Tattoos

So, you think you'd like to get some tattoos? O.K. No that's not permission from me. First get your parents permission. Talk to them about the risk. Get them to this web page. Decide together or wait until you are of legal age to make your own decision. I know it's all the rage, but let's consider a few things..........

1. Tattoos are made to be permanent. Yes, that means for the rest of your life you will be wearing your body art. Let's say you decide to have a current flame's name emblazoned on your back side. Great~! 6 months later you have a big break up and now you consider yourself forever branded with your last boyfriend's stamp. 20 years go by and you can wistfully look back on your husband's first glimpse of this tat. How romantic! Your back side has now turned to mush and is slipping down your legs. Then, one day you wake up and find you are 60 (trust me it will come) and now your grandchildren are wondering why the name "Franky" is residing on the back of your knee. Get the picture--some tats will never age well. And gravity must be considered.

2. If you are someone with a compromised immune system, heart disease, allergies, skin disorders, diabetes, battling cancer, pregnant, or someone who gets infected easily simply skip all the body art and piercing. You don't need the aggravation of any trauma to your skin. Your body is fighting enough as it is.

3. If you ever go to the hospital and need an MRI be prepared to get burned if you have body art with black ink. This ink contains iron oxide a metal which doesn't bode well with magnetic resonance imaging. OUCH.

4. If you think you can get your tat removed--think again. You could try some of the creams you can purchase online, but they are notorious for being a rip off. You may have to settle for laser removal. This could be expensive. Expensive as in CA-CHING Burger King overtime big time.

5. Think of your first major interview for a plum job that you really want. The person sitting next to you, who is also being interviewed today, has no tats and only her ears pierced (once). There you sit with a face full of staples and an arm covered with tats and you want to be taken seriously for this job. Who do you think will get the job?

6. If you are ever going to donate blood--think again. Because of the risk of blood borne diseases such as HIV, and Hepatitis B and C, blood donation centers will often disqualify you from donation if you have recently gotten body art or been punctured.

7. It may be a good idea or sometimes a requirement to have your immunizations up to date.

8. A plan in the event of an infection or worse.

9. Don't rule out temporary tats. This could be the best of both worlds. This week flowers. Next week chains. A month later and pretty scrolls. They are cheap and practical. And not permanent.

Well, now that a few considerations are out of the way if you still are thinking about getting inked let's look further..............

Tattoo Designs

--Foot Tattoos can be placed near the toe of the foot where they can be fairly easy to cover up with the right foot wear, even sandals.

--Lower back tattoos have been way overdone and look so stripper.

--Half sleeve tattoos could be done but only if you plan on wearing long sleeves for every possible formal occasion that comes along. This could be difficult to cover in the summer also. There are fake tattoo sleeves available.

--Whatever you choose please put some thought into it. Recently I saw a story about a girl who got stars put on her face. Her parents were furious. I can just imagine. Now she will have to live with this forever. And that is a long time.

--Basically whatever you can think up with tattoos has probably already been done. I saw a picture of a young guy with DUDE on his forehead. I'll bet that was an alcohol related accident.

--Here are some themes:tribal, stars, Gemini, Libra, Leo, Pisces, crosses, butterflies, names, heart, angels, fairies, Celtic, cherries, strawberries, dragon, tigers, panthers, faces, skulls, Chinese symbols, koi, scorpions, roses, and religious tattoos.

Skip the gangsta tats--these could be dangerous if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Risks to be Aware of

HIV

Scarring

Chronic infections

tetanus

nerve damage

inflammation

skin allergies from the ink or metal

Hepatitis B or C

prolonged bleeding

abscesses or boils at the site

herpes

skin infections

These are just some of the problems you could develop. My advice is to start small--or not at all. If you must have a tattoo or piercing how about just getting your ears pierced. Try that. It is classic and will never go out of style. You may want to stop there. Or how about being different from everyone else and just not doing it at all. This should separate you from the crowd. If you choose to proceed anyway, with your parents, consent check out my aftercare page and my tips on choosing a tattooist or piercer page. Do not self puncture or let a friend do this to you. You deserve a professional.

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