Unusual Complaints of a Woman with 800 Tattoos

Melissa Sloan, a 45-year-old mother from Wales, is facing social exclusion due to the 800 tattoos covering her body. People refuse to include her in gatherings, even Halloween parties.

Previously known for her intense passion for tattooing, Sloan is now deeply upset by the rejection she experiences in her community. She has, in fact, covered her face with ink three times.

“The spooky season of Halloween is exciting for me and my children, but I am never invited to Halloween parties because of my tattoos,” Sloan explains. “I don’t even need a costume—my appearance is frightening enough. But people don’t realize that I’m completely different on the inside and that I don’t treat others poorly.”

Sloan adds, “People are terrified—and frankly repulsed—by my appearance and don’t want me among them. This has been very upsetting for both me and my children.”

Halloween is not the only social challenge Sloan faces. She struggles to participate in other gatherings, such as Christmas events, that are commonly attended by the general public. She is also excluded from many aspects of daily life, including going to work, school, university, or even cafés.

For her children, the social isolation is particularly painful. Sloan says that when her children have events or competitions at school, she cannot enter the building to watch them up close and must instead observe from behind a window.