Woman obsessed with tattooing shares what it's like to live with over 800 tattoos all over her body

Some people have unconventional obsessions that they passionately follow throughout their lives. For Melissa Sloan, a mom of seven from Wales, getting tattooed has become an obsession. Sloan's fixation on tattoos has been making its rounds on the internet because of how it has impacted her life as a parent. Currently residing in Newport, Wales, the mom has often been scoffed at because she is covered in tattoos from head to toe. What hurt her feelings the most was how she couldn't watch her kid's perform in the school play like other parents.

From floral patterns to the Flag of England, Sloan has a plethora of tattoos all over her body. Her bare face might be almost unrecognizable to those who know her because it is completely inked with roses, leaves, hearts and other symbols. The 47-year-old got her first tattoo over two decades ago and gradually became addicted to them so much that she has now lost track of her tattoo count, reports The Sun. Sloan ardently follows the philosophy, "You only live once." So, despite being stared at for her tattooed face, she loves the way she is. "People stop and stare and the hate is unbelievable. But I am me and I like the way I am. My mum always said she was proud of me and encouraged me to keep doing what I loved," Sloan told the network in April 2022.

When people wonder what she would do when her tattooed skin sags as she gets older, her reply is, "It will be entertaining." Currently, Sloan is so addicted to tattoos that she gets them done once or twice a week. "I'll keep going for as long as I live," she stated. But following her heart and living life on her own terms came with a cost. Sloan faced disdainful treatment in banks, pubs and even tattoo shops. "They won't do it because I'm beyond help – because I've gone too far," the mom told the Daily Star about being banned from tattoo shops. She has always struggled to get a job as her tattoos lead some to believe she is unreliable.

The heartbreaking part was how the mom of seven couldn't avoid the scornful stares she received from teachers and fellow parents at her kids' school. Sloan had to watch her child's nativity play in school through a window from the garden. "They said once for me to go to the back garden and look through the window. The teachers told me to do that, that's why I don't go to the school play," she told the media channel. In December 2022, Sloan admitted to having over 800 tattoos all over her body while speaking to Leicestershire Live. Her tattoos also caused her to miss other festive events at her kids' school, so she sent her partner Luke instead.

"I can't go there as I'm not wanted. I feel so jealous as I can't go there and to the Christmas fair as I know what they're [teachers and parents] like towards me," she added. Sloan shared pictures on social media where her face tattoos were completely covered up in makeup and one would easily mistake her for a whole new person. Responding to the Daily Star's YouTube video about Sloan's tattoo addiction, people weren't so supportive. "Don't complain that people look at you differently when your activity lowers people's opinion of you," said @classedupraven3991. "I have tattoos but never and never on the face. Now you can't cry if you don't find a job. Sorry for you, but yours is a serious problem and you should think about this before doing another one," added @LORY0021.