It seems that tattoos will always be an issue for contention amongst the general population. On one side, there are those who believe tattoos are expressive pieces of artwork that can highlight an individual's uniqueness. On the other side, there are those that believe tattoos are a classless sign of unprofessionalism and carelessness.

In fact, just a few days ago we reported on a heavily-tattooed woman being told not to bother applying for the police force because her inkings were "contrary to our requirement to portray a professional and disciplined image and would, therefore, be deemed exclusionary."

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So, with tattoos being viewed in such an "unprofessional" light, could you imagine having a doctor covered in elaborate and colorful inkings? Well, Dr Sarah Gray, who has been dubbed "the world’s most tattooed doctor", has recently spoken out about how her body art should not be considered when it comes to her abilities as a medical professional.

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As well as being a popular Instagram model, boasting more than 87,000 followers, Dr Gray recently spoke to Medscape (an online medical information and education resource for clinicians) about how a "your appearance in no way defines you, nor your ability to be competent". Dr Gray also revealed how her patients react to her bright body art:

"Patients and colleagues react to them in a positive way. I’m often complimented on my colorful appearance. Patients, in particular, the younger generation, find it can be a good barrier break down and often say they feel I look more approachable than some of the more traditionally conservative doctors.

"I always dress presentably and ultimately if you’re a good listener, have empathy and compassion, having artwork on your skin doesn’t seem to matter. It certainly doesn’t make you any less capable at the task at hand."

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Dr Gray's online popularity skyrocketed after winning Miss Inked Australia back in 2017. Now, she's an aspiringorthopaedic surgeon currently completing her surgical residency in Adelaide. She believes tattoos are a "personal choice" that shouldn't be taken into consideration when it comes to someone's career, adding that we should all "encourage self-expression".

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She added:

"I don’t think it should be the case of what is or isn’t allowed for doctors, or anyone for that matter. Body art is a personal choice and it’s just a form of art collecting, only it’s on skin. Your appearance in no way defines you, nor your ability to be competent and we should encourage creative self-expression.

"I’m just being myself. I’m proud of who I am and haven’t let my profession define me as a person. It’s a huge part of who I am and I’m working hard to be a great doctor and future surgeon, but my life outside of medicine is just as important.

"Why should we have to fit into a preconceived mold of what others think we should look like to be a 'competent and professional' doctor? I say to everyone, just be yourself, and if you’re caring, empathetic, competent and a hard worker you can be anything, especially a great doctor."

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We think Sarah looks amazing! Keep doing you, doc!

Despite having been around for thousands of years, tattoos still attract a fair amount of criticism in certain social circles today. They're often seen as unprofessional or unattractive, or - to quote my grandmother, who has seen my own tattoos - "not very ladylike".

But, of course, giving something a bad reputation doesn't always put people off doing it. In fact, for some rebels, it only spurs them on further.

Dr. Sarah Gray, a 30-year-old medical professional from Adelaide, Australia, is one such individual who isn't afraid to buck the trend. With dozens of tattoos covering her from her collarbone to her toes, she stands out in her field... but not always in a good way.

In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Dr. Gray explained that she's received plenty of criticism and judgement over the years, both inside and outside her workplace.

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The most negative treatment she's had to face has been in shops and restaurants, she says. In one recent incident, she was ignored by several shop assistants while waiting to buy a pair of designer heels on her birthday.

"They all served other customers first and wouldn't even make eye contact with me," Dr. Gray explained. "I waited politely for ages and eventually gave up and left. They did themselves out of a sale and I saved myself $1,000, so I guess that's one bonus!"

On another occasion, she was actually asked to leave a restaurant because of her appearance.

"I was out for lunch in a restaurant with my partner on the Gold Coast when we were seated at a table," she said. "After being seated for lunch, management then came up to us and asked us to leave as they had a 'no visible tattoo policy' for diners. That was a little disappointing to say the least."

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She's also been denied entrance to a casino, had people grab her without asking, and experienced a number of disparaging looks and comments from passersby in the street.

But the doctor is perfectly happy with how she looks, and does not believe that her tattoos should influence her career or how people perceive her.

"We should all be able to love the skin we're in, regardless of how we choose to decorate it," she said.

And, by showcasing her ink on Instagram and other public platforms such as tattoo conventions, she hopes that she will be able to positively change some people's opinions on body art and modifications.

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Thankfully, discrimination laws in Australia prevent Dr. Gray from facing any professional discipline because of how she looks.

"Having colourful skin in no way affects your skill level and with all the anti-discrimination laws now it wouldn't be appropriate to compartmentalise or treat me differently based on my appearance," she explained. "I've worked really hard to develop good professional relationships as I'm fairly memorable, so I've made sure I'm memorable for the right reasons through hard work, determination and an always positive attitude."

But for everyone remains judgemental of body art, Dr. Gray has some sage words:

"For those that don't like tattoos, that's entirely their prerogative, I just urge them to at least consider the artistic skill that goes into creating body art, before they judge someone harshly at face value for choosing to wear them."

And of course, it just goes to show: you should never judge a book by its cover - no matter how highly-decorated it may be.

A woman dubbed "the world's most tattooed doctor" has opened up about the stigma she faces due to her appearance and how she wants to combat stereotypes.

Dr. Sarah Gray - a former Miss Ink Australia winner and now a medical professional - received her first tattoo when she was 16 years old, and now, aged 33, she's hoping to change perceptions of tattooed professionals.

The model and orthopedic service registrar from Adelaide is challenging the idea that being inked has any bearing on an individual's ability to perform in the workplace.

The 33-year-old owns a tattoo studio called The Grim Raptor alongside her work in the medical industry.

In an interview with the Daily Star, Dr. Gray revealed her thoughts on those who judge others based on their tattoos. "Tattoos don't make you a bad person, and anyone that thinks that is just a representation of their unconscious bias, not of who I am as a person," she said.

Dr. Gray went on: "There shouldn't be any stigma around tattoos. It's literally just color in your skin. It doesn't definite you or your skill or capabilities to perform any task. We should actively encourage diversity and creative self-expression. We weren't born to be sheep."

However, Dr. Gray has faced a lot of negativity when it comes to her ink.

The most negative treatment she's had to face has been in shops and restaurants, she says. In one recent incident, she was ignored by several shop assistants while waiting to buy a pair of designer heels on her birthday.

"They all served other customers first and wouldn't even make eye contact with me," Dr. Gray explained to the Daily Mail. "I waited politely for ages and eventually gave up and left. They did themselves out of a sale and I saved myself $1,000, so I guess that's one bonus!"

On another occasion, she was actually asked to leave a restaurant because of her appearance.

"I was out for lunch in a restaurant with my partner on the Gold Coast when we were seated at a table," she said. "After being seated for lunch, management then came up to us and asked us to leave as they had a 'no visible tattoo policy' for diners. That was a little disappointing to say the least."

Nevertheless, Dr. Gray has also revealed that her tattoos can prove to be a tool for keeping younger patients at ease, as it can be common ground.

Speaking to Sunrise, she said: "I find it’s a good talking point, especially a lot of the younger generation of patients that we see, I guess its a bit of a barrier break-down between what it is traditionally thought a doctor would look like."

"I've worked really hard to develop good professional relationships as I'm fairly memorable, so I've made sure I'm memorable for the right reasons through hard work, determination, and an always positive attitude," Dr. Gray went on.

"For those that don't like tattoos, that's entirely their prerogative, I just urge them to at least consider the artistic skill that goes into creating body art."

The medical professional is almost entirely covered in tattoos, minus her face, with the designs being bold and colorful and most certainly a work of art.

Tattoos are definitely becoming more accepted in professional environments, and we are all for people being allowed to express themselves!

Featured image credit: Lesley Johnson / Alamy

What shouldn't surprise you to learn about 2017's Miss Inked Australia winner Sarah Gray - considering the title - is that she is covered in tattoos. What might surprise you - given how much our preconceptions about people rely on superficial stereotypes - is that Gray is, in fact, training to become a surgeon.

Indeed, the 31-year-old works as an intern at a hospital in Adelaide, and is an aspiring orthopaedic surgeon. A self-described art collector (the art in question being her many tattoos), Gray got her first tattoo at the age of 15 and has been hooked on them ever since.

This woman spent £10k on body modifications which included getting eyeballs tattoos:

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"It definitely wasn’t a thought-out process like they are today," she told scenestr.com.au. "It was one of those spontaneous decisions you make when you’re young and silly – you don’t really think about the consequences when you do them. Now I’m what you’d consider a collector; I pursue an artist for their specific style and get them to do a piece for me."

The tattoo enthusiast is now hoping to shatter all the taboos and stereotypes placed on those who - like her - have a penchant for tattoos. And she has spoken out against the sort of profiling that heavily inked people receive on a daily basis.

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In an interview on an Australian morning show, Sunrise, she said: "I find it's a good talking point, especially a lot of the younger generation of patients that we see, I guess its a bit of a barrier break-down between what it is traditionally thought a doctor would look like."

This guy woke up after a bachelor party with a hilarious Donald Trump tattoo: 

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"If you're confident and competent at your job it shouldn't really matter what you look like. I'm just trying to advocate for being your own person and still being able to work in the medical profession."

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She added: "I don't have anything offensive on me anywhere, I think everything is done really well, and I think there's a real difference between getting a tattoo that's of poor quality and getting a tattoo if you're an art collector like myself."

Tattoos will always be a subject of social contention. On one side, there those who believe tattoos are vulgar markings for the unwashed masses; a mistake that an individual will come to regret later in their life. And on the other side, there are those that see tattoos as expressive pieces of art; a way of showcasing more of their personality without having to say a single word.

And tattoos are growing in popularity. As social acceptance grows, more and more people recognise the positives behind tattoos, and don't just see them as something sailors or prisoners have. In fact, a 2016 US poll found that 29% of people had a tattoo, up from 21% four years prior.

Amber Luke explains why she's had over $25,000 worth of tattoo and modifications:

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However, whether you're a fan of tattoos or not, I think it's safe to say that the majority of us would never choose to have an inking on our face. Well, that's exactly what tattoed model Amber Luke - AKA Blue Eyes White Dragon - has done.

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After getting her first tattoo when she was just 14-year-old, Luke became hooked. She originally got tattoos as a means of battling depression, but now she has been inked over 100 times, and nearly every inch of her body is covered.

Her unique appearance has made her incredibly popular on Instagram, and Luke loves to share her various tattoos, piercings, and modifications with her 124,000+ followers.

Here's what Luke looked like before her many facial inkings:

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Now, despite already having several tattoos on her face, Luke's most recent tattoo - a giant quote on her cheek that reads, "they come they go" - has caused quite a stir in her comments section.

Explaining why this particular inking was so sentimental, Luke said:

"This means a lot to me. So many people have walked out of my life when I needed them the most – so many people I loved with all my heart decided to break it into thirds.

“I’m a strong. But God damn, It hurts. This is to represent all the positive moments I had with those now strangers."

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Many of the comments supported the new inking, with fans asking if it hurt and if Luke intended to get any more. For example, Instagram user feegzz_22 writing: "You’re such an inspiration and it’s not because of the tattoos (even though they’re fricken amazing art) it’s because you’re not afraid to be who you are, you’re so damn strong and you don’t apologise for not fitting into society’s norm and I f***ing love that."

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However, some of Luke's critics took shots at the new inking, forcing Amber to edit her original caption, stating that "any negativity will be deleted and you will be blocked".

Unbelievably, Luke still isn't recognized as Australia's "most modified youth":

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What do you think of Luke's new inking? Is she a great inspiration to those for living the way she wants to live? Or is this new facial tattoo a step too far?

Every time someone I know gets a tattoo and asks me what I think of it, I say I think it "looks brilliant". This is because the reality - that they have just spent hundreds of dollars on a regrettably permanent mistake - is simply too harsh to spell out.

It takes a lot for a tattoo to actually look cool, not least since you need to be a 'tattoo type of person' for any ink to work at all. Some people just don't look right with tattoos; all pasty, freckled skin coloured in with some tribal pattern of which they have no idea of the real meaning.

Perhaps my attitude towards ink is a little dictatorial, but there you have it, these are my feelings, friends.

Of late, though, a new type of tattoo has sprung up, and I have to say I think it's piggin' marvellous. 'Cover up' tattoos have become popular as they use scars, birthmarks and more as the basis for really bloody cool tattoo designs. Not only are these empowering if they help those who feel a little self-conscious about their bodies - but they are also incredibly creative and I could tell a friend who got one I thought it looked brilliant without having to lie to their face.

Here are some of the very best examples.

1. Beautiful

2. So clever 

3. Colourful and creative

4. An incredible design 

5. Quirky and cool 

6. Wow.

7. Flower design down the spine

8. This is so cool

9. Zippers are a popular theme 

10. A powerful image 

Which is your favourite? Personally I think they're all ridiculously cool, and a great way of embracing scars on one's body. Of course, there's nothing at all wrong with having a scar in the first place, so leaving them as they are with no tattoo embellishment is also very cool.