For some, tattoos are symbols of art and self-beautification, for others they are symbols of crime and gang violence. For teenagers, getting a tattoo can be an assertion of individuality, an expression of rebellion, or just a way to fit in and emulate their peers.

Although tattoos may be increasingly popular and desirable among some of Vietnam’s youth, those who have tattoos are stigmatized by society.

“Tattoos do look cool, but girls with tattoos are definitely ‘no’. Even if I happen to go out with a tattooed girl, I won’t take the relationship seriously,” said one young man.

When high school literature teacher Nguyen Thi Dan Thanh sees stdudents with a tattoos, she reminds them not to do anything they would regret later: “Though I often tell my students to look at things from different perspectives, tattoos are just unacceptable. It’s inadvisable for boys to have tattoos, and it’s doubly so for girls.”

“A perfectly plain body is most beautiful. I don’t see why people want to imprint these shapes on their body,” said the owner of a fashion shop who recently took her child to a clinic to get a tattoo removed.

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