The UK is experiencing a tattoo boom even as high street retail declines. The number of tattoo parlors has doubled in the past decade, now totaling nearly 3,400 — with almost one in three adults tattooed.
Experts suggest economic downturns drive people toward affordable self-expression. Tattoos, while permanent, are often cheaper than luxury fashion and offer a cathartic sense of identity. Many Britons also use tattoos to mark personal struggles, including mental health battles and bereavement.
But not all news is positive: a surge of unlicensed operators has prompted health authorities to warn of infection risks. Regulation is lagging behind the industry’s rapid expansion.
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