This week has been an interesting one when it comes to tattoos in the news: take a look at what’s been happening with our round-up of the most intriguing stories to break in the last few days.

Tattoos proving a barrier to joining the police

A Shropshire woman has seen her dream of becoming a police officer shattered because of the tattoos on her neck and hands. Despite applying to several forces, Natalie Westoll, 35, claims she has been rejected because of her visible artwork. The police do not have a countrywide policy on tattoos, with different forces adopting their own, individual guidelines for what tattoos, if any, they are likely to permit their officers to have visible while on duty.

BFFs show their loyalty with matching tattoos!

Apparently, a fresh trend that’s sweeping through celebrity world is to go under the needle together, sporting complementary tattoos as a sign of an enduring friendship. Duos and groups who have opted for tats that go together include Hailey Baldwin and Kendall Jenner; Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods; and the cast of “Pretty Little Liars”, each of whom got the initials of their character tattooed onto a finger. Touchingly, some of the cast of “13 reasons why” decided to get semi-colon tattoos, in recognition of and respect for individuals battling with addiction or mental health problems.

Tattooed people more likely to have poor mental health, study suggests

The study, completed by researchers from the University of Miami, FL, consisted of asking 2,000 people whether they had tattoos, as well as whether they engaged in “risky” behaviour (in the study, “risky” behaviour included smoking or spending time in prison). Questions were also asked regarding mental health and sleep quality. The results of the study, published in the International Journal of Dermatology, concluded that people with tattoos were more likely to have mental health issues, sleep problems and/or engage in “risky” behaviour than those without ink. Reassuringly, the study also showed that overall health outcomes were consistent between those with and without tattoos.

What about a lip tattoo?

In recent years, a number of celebrities have opted for a lip tattoo: Paris Jackson and Kendall Jenner, for example. These aren’t immediately visible, but can be displayed when required for a little extra edge and shock value. They are also quite unusual, so have novelty value. Apparently, lip tattoos need not be any more painful than any other tattoo (they usually hurt less than tattoos on fingers, for example), but are fiddlier to do because of their location. There can also be issues with applying the stencil, as it has a tendency to slide off during placement. Many people are concerned about the length of time a lip tattoo will last: the reality is that lip tattoos can last anywhere between days to years, depending on the individual. It’s possible to have almost anything tattooed on the lip, provided there is enough space to fit the image on.