Why Tattoos Are Big Decisions
Tattoos are a big commitment. I mean even kids will eventually grow up and move out but your tattoo? You are going to have to wake up with it everyday for the rest of your life. Now understandably some tattoos are small and meant to be more of a “off the cuff’ sort of thing, but the pieces that take up time, money, and bigger space on your body, those should be taken seriously.
I say this because your body is important. You only have one, and you don’t want to regret what you do to it.
When deciding what to get take in consideration jobs, and body changes, and permanency. Ask yourself, “Will I like this a year from now? 10 years? 50?
In addition tattoos can affect your health. There’s always risks of infection, allergic reactions, and blood-borne diseases such as HIV that can be transferred through dirty tools. According to Healthline some important precautions you should take are:
- Get a tattoo from a licensed, reputable facility. Tattoo regulations and requirements vary by state, so check with your local department of health for the latest safety laws.
- Needles and razors should not be reused. Make sure you observe your artist remove needles from a new, sealed package.
- Check to make sure your artist uses a fresh pair of gloves and washes their hands before starting the procedure.
- Work surfaces, chairs, and non-disposable equipment must be properly cleaned and sterilized between customers. Choose another facility if there’s evidence of poor sanitation.
- The area of skin being tattooed should be swabbed with a disinfectant, such as rubbing alcohol, prior to tattooing.
- Fresh tattoos should be covered with sterile gauze or a bandage. Follow the artist’s instructions for caring for newly tattooed skin.
In addition, a big trend within the past couple years is getting random and ‘meaningless’ tattoos. In an article by River Clegg, he talks about how people try to constat;y “decode” his tattoos. Cleggs writes, “I got it because I thought it would look cool. It has nothing to do with my “journey” or my “path” or my “decision to get drunk and walk into a tattoo parlor.”
One thing people should understand is, tattoos are art. Your body is a canvas and all the dings and scratches and tattoos collected over the years contribute to your canvas. It doesn’t need meaning, or a story. It doesn’t even have to look like art. And that is perfectly okay. Your body your choice, sometimes the art you put on your body is just for your enjoyment.
One last thing to take into a consideration is tattoo removal. Its about as fun as it sounds. Tattoo removal takes times, money, and can hurt more than the tattoo itself. According to the Scientific American, tattoos are removed in, “very short pulses, the laser light is selectively absorbed by the color of the tattoo ink. This high energy causes the tattoo ink to fragment into smaller pigment particles that are then removed by the body’s immune system.”
Tattoos are amazing. As a tattoo designer I recommend getting one once your ready, because theres nothing cooler than being covered in art. I just advise you to remeber that it’s important to take care and respect your body, so do research. Talk to multiple artists, make a Pinterest board. And enjoy the wonderful world of tattoos.
