Tattoos may be quite common among police officers, but here’s what to consider before you get inked

Tattoos, once a countercultural symbol of rebellion, have now become so common that a neck or arm tattoo is no longer a barrier to becoming a police officer in Victoria.

The recent change of heart is largely due to increased police recruitment in the state.

But it also reflects changing social norms, with around one in three Australians under 30 now signing up. Washington State Police still ban tattoos on the face, neck and arms, as well as any body art considered offensive or culturally insensitive, but tattoos elsewhere are not a problem.

Perth residents love their tattoos so much that hundreds of people queued for six hours earlier this year when East Perth tattoo shop Arcane Tattoo Studio offered free tattoos for 50 cents a day.

Tattoos were already big business 15 years ago when Emma Commander, from Fine Line Studios in Nedlands, started working in the industry. Since then, she’s seen their popularity grow and seen everyone from 18-year-olds to those in their 70s take up the needle for the first time.

“The industry has changed a lot,” she says. “The advancement in technology, the advent of social media, has had a big impact.

“The accessibility of tattoos to the masses has increased and the choice of styles has expanded. . . Tattoos have always been popular since I first started, but they are becoming so among a wider range of people.

“I think it’s been a gradual rise towards becoming mainstream in the wider Australian culture. It continues to grow.”

But while it’s estimated that one in four Australians now have ink on their body (up from 10 percent in 2000), there are still pitfalls to consider before taking the plunge.

Choose your symbol carefully

You’ve probably heard stories of tourists who thought they had Chinese symbols for “hope” or “honesty” tattooed on their bodies, but instead received insults like “illiterate foreigner.” Some of them may be apocryphal.

But choosing the wrong design can have long-term consequences and even limit your future career options.

President-elect Donald Trump last month named former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department. But Mr Hegseth, a US Army National Guard veteran, had previously been flagged by one of his fellow soldiers as a potential “insider threat” because he had the words “Deus Vult” tattooed on his bicep.

The phrase, which translates to “God wills it,” was once used by Christian crusaders in the Middle Ages and has since been adopted by white nationalists. It is unclear whether Trump would consider such a merger a disadvantage.

During her time in the industry, Ms. Commander has received several “colorful” requests.

“I said yes to some, no to some.” . . Although I probably can’t go into detail about “no,” she said. “You need to learn not to be too judgmental in this job.”

Tattoos can outlive partners

High on the right arm of Hollywood actor Johnny Depp is a tattoo that reads: “Wino Forever.” But one day it said “Winona Forever,” in honor of Depp’s ex-fiancee Winona Ryder.

Depp isn’t the first person to have a tattoo of his crush, and he’s certainly not the only celebrity to have a visible reminder of his ex.

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan got matching side-by-side tattoos while honeymooning in Bali in 2009, but divorced nine years later.

When Arianda Grande and Pete Davidson split, the “Thank You, Next” singer covered up a matching tattoo she acquired during the relationship with the name of another ex’s dog.

New York tattoo artist John Mesa said he staged something of an intervention with Davidson after he was called in to help cover up an image of his ex-partner’s face. “I did a huge cover-up,” he told the New York Post. “After we finished, I said to Pete, ‘Hey man, let’s stick with the girlfriend’s tattoos.’

One study found that about 30 percent of Australians with tattoos have had at least one tattoo they regret. It does not specify how much the former partner’s name appears.

Social media is full of complaints about new partners whose skin still bears the marks of their exes.

Ms Commander has tattooed clients with their partners’ names in the past, but says it is not an “overly common” request. Until now, no one has ever come back to her asking her to cover her up, Wino Forever style.

“Again, withholding any judgment, it’s not my place to decide whether this is a good idea or not,” she said. “I’m sure some of them regretted it, but I’ve never remade one of mine for that reason.”

Choose your artist carefully

Ms Commander receives messages “almost every day” from people unhappy with tattoos they got elsewhere and hoping they will be changed or covered up.

“Personally, I prefer not to do this because it is often difficult and does not always lead to the desired result of making the tattoo more similar to what the client wanted,” she said.

At least in Western Australia, tattoo studios must comply with the Health (Dermal Penetration Procedures) Regulations 1998 and the Skin Penetration Procedures Code of Practice, which set out basic standards for hygiene, disinfection and sterilization.

It’s not so strict everywhere.

Just ask Englishwoman Kirsty Griffiths, who recently paid the equivalent of $250 to get a tattoo while on holiday in Turkey and ended up with much more than the floral design she wanted on her ankle.

According to the Daily Mail, Ms Griffiths contracted a bacterial skin infection called cellulitis, which spread to her stomach and gallbladder.

“Two different surgeons came to see me and one said that if the situation didn’t clear up, I might have to have my leg amputated. Every night I cried and screamed in pain,” she said. “It was a drip of morphine and I was still in pain from the painkillers.”

Ms Griffiths kept her feet on the ground but decided to take a break from further tattooing. For now.