Bristol, UK - Alitia Thoburn (20) has had a passion for tattoos since she was just eight years old, but her ink has had some tough consequences.

Alitia started inking herself at the tender age of 14 and trained in a tattoo studio when she was 18. She later met her current fiancé, tattoo artist Jonathan Saunders (37).

It was an impulsive decision, Alitia told the Daily Star recently, when she had her boyfriend tattoo her face for the first time.

The design – a large, brush-like ink line – stretches from the right side of her face to her collarbone.

"I don't understand why people always thought that tattoos meant you are a thug or criminal," Alitia told the outlet. "I always thought it could be something positive like a memorial or something you simply enjoy."

"I'm lucky enough to have a face tattoo. I did not know it was going to happen it just felt right. I don't have any regrets about it," she continued.

But Alitia's artwork has led to some serious backlash, with some even telling her bluntly, "You've ruined your face."

An older woman once confronted Alitia and asked, "What the f*** have you done to your face?"

The Brit has also experienced a lot of hate on social media and in personal conversations, having to put up with comments such as "Nobody is going to want to be with you."

But Alitia refuses to be put off: "The people who think I will regret my tattoos let them, I don't care what they think."

Next, Alitia wants to add some floral elements to make her tattoo look more feminine.

After that, she plans to cover the rest of her body with tattoos to create a large coherent pattern.