It can be hard to imagine a time when people with tattoos were looked upon as outcasts. While it is true there is still some hostility from small sectors of the public (mainly the elderly), tattoos have never been more readily accepted. Whether you are fully covered or a clean skin, there is no denying tattoo culture has impacted popular culture. Not only are movie stars, musicians, athletes, and all manner of celebrities getting inked, but there are countless tattoo shows airing on cable networks and streaming sites. Despite the practice of tattooing being around for thousands of years, tattoos continue to fascinate people the world over. There are many interesting facts about tattoos that have come about over that time. From how tattooing has evolved to the number of people tattooed, there is much to learn, with these 15 facts about tattoos sure to surprise you. 

1.  More Woman Than Men Have Tattoos in America 

As crazy as it might sound, women are bigger fans of tattoos than men. A poll conducted by the TV series Best Ink and Lightspeed Research found 59% of women have tattoos compared to 41% of men. The poll also found 40% of women got their tattoo with someone else and that they take the process of getting inked more seriously than men. 

“Women have a tendency sometimes of getting that little souvenir keepsake tattoo with deeper meaning, whereas men tend to go a little overboard and fill themselves up with larger pieces,” said Joe Capobianco, a 20-year tattoo artist who is also the head judge on Best Ink.

2. Urine Was Used by Russian Prisoners When Tattooing

The Plaid Zebra

As absurd as it sounds, urine was often mixed with ink used by Russian prison tattooists. They believed urine carried an antiseptic quality that would help the tattoo heal. The ink itself was often taken from a ballpoint pen (this is why many Russian prison tattoos have a dull blue color), or if there were no pens, the heel of a shoe was burned and mixed with coal and urine to create the ink. To ink the tattoo, the prisoners used everything from sewing needles to sharpen guitar strings attached to electric shavers.