20 Amazing Tattoos That Serve a Purpose Beyond Being Decorative

Can tattoos serve a purpose? We have a blockbuster story for you! Despite the usual challenges that come with learning how to drive, 16-year-old Alexis Morris had an additional obstacle – her dyslexia. With help from her mother, Amanda Morris, she was making progress, however she couldn’t seem to tell the difference between left and right.

To help her remember her left from her right, Alexis – who was diagnosed with dyslexia in the third grade – had a habit of drawing an “L” on her left hand and an “R” on her right. Although this helped a lot while she was learning to drive, she wanted something more permanent – like a tattoo!

Amanda started getting quotes from various tattoo parlors in Kentucky but most were going to charge $100-$150 for the left and right tattoos. Then, as if by fate, she contacted the owner of Ambitious Ink in Frankfort, Kentucky, Scotty Jr. Thompson, who agreed to tattoo Alexis Morris for free!

What Got Us Thinking About Purpose Tattoos

“While tattooing her, Scotty kept asking if she was OK and if she liked it,” Amanda says. “We can’t say enough good things about Scotty and the environment.”

READ MORE: Tattoo Artist Gives Teenager With Dyslexia Free Tattoo to Help Her Distinguish Left From Right While She Learns How to Drive

Isn’t that beautiful? This incredible story got us thinking about purpose tattoos that aren’t just decorative but actual help people in unique ways. Now, let’s take a look at some other designs that serve a purpose!

Alexis Is Not the Only One

“L” and “R” tattoos on the hands are more common than you think. Here’s another example of a person who needs a constant reminder.

Wedding Rings

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One of the most popular styles of purpose tattoos are wedding ring tattoos that really do outshine their metal ring counterparts. In this fun example, we find “Mr.” and “Mrs.” How cute is that?

Eternal

These stunning wedding band tattoos were inspired by the infinity symbol. The design has combined two interlocking symbols in a beautiful way. This couple’s in it for the long haul.

Raising Mental Health Awareness

In this incredible tattoo, the artist has included so many visual representations for how mental illness can feel. The brain is disconnected from the body, there’s a cloud around the eyes and face, there are also tears falling, and eyes staring from the dark locks of hair. It’s stunning.

Mental health tattoos are popular because they raise awareness and show solidarity. That’s a beautiful purpose if we’ve ever seen one.

Notes on the Semicolon

The semicolon is more than punctuation; it’s a symbol that’s used as a message of affirmation and solidarity against suicide, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues. The semicolon is an extremely popular mental health tattoo and this person has sandwiched it in the word “continue.” What a hopeful message.

A Reminder to Take Your Meds

Mental health awareness means letting others know it’s okay that they should take their medication. Prescriptions can be lifesavers for many who suffer. We appreciate the sentiment behind this lovely tattoo that’s also an active reminder to take your meds.

A Reminder to Believe In Yourself

This simple tattoo is like a line drawing. It depicts a face with the word “doubt” written across it. Self-doubt or a lack of confidence can be crippling for some people. This fabulous tattoo lets others know that they are not alone, no matter how much they might feel that way.

Take a Breath

“As someone with severe anxiety, sometimes I need a reminder to just breathe. I’m glad that I got this tattoo in a spot that I can always see it whenever I need that simple reminder,” writes the woman with this meditative purpose tattoo.

RELATED: 25 Mental Health Tattoos That Bring Awareness

Measures Have Been Taken

Have you ever been out and about and wished you had a ruler handy? We’ve got an awesome solution for you! Ruler tattoos are rare but people do get them. What a great idea!

DNR Message

“Organ donation,” “Do not resuscitate,” and “recycle me” are the messages contained in this purpose tattoo. DNR tattoos are also rare, but they are striking in the way they serve a purpose.

Tattoos for Organ Donors

This organ donor tattoo also includes the blood type which lets medical professionals know what organs will be a good match for others.

Subway Map Tattoo

Tired of having to locate the subway map at each station? You can go right ahead and get it tattooed for easy reference any time.

Save Paper

Some folks get to-do list tattoos that are blank and can be used to write notes on with a pen. We guess it does save paper.

Other Medical Indicators

“Insulin dependent” and “Type 1 Diabetic” are the two purposeful messages included in this very sweet tattoo. Medical conditions are popular among tattoos that serve a purpose.

Formula For Quick Reference

Is there a formula you have to return to again and again for work? Get it tattooed on your body and you won’t have to look it up!

Delicious

As with formulas, recipes can also be turned into tattoos so you never have to search for it again. This happens to be this person’s mom’s favorite recipe.

Pi

Remembering a string of numbers is difficult for most, so if you want to keep up with something like Pi to the nth degree, you can do it with a tattoo.

Right on the Eye

Many people suffer from eye discoloration and/or scarring of the iris which leaves the eye looking cloudy. Corneal tattoos are used (on eyes that can’t be seen out of) to make the eyes match better.

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Hearing Impaired Tattoos

For those who are hearing impaired tattoos can be a great way to communicate that condition. A symbol similar to this near the ear(s) is the most common form of this style of tattoo.

There you go! Now you know the most common tattoos that serve a purpose. While tattoos can be beautiful works of art, they also can help folks navigate the world around them. These brilliant designs prove that you can do so much more with ink.