Record number of people with tattoos in Australia

An incredible 20 per cent of Queenslanders have tattoos, new research reveals, but the percentage of men and women getting ink has totally turned on its head.

Women have taken over from men as the most inked in Australia.

New research from McCrindle shows that 31 per cent of Australian women have tattoos, compared to 19 per cent of men.

The study shows that there has never been more Australians with multiple tattoos as they become more widely accepted rather than a youthful rebellion or a one-off decision. One in four people now have body art.

Queensland is the third most inked state after NSW and Victoria, with 20 per cent of the population displaying tattoos. Baby Boomers aged 54 to 72 have the second most tattoos, after Gen Ys aged 25 to 39.

Tattoo artist Briony Hutchinson at Ink Embassy, Bulimba. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

“As the trends show, tattoos are more common among women, and older women at that, indicating that tattoos are moving to a form of self-expression and symbolic meaning. The fact that social media regularly shows celebrities, movie stars and sports people with tattoos is helping to change consumer attitudes and behaviour towards tattoos and how they are perceived,” social researcher Ashley Fell said.

“While 31 per cent of people with a tattoo still feel the need to cover them when attending a job interview or formal occasion, employers today are more accepting of tattoos on display,” she said.

Women are more likely to have their first tattoo between the ages of 26 and 45 – 31 per cent compared to 23 per cent of men. One in five Australians with a tattoo said that they had regret and one in four had commenced or looked into tattoo removal.

Briony Hutchinson from Ink Embassy in Bulimba wears her tattoos with pride.