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Bullets courtesy of
By
the Way, Mom, I Just Got a Tattoo
By MOLLIE S. HART
© 1998 by Parents' Press
You'd braced yourself for this a long time ago, but that still didn't lessen the shock: Today your bright shining daughter hardworking student and athlete, active volunteer and all-around good kid - finally revealed the tattoo on her ankle. (So that's what was with the socks these past few days!) Why the impulsiveness? Why the rebellion?
Tattoos aren't always signs of rebellion or whims of the moment. Sometimes they can symbolize profound emotion or deep bond.
Eighteen-year-old Jessie Gordon (not her real name) got a tattoo with her best friend after they graduated from high school.
"We were going off to different colleges after being friends for years and years. We wanted to get matching tattoos to remind us of our friendship," she explains.
Both waited until they turned 18, not just because it was legal, but because neither one really wanted a tattoo before then.
Jessie and her friend Ellie did some research and decided on a black rose and butterfly design, to be placed on their lower backs.
"We both wanted to know the tattoo was there, but we didn't feel that everyone needed to see it. That's why we chose to be discreet and have the tattoos put on our lower backs."
Unhappy Mom
Her discretion and deliberation were not all that well received.
Jessie's mother wasn't pleased.
"I told her I was going to do it and she didn't believe me. She didn't speak to me for a while, because she didn't think tattoos were safe. But she did say that she preferred a tattoo over a tongue piercing."
The college freshman plans to get another tattoo in the near future and then call it quits. "More than two tattoos define you as a tattooed person," she explains.
Second Tattoo
Ellie's story is similar to Jessie's. "I liked the idea
of us sharing the same design since we wouldn't be going to school
together anymore."
In fact, Ellie liked her tattoo so much, she went out and got another butterfly tattoo on her ankle.
The results? "I wished I'd thought about it a little more." she confides, "it's a little big." The blue, yellow and purple butterfly measures aobut 1 1/2 by 3/4 inches.
"Kids should really think about what they might look like at 50 before they get a tattoo. My parents think it's rebellious, but I'm not rebellious. I just think it looks cool. Now my parents realize I'm still the same person."
Changing Attitudes
Jessie and Ellie's attitude toward tattoos are a far cry from
the days when it was mostly people on the fringe or sailors who'd
once had too much to drink that sported tattoos.
But now, on any warm day, when people don tank tops and shorts, it's hard not to notice the almost stunning variety of tattoos adorning many young people - intricate patterns on shoulders, floral rings around ankles, delicate animals.
Unlike folks of even a generation ago, they are openly proud of these small works of art and are eager to show them off.
Why are so many teens
fascinated by tattoos?
"Tattooing is like smoking
cigarettes, sex and getting married. It's another step in growing
up," explains noted Bay Area tattooist Lyle Tuttle.
"Fourteen is the age when these curiosities peak. Fourteen-year-olds are beginning to see themselves as separate from their parents, and looking for ways to distinguish themselves."
Lynn E. Ponton, M.D., a professor of child psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco,and author of the book The Romance of Risk, asserts that it's easy for teens to view their own bodies as canvases as it's what they have to experiment with.
"Adolescents today are isolated in their own cocoons, either in front of TVs or computers. There's the notion of "It's my body, and I can do with it what I want," she says.
David, an underground tattoo artist who works unlicensed out of his house, takes this point step a step further, explaining that this permanent form of art helps a teen escape the homogenous world of the same clothes, music and friends. "They get the tattoo as a means of setting themselves apart,"
Belonging
Yet, tattooing can also be a method of belonging.
As East Bay pediatrician Dr. Lisa Asta explains, "Our culture lacks rites of passage, and tattooing is one such ritual.
"It's identification with-or without-a group, and it's something that Mom or Dad would never do. It's shocking, and teens often want to challenge their parents that way."
Pain and Risk
Many parents consider tattooing and body-piercing to be negative,
risk-taking behaviors, and they become alarmed - for good reason.
Both can be part of a pattern of self-mutilation.
"There is population of teens that inflicts the pain of earlier traumas and abuse on themselves," says Dr. Ponton. "In some cases, tattoo can be a form of self-mutilation and can be a way for a teen to control some of that past pain - it makes them in control of the situation and gives them back the power that was taken away from them."
Dr. Ponton suggest parents take a closer look at their children if this type of behavior is exhibited.
How Parents React
How parents should approach teens if they've gotten tattoos while
still under age is another issue of concern.
Dr. Ponton suggests proceeding with caution.
"A typical reaction might be a parent ranting and raving, 'I gave you a perfect body, and now look at what you've done!' and a teen is likely to snap defensively, 'It's my body.'
"A calmer approach would be to let the child know that you're concerned and ask her why she got it. Ask her why she wasn't comfortable telling you."
Ponton urges this approach because after the first time, a teen is very likely to get another tattoo, and a harmful pattern can evolve.
Permission Slip?
If a teen has a good relationship with his parents, he may even
ask for permission.
Dr. Ponton says that in this case, be your child's ally. Find stories about other kids who've been tattooed, gather statistical information, and present the health risks.
Ask your child why he wants the tattoo, and emphazise the permanence of it. A chat with a plastic surgeon might pose serious thoughts for a teen when the process of removing a tattoo is explained.
Ponton suggests seeking the help of a therapist if the parents and child can't see eye to eye.
The Right Age
Most sources agree that an age restriction imposed by the state
is a good thing.
"Eighteen is a good age," sys Lyle Tuttle. "The law says you're an adult - you're mature enough to buy cigarettes, die in the gas chamber and vote."
Tuttle also thinks tattoo artists should practice ethics: "They should have a conscience and ask for ID."
"I've tattooed people as young as 12, with the permission of their parents," admits David.
As shocking as this my seem, David won't tattoo anyone he feels is ambivalent in any way. He will always have a consultation with the client, and work with him or her to design the handmade tattoo.
He stresses the importance of establishing trust between artist and customer; a tattoo is very personal, and the relationship is important.
Since a tatto is virtually permanent, getting one should be a meaningful choice.
Lanie's Tattoo
Lanie (not her real name) got her second tattoo as a reminder
of a bad relationship. "It's an armband of a Celtic design,
and it reminds me of who I was then. It's a permanent wound,
but it reminds me that I'm not here any more."
Lanie was in her early 20s when she got her armband, and it seems to have helped her get over the relationship. She also views tattoos as "art on the body, and art on the body is the ultimate. The body is temporary, but a tattoo is permanent."
Doing It Safe
In California and many other states,
the legal age to get a tattoo is 18.
Parlors need to be certified and licensed, and restrictions and health precautions are specific and complicated.
The standards are akin to medical procedures, according to Lyle Tuttle.
Tattoo establishments should have their qualifications posted on the wall, and in many states their artists are required to ask a youth for identification to prove he or she is at least 18.
In California, for example, it isn't enough for a 16-year-old to come in with his parent, even if the parents give their permission.
(Of course there are always exceptions: 16-year-old Kali Polk-Matthews recently waltzed into well-known San Francisco parlor and got her desired tattoo. "I was unaware that the legal age was 18," she recalled, "and no one asked me my age or for ID. I went with two of my friends and it was a great experience.")
$$$$$
Tattoos can easly cost hundreds of dollars. Each parlor is different:
Some charge by the design, others by the hour, and it is up to
the artist to set the fee. There is usually a $50 minimum charge.
An intricate tattoo can run into hundreds of dollars.
Machine tattoos hurt. Some sources reported the pain to be almost unbearable. One person reported a friend fainting; still another described the experience as minimal, that the pleasure and pain were equal.
Experts do not condone drinking alchol to dull the pain - take aspirin or acetaminophen instead.
A small, one-color tattoo will probably take an hour.
Prefab tattoos (the ones on display in parlors) are called "flash." These are garden variety rosebuds, butterflies, and astrological signs that usually cost less than custom-made designs.
Most people recommend using black ink only. Colors tend to bleed and fade with time.
Recovery Room
When getting a tattoo, follow the advice of the artist in caring
for it.
A machine tattoo will make the skin raw and will scab over. Although instructions may vary, the basic rule of thumb is to cover the tattoo with a light gauze bandage, use anti-bacterial ointment, and keep the area clean.
Handmade tattoos are less invasive and shouldn't bleed, although some lymph fluid may seep out; bandaging isn't necessary.
Tattoo Removal
Tattoos are virtually permanent,
but one effective, very expensive removal treatment exists. Laser
removal produces minimal scarring but can still leave you looking
as though you have a flesh-colored tattoo.
Dermatologist Cornelia Pessoa,M.D., removes tattoos at her Berkeley, CA office once a month: "The machines are so expensive and the technology is changing so rapidly that it makes more sense to rent a machine and schedule all the tattoo removals for one day."
Dr. Pessoa is adamant: laser removal can be painful. She usually uses a local anesthetic.
Laser light passes through the skin until it hits the tattoo pigment, which it then breaks up. The body takes about three months to absorb the pigment. It usually takes three to four treatments to clear it up.
Insurance doesn't cover this procedure, and a minimum treatment can be in the $200 range for the removal of a small tattoo.
Dr. Pesso's words of advice? "If you're going to get a tattoo, please don't have a friend do it," because home tattoos are much more difficult to remove.
Some people opt to have another tattoo applied over one the don't like anymore. Sometimes this is successful, but often the result is blurred and unsightly.
Tattoo Safety
All equipment should be sterilized in an autoclave and new needles should be used every time, one for each color. Used needles should be disposed of carefully, and artists recommend using surgical gloves for protection.
The fear of passing on an HIV infection is, of course, a concern, but the odds are very, very low if good hygiene habits are practiced.
The more pressing matter is hepatitis B, highly contagious disease spread by the exchange of bodily fluids. The odds of transmission are drastically reduced with proper sterilization. The tattoo artist actually has a greater risk of contracting the disease than does the person receiving the tattoo.
Tattoo Alternatives
Temporary tattoos are not only realistic, but offer a much clearer picture of a flower, skull or rock band symbol. They last for a few days, are inexpensive and readily available. alternative.
Another, more creative alternative is the practice of mehndi, or henna tattoos, beautiful patterns like that above adorning hands, faces and bodies.
Read more about mehndi
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