At Age 65, I Just Got My 11th Tattoo. Really!

And, yes, I plan on getting even more.

Published October 17, 2024

gif illustration of tattoo appearing on woman's leg, tattoo

Margaret Flatley

I was 56 when I got my first tattoo nine years ago, and I'll admit that I wavered on my decision even after confirming the appointment. The thought of getting something permanently inked into my skin was scary enough, not to mention the fear of being judged by others. But there was no turning back once I stepped into the dimly lit shop that smelled of jasmine incense and disinfectant soap.

I had dreamed of this moment of getting my first tattoo since my older sister passed away, and I wanted something symbolic to honor our bond. Cherie had always been very protective of me, and given her love for birds, I chose the image of a sandhill crane — a feathered creature known for its family loyalty and watchful nature.

Once the needle started humming into my skin, a healing calmness washed over me, cleansing the footprint of grief that had defined me since Cherie's passing. It felt empowering since getting inked was MY choice — and I liked having that kind of control over my body. I also thought of the crane etched into my leg as an emancipation from ageism.

And I wanted more.

They say tattoos are like potato chips — you can't stop after just one. Take it from me, I now have 11 images scattered on one finger, my arms and legs. Many of us older women who get our first tattoos in our 50s or beyond have done so not to seem younger, as believed in the negative narrative of ageism. Boomers like me have often secretly desired tattoos since we were half our age but the stigma surrounding body art at that time (especially in the workplace) prevented us from doing it. So, we waited until we were either retired, or we just didn’t care about others’ opinions anymore. And, our patience paid off.

Tattoo technology has improved greatly with higher-quality tools, inks and precise artistry. I am one of those women who feel emboldened by the freedom to have my body be a canvas for what I consider beautiful personal expressions, no matter what others may think.

Thankfully, I've experienced mostly positive reactions to my tattoos and little backlash. However, there are still some eye-rollers out there with an ageist, sexist prejudice against females over 50 getting inked.

Amy Sherman, 69, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, got her first tattoo in the mid-1990s when she was 40, a tulip on her hip. Then came an acorn on her ankle, and since her 50s, she has gotten eight more tattoos — all on her arms and in plain sight.

“There's also a certain vanity to getting inked. It's a statement — a choice,” says Sherman. “My tattoos symbolize who I am and what I love; a reflection of me.”

Rhonda Brewer, 65, a real estate broker associate in the Florida Keys, has 10 tattoos, the latter few added in honor of her oldest son, who passed away in 2021. The tattoos are proudly etched in visible places.

"My tattoos have meanings that perhaps cannot be explained or understood by others, but for me, that's the beauty of a tattoo,” says Brewer. “No need (for others) to understand it, and certainly no one need accept or approve them. They are personal ... and they are addictive!"

Addie, a tattoo artist at Nocturnal Body Art in Deerfield, Beach Florida, has imprinted a couple of my own images. While her clients are mostly 35 and older, she has done a tattoo for a woman of 82. She says that many in the older age group are repeat customers getting additional tattoos as part of a work-in-progress on their body.

"My clients who fall into this age bracket come into the shop knowing exactly what they want, instead of the younger customers who stop by and get any random tattoo spontaneously," Addie says. "Several of my first-time, older clients waited to get their tattoos because they were scared of the permanent commitment of having one. But many of them are also retired and don't have to worry about working where people might give them the side-eye for having a tattoo at their age."

The ones most popular for women, she adds, are flowers, butterflies or family-related tattoos.

Beyond loving the adrenaline rush I experience whenever I get a new tattoo, I enjoy the satisfaction of having a meaningful message artfully inked into my skin. My tattoos make a statement and tell a story about significant times in my life involving joy, sorrow, love and gratitude.

To celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, my husband and I recently got matching tattoos of the Japanese symbol for love. I also have whimsical tattoos that I adore — a squirrel on my thumb and a cartoon pug on my wrist, as well as the names of my children, a flock of black birds soaring up my arm and personal words of affirmation, such as "My Story Isn't Over Yet," and "Perseverance."

I love them all, but the one that moves me to tears is a tattooed replica of my sweet pug's paw on my arm shortly after her passing. It was cathartic to have a memory of Savi inked into my skin so that I could carry her with me forever.

At age 65, I just got my 11th tattoo — a second paw print for another dog of mine that recently passed away. Will I get more tattoos? Absolutely! I have plans for several birds, a colorful tiki mask and my grandchildren's names, The process of creating the design and then seeing it come to life under a tattoo artist's skillful hand is addictive. People who see my tattoos often ask if they hurt, and the truth is ... sometimes. But there is an odd pleasure to it, knowing that something beautiful will be borne from the pain.

Do any of you have a tattoo? Let us know in the comments below.

Marcia Kester Doyle is a Yahoo Life columnist and the author of Who Stole My Spandex? Life In The Hot Flash Lane. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Independent, Stylist, USA Today/Reviewed, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Woman's Day, Country Living, House Beautiful and many others. You can find her at marciakesterdoyle.com.