It's not easy finding people with face tattoos, even in New York. There's a lot of baggage that comes with having one—people may see you as a "freak," think you've been involved with some shady stuff, or assume you've been to prison. That's not always the case, though.
While prison tattoo culture is very real, face tattoos are just as prevalent in the tattooing community at large, and often spread beyond it. It can still be difficult to get one—some tattoo shops make patrons wait on the decision or require them to already have a face tattoo, and the tattoo artist might even give customers shit about their desired design to see if they'll back out. But if you know where to look, the barriers between that taboo and "civilized" society are thinner than a stick 'n' poke needle.
There is a wide gamut of reasons for why people get face tattoos, from reminders on how to live and symbols representing personal history, to culturally significant icons and just plain bad decision making. Regardless of the impetus behind getting them, face ink requires a deep dedication to a lifestyle, a culture, a career, or personal expression that can't be reversed cleanly. VICE spoke with five people with face tattoos to discuss the stories behind their modified mugs.