With two full sleeves of tattoos at age 68, Barb Jerabek turns heads. She has ready advice for people of her generation who ask her advice about getting ink: “If not now, when?” Jerabek said, “Time flies by, you better get to living.”
For much of the 20th century in the United States, tattoos were associated with rebellion and criminality — linked to prisoners, gangs and subcultures, as well as servicemen like sailors and soldiers. But by the 1990s, riding trends such as inked tribal armbands and small-of-the-back butterflies, tattoos began to
Tattoo artists say they’re seeing more older adults walk through the door, many for the first time. At Floating House Tattoo in San Jose, artist Marisa Biddle said she’s seen the shift building over the past decade.
“As tattoos have become more socially acceptable, we’ve definitely seen older folks come in for their first, or one of their first, tattoos,” she said.
Older adults with tattoos generally continue to feel positively about them, according to an AARP study published in 2025. This contradicts a popular narrative that suggests tattoos will become unsightly as one ages. For most, tattoos are viewed as meaningful expressions tied to personal identity, or important relationships, AARP officials said.
Thatap true for Jerabek. Her left arm serves as her “family arm,” featuring a coyote’s head to represent her son, a thistle for her daughter and an image of Disney’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice — a tribute to her late husband, who kept artwork from the film in his office.
“When my husband got a brain tumor, I knew I would carry him on my left arm,” she said.
Increasing acceptance of tats doesn’t mean there is a free-for-all for skin-based self-expression. At 64, Shay Smith would like to add to her eight tattoos, but is cautious about limiting her work as a community theater actress in Richmond with too much ink.
Still, the ones she has remind her that getting older isn’t the end of being “cool.”
“Yeah, I have aches and pains, and I should probably be taking more vitamins,” Smith said, “but thatap not my whole story.”
For others, aging has given them the freedom to get tattoos. Kelly Keller, 62, grew up in a household where even ear piercings came with boundaries. She got her ears pierced at 13, but it wasn’t until her mother died when Keller was 20 that she realized her full autonomy.
That led to Keller’s first tattoo — the word “prelude” on her wrist, and her son has a matching one. The rebellion was not without reflection. Her childhood cultural traditions often discouraged marking the body. Choosing to get tattoos carries layered meaning.
“I almost see it as an act of resistance. Like I have a choice to do this now.”
Keller finds herself wondering how her mother would have reacted, imagining that, had she lived, they might have evolved together.
“It makes me think about her a lot,” she said. “I don’t know whether she would have liked the tattoos or not, but I like to think she’d have come around.”
Aging skin brings its own considerations, both in how tattoos are applied and how they hold up over time. In addition to using a lighter hand on thinner, aged skin, tattoo artists stress care routines that extend long past the initial aftercare window to keep tattoos looking bold.
Tattoo ink naturally spreads in the skin over time, which is why older tattoos can look “fuzzy.” Some areas of the body — especially high-movement spots — will spread faster than others. Ink also fades, and certain colors last longer than others: black tends to hold the longest, while white fades more quickly. Sun exposure can accelerate fading.
Thatap why Biddle, the tattoo artist, said aftercare isn’t just for the healing stage — itap long-term. The artist said people should wear sunscreen daily and moisturize their skin regularly to maintain the appearance of their tattoos.
Still, seniors are embracing their ink even as it fades. Thomas Ferrell, 74, got an upper armband inspired by one of Bruce Conner’s inkblot drawings 15 years ago at age 60.
“The crisp lines of the original design are now a little blurry,” he said. “I’m still happy to have the ink.”
