If you’ve ever expressed out loud that you were considering a tattoo you may have heard the familiar adage. “you’ll regret it when you’re older” or “what will it look like when you’re 50?” from close friends or family.

According to new research, it’s not just the young who are making the decision to permanently mark their skin.A recent study from Remember A Charity has revealed that five per cent of us get our first tattoo after turning 60.

Before she passed away aged 77, Isobel Varley held the Guinness World Record for being the “most tattooed female senior citizen”, with over 90 per cent of her body covered in ink.

Varley got her first tattoo when she was 49, and went on to get 200 more, spending over 500 hours in the tattoo artists chair in total.

Even though though society places stereotypes on tattoos, finding your own form of expression should be enjoyed by everyone. The most common (non-religious and non-cultural) reasons people DON’T get tattoos after a certain age include:

-Concerns about professional image

-Worry about later regrets

-Peer and family response

-Health issues

With corporate careers behind you, aging parents and grown children, more and more boomers are finding it the most opportune time to get some ink!

we’d love to hear what you think about tattoos and if you plan on getting them any time soon!