As people age, they become more comfortable with themselves; they tend to separate what they really like from social expectations, realizing social norms are ever changing.
This especially is true for two area residents who decided to get inked for the first time later in life.
"Every walk of life is getting tattoos now," said Eric Williams, owner of The Nook tattoo shop in downtown Jefferson City. "I had a lady come and she was in her mid-80s, I think, and she got her first tattoo and she's gotten three since then. I've also had gentlemen who come in that are of retired age, and it's kind of been on their bucket list and they finally do it."
The tattoo industry is definitely booming, he said, adding more people have tattoos than don't anymore.
In the past, tattoos were often considered taboo. You may have seen tattoos on the arms of a Navy sailor or on the hands of a biker while riding a Harley. In fact, if you were born before 1980, you likely had parents who were highly against tattoos.
"I was raised in Iowa with very conservative parents," said Debra Smulders, of Mid-Missouri, who got her first tattoo at 57, after showing a photo of her breast cancer ribbon tattooed on her chest with her diagnosis date. "One of the things that was always drilled into my head is that you never get a tattoo."
Smulders faced a long battle with aggressive breast cancer and got her tattoo with her friend Kaye, who also had breast cancer.
"I was very hesitant when Kaye suggested it," she said. "She is about 10 years older than I am, and it was one of those things she put on her bucket list that she always wanted to do. As a fact, I told her no for a couple of years.
"She kept talking about it and finally I thought, 'why not?' I have been through aggressive metastatic breast cancer and survived. I consider my tat a testimonial to my survival."
With tattoos becoming more widely accepted in recent decades, what was once seen as rebellious, is often viewed as self expression.
Smulders and Wes Sconce, of Holts Summit, prove people getting tattoos later in life tend to have a better idea of what they want tattooed and why.
Sconce had never really considered getting a tattoo, but this February, he chose to mark his body in memory of his son, Braeden, who passed away earlier this year after a car accident.
Braeden had a tattoo of the Bible verse Gelatians 6:9, which reads "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Sconce decided to get the same tattoo as a way to carry on a small portion of Braeden's life.
"Even after he had gotten his tattoo and he was still alive, it hadn't really occurred to me to get one to match his," Sconce said. "But given the circumstances - I mean even as he was in his hospital bed - his tattoo was plainly displayed and then a topic of conversation among people, caregivers and physicians - people that came into the room and of course friends and family that hadn't seen it before. And so in a way, it just sort of feels like a way to carry even that small portion of what his life stood for because that was a verse that meant a lot to him. And he and I had talked about it a little bit.
"If nothing else, then maybe it's a conversation piece in the same way it might have been for him to talk about faith."
Like Smulders, Sconce's perception of tattoos has also changed over the years.
"I don't think my parents brought me up to believe that people with tattoos were terrible people or that they couldn't be Christians, but I'm certain that the conservative upbringing was an influence on my preferences not to have a tattoo and even my perception of people who did have tattoos.
"I think the older I got, the more I kind of separated from the beliefs I was brought up with at least in terms of those types of social evaluations that really have no bearing on spirituality or relationship with Christ," he said.
If you're looking to get your first tattoo there are some things to consider:
First, consider your pain tolerance or any skin conditions you may have. The location of your tattoo can also affect the pain and skin reaction you have, so be sure to talk to your tattoo artist about any concerns.
Second, if you're looking to get something specific, find a tattoo artist who specializes in that type of artwork, such as portraits. Often, a tattoo artist's portfolio is on the shop's website.
Third, and likely the most important thing to consider before getting a tattoo, choose a design you'll enjoy having forever.
"Definitely think about what you're going to get and know that you want that, and enjoy the experience," Williams said.