotypical association is that people that are in artistic or creative jobs can get away with tattoos more than other professional roles (doctors and lawyers) - I want to say lecturing, but I think we're kind of pushing back enough at that now.

There’s an association with professionalism that's class-based.

NAAMA: Our studio photographer often finds that their tattoos get clients talking and make them feel more comfortable.

When I went in for my C-section for my daughter all of the people in the operating theatre were talking to me about my tattoos. It felt so funny, some of them probably had tattoos themselves, but they had to cover them up. They can't talk about them so freely.

If you are a counsellor or a therapist it can be a point of contact - and yes, there's a boundary element, how much you give yourself away – but it's a point of connection with your clients.

Very early in my research I looked at tattoos and mental health. At the time it was in the news about police officers being allowed to show their tattoos or not. But it's a point of connection. It shows that you're human and you're not just your role.

Tattoo removal for tattoo lovers

If you’d like to speak to one of our expert consultants about a tattoo that you have fallen out of love with, in a totally professional and non-judgemental environment, why not book a patch test and consultation?

For more on tattoo culture, read our interview now with tattoo ink expert John Swierk.