Tattoos, which once attracted mostly bikers, rock stars and members of the military, are now mainstream. “Getting inked” has become as routine as getting a haircut.  In the best case scenario, one ends up with a reasonable design that can be easily covered up by clothing.  At the very worst, an immature 18-year-old makes a horrific decision on a whim to deface his or her torso with a tableau of repulsive images that could potentially cause medical complications later in life.

Unfortunately, this scenario represents a national obsession that has no inherent benefits but also portends deep regret for millions.

According to a 2023 Pew Research Center study, 32% of Americans claimed to have at least one tattoo, with 22% claiming to have more than one. This is a disturbing statistic and speaks to an increase in the total number of people defacing themselves, but also a rise in the amount of ink per person.

Among women, 38% have at least one tattoo, compared with 27% of men. This includes 56% of women ages 18 to 29 and 53% of women ages 30 to 49. Adults under 50 are especially likely to have a tattoo. Some 41% of those under 30 have at least one, as do 46% of those ages 30 to 49.

As no part of the body is off limits anymore, individuals of all ages, socio-economic sectors, and ethnic groups are offering up their legs, necks, backs, and even faces to be permanently altered.  A disturbing yet common sight is that of young, heavily tattooed mothers in public with their children.

How much of the current tattoo fad is rooted in a collective loss of self esteem? Growing feelings of worthlessness permeate too many lives, and people are feeling so disconnected from an impersonal world that they turn to tattoos as a way of finding meaning. Extreme tattooing has arguably become a new form of emotional support.

The mere existence of tattoos is not the problem, as they’ve been on the fringes for centuries. But they need to be put back into that space. We need to stop embracing extreme tattooing as an acceptable way to make fashion statements or convey feelings.  Of paramount importance is the viewing of our bodies as sacred vessels that need to be nurtured and respected, not vandalized.

The unapologetic promotion of wholesomeness in our culture must replace the capricious, self destructive impulses that have now taken hold. We need to properly channel our need for artistic self-expression by going to the art supply store instead of the tattoo parlor.

Scott Liftman is a freelance journalist who resides in Framingham. “As You Were Saying” is a Herald feature. We invite readers to submit guest columns of no more than 600 words. Email to oped@bostonherald.com. Columns are subject to editing.