In a small corner of Powys, South Wales, resides a woman named Melissa Sloan, whose life story has been etched onto her skin in the form of over 800 tattoos. However, amidst her vivid and intricate body art lies a tale of isolation and societal judgment that has left her barred from the very pub she once frequented and craving acceptance more than ever before.

Melissa’s journey into the world of tattoos began at the age of 20 when she got her first ink. Over the years, her fascination with tattoos evolved into a full-fledged passion, driving her to get inked at least three times a week. Her dedication to her art knows no bounds, as she even tattoos herself using a £120 ink gun she purchased from Amazon. Each tattoo tells a story, a chapter of her life, and a coping mechanism for her traumatic past.

Behind Melissa’s inked exterior lies a painful history of childhood abuse by her own brother. The tattoos became her armor, a way to reclaim her body and rewrite her narrative. As she inked herself, the pain of the needle seemed to replace the emotional wounds she carried within. It was a way for her to cope and heal, a process she described in an interview with Femail.