A 31-year-old graphic designer, Ms. Lea, took matters into her own hands when she decided to tattoo herself with a design inspired by The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
Frustrated by the high cost of professional tattoo services, Ms. Lea purchased a tattoo machine online for under $80, including needles and ink, from Shopee, an e-commerce platform that offered a cash-on-delivery option.
“I thought professional tattoos were too expensive, so I decided to try it myself,” said Ms. Lea, who has no formal tattoo training. While many tattoo artists practice on pigskin, Ms. Lea bypassed this step. “It wasn’t practical for me to get pigskin, so I tattooed directly on myself,” she explained.
The process, though manageable, proved to be painful in some areas, especially her fingers. Working alone at home, she carefully went over the design multiple times to darken the ink.
Though some friends have asked her to tattoo them, Ms. Lea said she doesn’t feel confident enough to ink others. For years, she hid her tattoos from her family, using long sleeves or strategic arm positioning. When confronted, she claimed they were temporary.
Eventually, she came clean to her mother, who was upset but told her not to get more tattoos. “I didn’t think much about it at the time,” Ms. Lea recalled with a smile. “I just told myself I could repent later.”
Now married and reflecting on her decision, Ms. Lea has no regrets, but she has no plans for additional tattoos either. When asked about the possibility of tattoo removal, she hesitated. “I saw a friend go through the process—it’s long, painful, and difficult. For now, I’d rather not.”
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