i got my first at 18, and since then I have gotten more. I knew exactly what I wanted, where I wanted, and that the committment was for a lifetime.

I just got my first tattoo at the age of 45. It was something I did for my birthday. I got a hawk on my left hip. It took about two hours and it hurt but not unbearable. I am now ready to get my next one. My boyfriend has two tattoos and says he wants to get sleeved...he owns a drum making business and is a drummer. I am glad I waited until now to get a tattoo...while it probably would've been prettier in my 20's it has great meaning for me now. My daughter wants to get one and I tell her she has to wait till she's 18. That's because I want her to think about it. Know what she wants and be sure. No one wants to make a mistake with that choice.

Love it Granny! You Go Girl! You know it's funny how much we let convention keep us from things and when we let go of what people think it's so freeing!!!

I think one should wait until they are an adult to get a tattoo or pierced. I don't even like when parents take their babies to get their ears pierced because the baby can't decide for themselves if they want that or not but it's being forced on them. It's not like getting the ears pierced has any medical benefit. Back to the tattoo issue. I think tattoos are personal to each person and should have meaning and not do it for a fad or just because. This is something you will have for the rest of your life and should be planned and have something on your body that you can live with forever. I was in my early 20's when I got a tattoo and I didn't choose it out of a book but it has meaning to me and it's something I know will have forever so it had to be something meaningful to me. Even at 18 you can't always think about a lifelong consequence so just make sure you know the reasons why you are doing it. Is it something meaningful or is it just because everyone else is doing it?

I'm happy that I didn't get the tattoo I wanted when I was 16. What I wanted then wouldn't be an expression of the person I am now. It was just something I saw and I liked at the time. I was 21 when I got my first piece, which is a tribal armband that represents freedom and individuality. I got it when I moved out on my own for the very first time. Since then I have added 4 more at different ages and stages of my life. Each piece is a personal experience or event that has happened within my life. I agree that 18 is a decent age for most people to get tattooed, since by then many people have matured. In Canada the age limit is 18 with provincial photo ID as proof of age. Most studio's here won't even tattoo under 18 even if the parent is present or has given permission. I believe piercing is altogether different since the jewelry can be removed, and in most cases the hole closes up which makes the marks virtually invisable. I agree with the member who posted that there are worse things kids could be doing. I also like the idea of rewarding good grades with a body piercing depending on age. I don't think I would want my 6 year old walking around with a lip ring or belly ring, earrings I could agree to!

that's great!! I support you.

I would like a Chinese dragon tattoo 。