A 20-year-old British woman is defying criticism after getting a face tattoo done by her fiancé, embracing her passion for body art despite negative reactions.
Alitia Thoburn, from Bristol, England, says she has always been drawn to tattoos and had long considered adding one to her face. Her fiancé, 37-year-old Jonathan Saunders, a professional tattoo artist, made it happen while working on her left arm. The pair decided to extend the design onto the left side of her face, solidifying her unique look.
Not everyone has been supportive. Thoburn recalled an encounter with an older woman who bluntly asked, “What the f— have you done to your face?” The woman reportedly followed up with a harsh insult, calling her a “stupid b—-.” Others have suggested that her tattoos would prevent her from finding love.
Unfazed by the backlash, Thoburn remains confident in her choices. “I don’t understand why people always thought tattoos meant you were a thug or a criminal,” she told the Daily Star. “I’ve always seen tattoos as something positive, whether they’re a memorial or just something you enjoy. I’m lucky enough to have a face tattoo.”
Thoburn’s love for tattoos began at 14 when she purchased a tattoo kit online. By 18, she had started an apprenticeship to become a tattoo artist. Now, she works at a studio in Oxfordshire, where she continues to hone her craft.
To those who criticize her tattoos, Thoburn has a simple response: “The people who think I’ll regret my tattoos can keep thinking that. I don’t care what they think.”
She also revealed her ambitious plans to cover her entire body in tattoos, creating a cohesive design. “It will all be connected into one large body suit — it’s a work in progress. Everywhere will be tattooed eventually,” she explained.
For Thoburn, tattoos are more than skin deep. “I like to customize how I look,” she said. “I don’t regret anything in my life because I wouldn’t be the same person without those experiences.”
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