Melissa Sloan, a mom from Britain, is renowned for her incredible collection of tattoos. Over the past ten years, she has altered her appearance dramatically, sporting more than 800 tattoos. She consistently adds around three new tattoos each week. Despite her passion for body art, Melissa has faced challenges, including difficulties in securing a job and experiencing exclusion from social events such as her children’s school functions.
She’s become so well-known that some call her ‘Britain’s most tattooed mom’. Melissa, a 45-year-old from Wales, estimates she has around 100 tattoos layered on her face alone. Although her collection is akin to an addiction for her, it comes with its own set of problems. Among them is her struggle to find employment and being refused service by tattoo parlours, particularly when it concerns tattoos on her face.
Recently, Melissa shared that she hasn’t been able to work for the past two decades due to her distinct look. “When I apply for jobs, employers stare at me in disbelief, like I’m not human,” she expressed. Melissa is eager to prove her capabilities, often mentioning her willingness to undertake any work, even jobs like cleaning toilets. In her aspirations, she envisions herself becoming a lawyer, drawing on her personal experiences of past run-ins with law enforcement.
In addition to not finding work, many tattoo parlours have, according to Melissa, turned her away solely because her face is covered in tattoos. “They shut the door on me,” she lamented, noting that many places refuse face tattoos altogether. There’s even a studio just up the road from her that won’t do any more work on her face.
Yet, Melissa found a workaround by taking tattooing into her own hands at home, with her partner occasionally assisting. “I own a kit and can start a tattoo whenever I feel like it, even at night,” she explained.
It’s not just tattoo artists who have barred Melissa from their premises. She also faced exclusion from a local pub and was even made to watch her child’s nativity play through a window due to her tattoos. Melissa recalled, “I’m not invited to any Christmas parties or events at my child’s school. Once, I was told to stand in the garden and look through the classroom window.”
Melissa’s commitment, even amid bans from pubs and schools, highlights a growing perception that tattoos can be quite addictive. People often desire more once they have their first ink. However, with tattoo expenses being high, the passion can be costly. Her tattoo journey has led her to amass 800 individual pieces, expressing a pride in potentially holding the title of the ‘world’s most tattooed individual.’
This tattooing habit sees Melissa getting about three tattoos a week, a commitment that sees her often barred from workplaces, schools, and even specific tattoo parlours, primarily out of concern for her well-being. Despite this, Melissa continues to embrace her appearance, saying she’s at peace with societal exclusions, even missing out on cooling down with a pint during the warm British summer.
Reflecting on her predicament, Melissa shared, “I can’t get a job. Even jobs in cleaning are out of reach due to my tattoos.”
Her determination to claim a spot in the Guinness World Records as the ‘most tattooed person’ is big on her list. Sharing her aspirations, she said, “I’m trying to get acknowledged through the Guinness book. With three layers on my face and countless tattoos across my body, I probably have more ink than anyone else — and at the current pace, I might indeed be the record holder soon.”
Undeterred by societal perceptions, Melissa remains committed to her artistry, illustrating her life mantra — one’s appearance forms a canvas for self-expression. Perhaps, through perseverance, she’ll indeed earn her place in the record books, reshaping views on tattoos one design at a time.
