They may later regret getting ink, but that's not stopping almost a third of women in their 20s sporting tattoos.
One quarter of people aged between 18 and 30 also have tattoos, according to James Cook University's Eduardo de la Fuente.
But the culture of tattoos has come "full circle" since it was first discovered by sailors seeking to identify themselves as belonging to a traditional society, he said.
Initially, groups seen as being non-respectable such as prisoners and gang members adopted ink to show they were outside the mainstream.
But Dr de la Fuente says that non-respectable behaviour was more accepted in the 50s, 60s and 70s before it became more mainstream in the 90s.
"The body became the focus of more attention," he said.
"Fashion and haircuts used to be the concern of women. But with the emergence of the metrosexual, men became obliged to work on their body."
One third of people who brave the needle regret their tattoo later in life - a figure likely related to the pace of change in modern life.
"Traditionally a tattoo was about belonging to a community where you expected to live your entire life," Dr de la Fuente said.
"But now people have several different personas and belong to several different tribes in their lifetime. As you get older there may be a new persona you wish to convey instead."
A recent trend has seen an increase in the number of people over the age of 45 getting a tattoo, suggesting the "aestheticisation of the body is becoming more popular even amongst middle-aged people", he said.
