Ah, spot on, Matthew Fields, of Enfield, move over, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Brooks, Munich, Germany

Tattoos are a form of self expression. and like any piece of art, behind it is a deeper meaning, i feel that you have only portayed one side of people's views and mayb you should consider the real meaning people get body art before you judge them.

Jez, Croydon, Surrey

I see tattoos in abundance at the local swimming pool. Many with people's names, or football teams gracing hairy- or overweight bodies. -As if people need painful body art to remind themselves. Tattoos of dolphins and flowers are common too, just in case one forgets what they look like. An utterly pointless waste of money!

Anthony, Oxford, UK

You guys seem just as obsessed with tattoos as those who want one -- or want one removed. Get over it. Some people do make the mistake of getting the wrong tattoo. Your mistakes may not be inked on your skin, but that doesn't give you the right to make sweeping judgments about tattooed people.
Call it a cliche, but I'd make a bet that you tattoo critics are throwing stones from glass houses.

Malinda Govoni, springfield,

As everyone tries their best to be more different they all end up being the same. What boring and unimaginative people we have these days, all trying the latest fad. zzzzzzzzz

Matthew Phillips, Enfield,

Bar coding for the underclass. No more, no less. These twerps who tag their arms, shins, neck or other safer parts of their anatomy but NOT their face only prove that they are weekend rebels. Real radicals would tattoo their faces but in reality they know what complete plonkers they would look, so in reality they play safe just like everyone else. In, say, ten years time having no tattoo will be the new black and only the obviously no-hopers and oldies will sport them, leaving the trendy young things to walk around unadulterated by this most cliqued of statements of rebellion.

Dave, Luton, England

Surely your dismissive tone in this article simply mirrors your own opinion that tattoos are unattractive?
I have 4 tattoos, one yet to be finished. None are instantly visible, a reaction to the fact that they are personal and hence not to be foisted on people who might discriminate against me on the basis of their own personal aesthetics.
All of my tattoos were designed simply because I liked how they looked, they are body decorations, not memorials of people or emotions.
I completely agree that their permanent nature should necessarily cause people to think carefully about why they want them, but to dismiss them is naff is as arrogant as dismissing another person's taste in clothes, fashion, lifestyle, politics or religion.
Surely every person has the right to express themselves as they see fit, it is their own body after all?

Peter Hutchinson, Birmingham, England

Love it! The ink virus, spreading faster even than cirrhosis and chlamydia through the population, degrades and uglifies all but the most beautiful people with the nicest and most well-placed tattoos. Off to the gym now. Let's see if I can see a single woman without one.

Roger Darce, London, UK

Perhaps a tattoo has become a personal anti-elitist symbol and token of democratic uniformity.

That could be apparent from splitting the word into its two syllables.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK

Exceptions to every rule of course, but tattoos, like weird face-jewelry and body-piercings, are typically the province of under-achievers and no-hopers. Just about every middle-aged and tattooed man I met in the Navy during 22 years' service said he regretted having them. "I was drunk at the time I had it done"
was a frequent admission. It is expensive and painful to have tattoos removed and the scars are rarely concealable : "Ooh, you had a tattoo - what was it of?"....this gets wearying.
Advice is never welcome but mine would be : think hard and long before you go to the Tattooist - and then think again !

Don Bell, Plymouth, UK

This reminds me of German women: every german young woman who wants to be taken seriously needs to have had a piercing at one stage in her life before turning 30. Having a piercing appears to be a sign of conformity and conservatism. Not having one is 'different'.

steven, Birmingham,

No tattoo is the new tattoo.

Michael , Kirkcaldy,

What's sexiest (and most practical) is having tattoos that are primarily hidden away by clothing. It's like carrying around a dirty secret.

But yes, most tattoos are clichéd, pointless, and not very well thought-out. No, I'm not being judgmental - I have two, one of which most definitely falls into this category.

NH, London, UK

Very, very, well-written. I enjoyed it all.

Dean, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Tattoos of any kind are what we in the States refer to as "common" and indicative of someone of "trailer park trash" status. "Body Art" is a euphamism for the disgusting self-disfiguring practice of tatooing. There is nothing "cultural" in the United States about tatooing, except that it indicates one of exremely low self esteem or crude upbringing.

In a word, yuck. And by adulthood, youngsters will typically end up suffering the pain of laser removal.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

I think different people have different reasons for getting tattooed. some do it because their favourite pop star does it, some probably because its fashionable. I did it at 43 (some years ago now) because I have always been thrilled by tattooed people. I already wanted to be tattooed as a teenager like Cher was and my tattooed biker friend (he had his upper arms tattooed) but, thanks to my dull existence as a catholic convent school girl with very conservative parents this was OUT OF THE DISCUSSION! Later I worked in conservative business where I had to wear elegant dresses and suits and at that time I didn´t dare to have a tattoo, it might have cost me my job. Today as I´m in the position of not having to show consideration for any employer I can sport my two beautiful tattoos (my favourite one is a demon) and enjoy it. I didn´t know that Helen Mirren is tattooed, by the way. was kind of surprised to learn that.

Asta, Hamburg, Germany

This obsession with tattoos is regrettable indeed, and is indicative of a civilization in decline. A tattoo, any tattoo, is, by its very nature, ugly. Anyone who sees beauty in a tattoo needs to consult his phrenologist! There are far better, more aesthetic, ways to rebel. One doesn't have to resort to tattoos. And yes, Mr Milner, they can call me old-fashioned, too.

Richard Lewis, Swansea, UK

I've always had something more useful to do with my money.

DAVID VINTER, Louth, Lincs., UK.

I don't care at all for Mr Milner associating soldiers and sailors with the term low life. Shame on you

Terry O'Connor, Nice, France

This obsession with tattoos is regrettable indeed, and is indicative of a civilization in decline. A tattoo, any tattoo, is, by its very nature, ugly. Anyone who sees beauty in a tattoo needs to consult his phrenologist! There are far better, more aesthetic, ways to rebel. One doesn’t have to resort to tattoos. And yes, Mr Milner, they can call me old-fashioned, too.

Richard Lewis, Swansea, UK

Tatoos are repellent on women, luckily it's mostly a fad of the not so bright.

David Thijm, Storbridge, UK

Call me old-fashioned, but what does tattoo say about you? Sailor, soldier, violent criminal, social deviant and general low-life? Not the smartest move to provide authority with instant identification. Assuming the tattoo is permanent, this does so label you. The last time I was in UK (2005) I even saw misspelled tattoos.
At the onsens here in the Japan Alps, there are prim notices to the effect that entry is prohibited to those with tattoos. In Japan, largely only Yakuza (organised crime syndicate) members have tattoos. Not exactly the image you want to project.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Kanagawa