Think tattoos are mostly for tough-looking men and only a few women? Think again. The fairer sex is getting inked more often these days, according to a recent poll.

The TV network behind new show Best Ink and Lightspeed Research asked more than 1,000 people across the United States about their perceptions of body art, and it turned out 59 per cent of women have tattoos compared to 41 per cent of men.

But women get their ink in different shapes and sizes than men, and the act of putting a piece of art on their skin is often a shared experience. The number of tattooed celebrities has increased cultural acceptance and spurred more people to not only get them, but display them openly.

"It's become more acceptable for people to ... step into the tattoo world," said Joe Capobianco, a tattoo artist with almost 20 years of experience and the head judge on the Oxygen network's upcoming programme, Best Ink. But, he adds: "If you're going to do it, do it, but be smart about it, make an educated decision."

The Lightspeed survey found that 89 per cent of those people who had tattoos said they did not care if people disapproved of their body ink.

A keepsake souvenir

The poll revealed that 40 per cent of women made the tattoo experience a shared one, often getting inked with friends and loved ones. They also took the experience "a little more seriously" than their male counterparts.

"Women have a tendency sometimes of getting that little souvenir keepsake tattoo with deeper meaning, whereas men tend to go a little overboard and fill themselves up with larger pieces," Capobianco said.

The tattoo artist also saw a growing trend towards traditional "Americana" tattoos, such as "Mom", with simple colours and bold, bright styles in a homage to the working classes of the early 20th-century.

Sabina Kelley, a tattooed fashion model and also a judge on Best Ink, said the popularity of reality TV shows such as TLC's LA Ink and Spike TV's Ink Master has made the tattoo tradition more acceptable within the mainstream audience.

Stars such as Angelina Jolie and David Beckham have led the way in displaying their body art in public, and younger celebrities have followed their lead, especially women.

Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and former Disney channel stars Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens have posted their tattoos on Twitter, often relaying the meaning behind it.

"The younger crowd, especially girls, are getting more rebellious, doing it more for shock value," said Kelley, who has noticed more girls getting tattoos on necks and chests that are more visible and less easy to hide.