What I've found with the heavy amount of tattooing I have, including about 2/3's of my head is that it depends more than anything else on ME. I haven't received any reactions I could categorize as hostile. I do get tons of "didn't that hurt" questions. I've taken to answering that somewhat stupid question/statement with a short and simple "Yes." Many of the people asking the question seem to be left stumbling around for something to say next. I don't know if they weren't expecting such a direct answer, which is sort of interesting.

I don't have any ink in the central area of my face, so I don't know what sort of reactions that might get.

I've found that the key to it for me is to simply go about my business and specifically NOT look for reactions from other people. People do stare, but I've successfully trained myself not to look for these reactions. Whether you have tattoos or not, it's dangerous to live out of the approval of others.

I'd suggest experimenting extensively with fake tattoos right on your face. Try a small fake tattoo right in the center of your forehead, or right below an eye on your cheek, or directly on your chin and go out in public. Practice acting 100% normal and NOT looking for reactions. If you can get to where you feel and act normal in public with fake ink on your face, then you know you can do it for real.

Before I got any tattoos that I couldn't easily cover up, I experimented with fake tattoos first.

We are taught from childhood to look to others for approval. "Look at little Johnny's haircut" or "Look at little Suzie's new shoes" for example, then the little kid beams from the attention. That's a terrible thing to learn. If you can put on a new shirt or a tattoo and go out in public if you are aware you will realize that in the back of your mind you are looking to see if anyone notices. Practice NOT doing this and you can quickly train yourself to STOP looking for reactions.

If you allow your ego to get even the slightest "boost" out of a compliment, no matter how small, you are screwed. The ego instantly becomes addicted to compliments and the person dishing the compliments out becomes your slave master and can easily manipulate you. If you can learn not to get an ego boost out of the approval of others, then you are not vulnerable if someone either withholds compliments or even tells you that you look awful.

If someone gives me a compliment I do the polite thing and say "Thank you" but I NEVER, EVER, EVER allow the compliment to "make my day" -- that is deadly dangerous food for a foolish ego. Imbibing compliments is like crack cocaine for the ego, and can literally destroy you in time. That's why people that are in the "public eye" such as celebrities end up with so many psychological problems.