# Facial and neck tattoos. Do they have problems finding jobs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 28, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307 "2011-01-28T16:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/201 "2011-02-03T18:52:27Z")
Reading a thread by a tattoo artist on another forum and he had this to say in his OP: "Every shop I’ve ever worked at has outright banned tattooing faces and fingers. You don’t need your face or fingers tattooed, and the people that we have to work with to do business (the city, for example) aren’t nice to us when they find out we’ve tattooing someone’s face. Facial, hand, and neck tattoos are lovingly-referred to as “everlasting job-stoppers.” " Haha, everlasting job-stoppers. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/202 "2011-02-03T19:21:40Z")
It looks like 18 is the minimum age in most places, but some states allow it for younger people if they have parental consent, and in Colorado there are no restrictiosn at all. The parlors can set whatever rules they want as long as they’re not breaking the law, but I can understand why they’d err on the side of caution. It’s not going to be good for their business if they have a constant stream of complaining parents. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/203 "2011-02-04T03:28:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Which has already been discussed. I was commenting on _your_ statement that tattoos reflect “a temporary fancy.” > Which has what to do with being cutting edge? You’re parsing words for the sake of argument. The vast majority of the tattoos I see are boilerplate doodles that on a good day looks like it was done by a Hanna Barbera sketch artist. The cutting edge aspect is the tattoo itself just as a piercing is. It’s a temporary fancy because nobody expects to wear the same shirt for the rest of their life. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/204 "2011-02-04T03:41:53Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Haha, everlasting job-stoppers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/205 "2011-02-04T04:05:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Again with this. There are people who spend months or years planning tattoos. Some of them take months to do. (And yes, other people get them on a whim.) That’s not a temporary fancy. It is in the context of living another 30 or 40 years. I can think of any number of projects I have spent months planning and executing, and which I was basically obsessed with at the time, in which I now have no interest. They aren’t in permanent ink on my face (or anywhere else) though. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/206 "2011-02-04T04:35:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I remember having this conversation with a convenience store clerk once. The way I remember it, he had full sleeves on both arms and he said he did regret them somewhat because he felt they would make it hard for him to get a better job. Not really. Get a job where you wear a business suit to work and your problem is solved. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/207 "2011-02-04T04:56:43Z")
The salient point I’ve gathered from this thread is that DianaG thinks wearing sweatpants shows poor judgment. snerk ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/208 "2011-02-04T05:21:30Z")
Lets leave aside neck tattoos for a moment, as I’ve seen a few that were nice by people who were employed in jobs that might actually be considered desirable. Have you ever seen a _FACE_ tattoo that wasn’t an abomination? Seriously - what job, anywhere, is a dude with ‘skin’ tattooed in huge letters on his forehead going to get? Front man for a white supremest band? Secretary for the KKK? I don’t think even ultra liberal ad agencies or art shops or funky bars want obvious racists working there. Or what about the guy with the full skull tattooed on his face? Perhaps it’s slightly less difficult to get work in a bar with that one, but anything with the public? I think no, unless he’s a tattoo artist himself. So - do I think these fellas are going to have a hard time finding work? Yes, pretty much. It’s all a matter of degree. A flower on the back of the neck probably isn’t too offensive to any but the most staunchly anti-tattoo. A full face of racist profanity? Different, yah? It’s like the hideous sweat-pant. If a [multi-millionaire](http://www.hownottoactold.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/britney_spears_in_sweatpants.jpg) can’t make them look good, you’re deluding yourself if you think you can. And yes, this is gross, even for the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/209 "2011-02-04T05:28:17Z")
Missed the edit: ETA, and I’m saying this as someone who just got [this jacket](http://shop.lululemon.com/Movement_Jacket/pd/c/550/np/550/p/3221.html) with this [this pant](http://shop.lululemon.com/Lulu_Pant_II/pd/c/560/np/560/p/1407.html), in purple and then accidentally wore them to the mall. Degrees people. Degrees. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/210 "2011-02-04T05:35:22Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The vast majority of the tattoos I see are boilerplate doodles that on a good day looks like it was done by a Hanna Barbera sketch artist. There’s no shortage of bad tattoos out there. We wouldn’t have this thread without them. 😉 > [@](#): > > The cutting edge aspect is the tattoo itself just as a piercing is. It’s a temporary fancy because nobody expects to wear the same shirt for the rest of their life. There’s no question it’s permanent and not exactly the same as a piece of clothing. This “cutting edge” thing is projection. Some people probably still think tattoos are badass, but at this point perhaps people are getting them because they like them. > [@Princhester](#): > > It is in the context of living another 30 or 40 years. A lot of decisions are temporary if you use that time span. Some are major and some are minor. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/211 "2011-02-04T05:40:04Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > \ > It’s like the hideous sweat-pant. If a [multi-millionaire](http://www.hownottoactold.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/britney_spears_in_sweatpants.jpg) can’t make them look good, you’re deluding yourself if you think you can. And yes, this is gross, even for the grocery store. Stay classy, Britney. (Why are her boobs down to her knees? Isn’t she like 25?) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/212 "2011-02-04T05:43:10Z")
Am I the only one who hates the word “pant”, instead of “pants”? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/213 "2011-02-04T05:52:13Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Stay classy, Britney. (Why are her boobs down to her knees? Isn’t she like 25?) They look fine to me and I am guessing the vast majority of men. What exactly is so aberrant about her boobs? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/214 "2011-02-04T06:02:39Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > They look fine to me and I am guessing the vast majority of men. What exactly is so aberrant about her boobs? They’re all long, flat, and saggy, like an old woman’s boobs (which is normal on an old woman). She obviously doesn’t mind going out in public without a bra and her boobs looking like that; I think she needs a proper support garment. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/215 "2011-02-04T06:38:29Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > A lot of decisions are temporary if you use that time span. Some are major and some are minor. You’re confusing the issue. It’s not the decision that is temporary, it’s the fancy. Any fancy that may well last for a shorter time than its effects I would be dubious about. Something where the effect might outlast the fancy by a factor of ten or twenty times appears to me to be one for which \*\*Magiver’s \*\*description - “a permanent reminder of a temporary fancy” - is notably apt. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/216 "2011-02-04T13:23:20Z")
> [@](#): > > “a permanent reminder of a temporary fancy” Like herpes. Or marriage, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/217 "2011-02-04T14:00:02Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Like herpes. Or marriage, for that matter. Or kids. Often, yes. But fortunately for people who made those decisions, that falls under “protected classes” and the herpes thing isn’t likely to come up in a job interview. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/218 "2011-02-04T14:43:33Z")
See, I purposely left out kids because I was being all sensitive and shit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/219 "2011-02-05T04:11:08Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > Have you ever seen a _FACE_ tattoo that wasn’t an abomination? Sure. If you want a “famous person” example, I like the stars on Kat von D’s face. In real life, I’ve seen a number of well-done designs that worked into the eyebrows or jawline. > [@](#): > > Seriously - what job, anywhere, is a dude with ‘skin’ tattooed in huge letters on his forehead going to get? Front man for a white supremest band? Secretary for the KKK? I don’t think even ultra liberal ad agencies or art shops or funky bars want obvious racists working there. > > Or what about the guy with the full skull tattooed on his face? Ooh! Let’s see if I can play this game too! OMG! JUDGING FROM THE [AVAILABLE EVIDENCE](http://www.insaneclownposse.com/icp2010/wp-content/gallery/icp/icpimg_01.jpg), THE ONLY POSSIBLE CONCLUSION I CAN DRAW IS THAT EVERYONE WHO WEARS MAKEUP IS A FREAK WITH DUBIOUS TASTE IN CARBONATED BEVERAGES! …How was that? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/220 "2011-02-05T06:03:39Z")
Hey. I _like_ Faygo. Their ginger ale is damned good. :mad: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307.md?page=12)