Stigmas about tattoos

[rnalice]

Soon I will be getting my first tattoo and Im very excited. Yay me! It means a lot to me and Ive put a lot of thought into what it is, i.e. its not a skull of a butterfly…

However I am a little afraid to get it, why because the idea that has been instilled in my head, that I will regret it and/or people will look at me funny and Ill never get a job. To me this is half true I wont regret it, but I am afraid people will look at me funny. My greatest worry, my parents generation judging me for the art under my skin.

Body mods are getting a funny reputation, they are becoming more accepted yet, theres always that nagging feeling that they are wrong in some way or that it will be regretted later.

What do you think, are my parents right? Will I just grow tired to my tattoo and piercing, where they a bad idea?

Or are they wrong, and should they realize that though this may not be their “thing”, they should be more accepting of it?
What do you think of people with tattoos and body piercings?  

[EvFaerAshlynn]

It might be a little bit of both. Your parents have a reason to be concerned about you getting a tattoo, peircing, etc. I think one of the main things parents worry about with their kids getting body mods is the medical risks - infections, allergic reactions, diseases that could come from unclean materials, etc. If that's their biggest concern, have them do some research with you so that you can find a reputable place that uses clean materials, try to do a little research on allergies, get tested for allergies with metals or inks, whatever. As long as you and your parents both know that what you're doing entails risks and that you've done as much as you possibly can to reduce those risks, their nerves should be eased a little. And one more vital thing - make sure you take proper care of your new body mod once it's done to reduce the risk of adverse side effects once your body has been altered.

I can see what they say about regretting your decision later. If it's a peircing, you can always take it out and let the holes close up. Tattoos are different, though - they're buried in your skin, so if you one day wake up and decide that you don't like your tattoo, you're screwed. You'll have to live with it or pay up to get it painfully removed. And it's not just parents who have that worry. Heck, even my 20-year-old friend is telling me to think carefully about what I might get as a tattoo later in my life, because it can't be changed. For instance, he cites that he's really glad that he didn't go for that Evanescence tattoo after all because the recent drama related to that band has made him lose his... erm, affection? enthusiasm? what's the right word? with regards to Evanescence. However, I still think that it would be freaking awesome to have the Latin choir lyrics from "Whisper" on my arm. I spent, like, an hour or so debating tattoos with him.

But in your defense, your parents' generation may not be as used to tattoos as our generation is. In general, it seems that today's youth are more accepting of uniqueness and differences than any generation in the past. In your parents' generation, there may have been certain stereotypes about people with tattoos that has not worn off. Remember, parents have a duty to protect and love their offspring. Perhaps, in trying to convince you not to get a tattoo, they are trying to protect you from... well, whatever it is - the medical risks, the kind of people they believe will lead you down the "wrong" path, or even death. It's a natural instinct to protect one's offspring and ensure that one's offspring becomes a successful individual and continues to pass on the family's genes to offspring who will grow to be successful and so on.

There are many things that we, as humans, don't fully understand. This is one of them. Just remember to deal with this situation in a safe, logical, rational manner, and if/when you do decide to get your tattoo, take care of it, and most importantly, enjoy it!!

xoxo
~ Ashy
heart  

[Henneth Annun]

EvFaerAshlynn

It might be a little bit of both. Your parents have a reason to be concerned about you getting a tattoo, peircing, etc. I think one of the main things parents worry about with their kids getting body mods is the medical risks - infections, allergic reactions, diseases that could come from unclean materials, etc. If that's their biggest concern, have them do some research with you so that you can find a reputable place that uses clean materials, try to do a little research on allergies, get tested for allergies with metals or inks, whatever. As long as you and your parents both know that what you're doing entails risks and that you've done as much as you possibly can to reduce those risks, their nerves should be eased a little. And one more vital thing - make sure you take proper care of your new body mod once it's done to reduce the risk of adverse side effects once your body has been altered.

I can see what they say about regretting your decision later. If it's a peircing, you can always take it out and let the holes close up. Tattoos are different, though - they're buried in your skin, so if you one day wake up and decide that you don't like your tattoo, you're screwed. You'll have to live with it or pay up to get it painfully removed. And it's not just parents who have that worry. Heck, even my 20-year-old friend is telling me to think carefully about what I might get as a tattoo later in my life, because it can't be changed. For instance, he cites that he's really glad that he didn't go for that Evanescence tattoo after all because the recent drama related to that band has made him lose his... erm, affection? enthusiasm? what's the right word? with regards to Evanescence. However, I still think that it would be freaking awesome to have the Latin choir lyrics from "Whisper" on my arm. I spent, like, an hour or so debating tattoos with him.

But in your defense, your parents' generation may not be as used to tattoos as our generation is. In general, it seems that today's youth are more accepting of uniqueness and differences than any generation in the past. In your parents' generation, there may have been certain stereotypes about people with tattoos that has not worn off. Remember, parents have a duty to protect and love their offspring. Perhaps, in trying to convince you not to get a tattoo, they are trying to protect you from... well, whatever it is - the medical risks, the kind of people they believe will lead you down the "wrong" path, or even death. It's a natural instinct to protect one's offspring and ensure that one's offspring becomes a successful individual and continues to pass on the family's genes to offspring who will grow to be successful and so on.

There are many things that we, as humans, don't fully understand. This is one of them. Just remember to deal with this situation in a safe, logical, rational manner, and if/when you do decide to get your tattoo, take care of it, and most importantly, enjoy it!!

xoxo
~ Ashy
heart

I completely agree, this is very good, well thought out advice. More than I could probably say (or have the patience to type down.)

If you're going to get a body mod, don't do it on a whim. Make sure you really think it through, want it, and cosider the consequences/potential risks and understand them. Remember your going to be living with that ink on your arm for the rest of your life unless you want it lasered off. As much as I love some bands and would like their logo on my back, I'm not going to get that tatoo because anything in the future could cause me to loose interest in them, and I would regret the tatoo. Moral of the story: don't get band tatooes if you're the kind of person who changes your mind a lot or goes from A to B too fast.  

[ketchakik]

first off...i dont think anyone should get a tatoo unless they've been set on one design for at LEAST a year. this avoids you getting that tweety bird you wanted at 16 and by 17 you though was a stupid idea

also..keep tatoos under normal clothes....avoid anything from theline of short sleves down....etc


there really isn't much of a stigma about tatoos anymore....or piercings either for that matter.....except at the work place....  

[Henneth Annun]

ketchakik

first off...i dont think anyone should get a tatoo unless they've been set on one design for at LEAST a year. this avoids you getting that tweety bird you wanted at 16 and by 17 you though was a stupid idea

also..keep tatoos under normal clothes....avoid anything from theline of short sleves down....etc


there really isn't much of a stigma about tatoos anymore....or piercings either for that matter.....except at the work place....

That may be so in the larger world, but we don't know where EvFaerAshlynn lives or what kind of social enviorment she's in. You have to examine it more thuroughly. It may be a larger issue where she's at, so she recieved advice which assumed that it is and that it isn't.  

[EvFaerAshlynn]

Meh, I just know too many people whose parents would pop a blood vessel if their child decided to get a tattoo. whee

That, and I've become vaguely well-versed in the psychology of parents. I was just trying to give some well thought out advice in case the issue came up that the parental units objected to the idea of a tattoo.  

[GEMOBOY1]

You should do what you want and dont worry about other peoples oppinion.
I hear that you can get them removed. biggrin  

[Slayer Igraine]

If you're worried about not regretting getting the tattoo later, you could always go for a semi-permanent tattoo - these last anywhere between 3-5 years, with a minor risk of them becoming permanent. The average time before someone starts to regret a piercing or tattoo is 7 years - so just get it topped up a few times, and if you still like it by the end of 7 years, go for it. razz

Of course, likelihood is, you don't want to wait 7 years. If you've thought about the design carefully - and it's meaning (why are you getting it? Purely for aesthetic purposes, (you'll probably have changed your mind on what's pleasing by the time you're 25) or is there a deeper meaning to it? If there's a deeper meaning, and you've not changed your mind about either the design, or wanting to get it for a few months, go for it.

As for hindering job prospects later in life... I got my tattoo on the inside of my wrist - if worst comes to worst, I can cover it with a watch for job interviews, and wear a long sleeved blouse - no biggy. You can also get makeup specifically designed to cover tattoos.

My mom hates my tattoo - to the extent that when she saw it, I lied to her and told her it was semi-permanent to ease the situation (and in five years time, hey, either she'll have forgotten, I can tell her the truth, or I can say I got it 'topped up') As far as I'm concerned, it's a white lie, and I didn't do any harm by telling i). I wouldn't let them influence your decision *too* much - by all means, take it into account, but at the end of the day, it's your body, not theirs.
 

[Laharl Part Deux]

Don't do something purely based on what other people tell you. You need to make the decesion that is right for you, not your parents. Just bare in mind that you have to live with the decesion you make.

If you are worried about jobs and what not get your tattoo in a place where you can hide it under short sleeves and jeans.

Continuing, if your tattoo is meaningful then all you're doing is showing the world what is important to you. There is nothing wrong with expressing yourself in such a manner.

Just keep in mind it's your body not anbody else's.  

[DR490N]

i've gotten a tattoo myself. i will be honest with you, i regret it a bit. not because i got it, but because it wasn't exactly what i wanted and the guy made alot of mistakes, like making it slightly lopsided(not very noticably), not coloring it exactly how i wanted it, and doing sloppy line work. he also overcharged me. i'll be makign sure to see some examples of knotwork people do on paper in front of me so i can be sure they're not just going to stencil some s**t onto me.  

[Isobel Bellamy]

Well, piercings for one can be easily taken out, so if you're getting a job they're not too much of a hastle if they've been in for a couple years. And even if they heal up, they're quite easy to relace.

Tattoos, so long as they're in an easily hideable place can be perfectly fine. How often do you wear something like a tank top at work (if it has a stict dress code), and if they do allow more revealing clothing, chances are your boss will be fine with a few tattoos.

Really careful consideration is needed though, you must research the place you're going to: request to see finished, healed photos of their work, first of all, check to see if there's any redness around the tattoo still (same applies for piercings - on them this inticates rejection and/or shoddy workmanship), also, check you like their style! If there's a recurrant style with the tattoos, check its not dissimilar to what you want as well - the artist will be more comfortable working with a design they like than one they don't.

If you do regret a tattoo unfortunately, as EvFaerAshlynn, you're basically screwed. It is exteremely hard to "cover" tattoos if they're dark, complicated, or large. Also, removal doesn't remove it, it just lightens it, making covering easier; if the original tattoo is light, it does make 'removing' it more effective though.  

[queenalexis999]

personally, i would get the tattoo if i really wanted it and worry about it later. but i would have to agree that you need to be very careful what artist you choose because this is permanant.

would you buy a 3oo humdred dollar painting for your house if it wasnt perfect? youd prolly think about it before you went ahead and got it. why should a tattoo be any different? think about the amount of time you spend considering what clothes you want to buy or the color you dye your hair, and multiply that by "this is never going to go away so it better be my favorite thing ever". chances are it might even be around longer then your boyfriend/ girlfriend so you might even have to like it more then them.

if you know you its what you want, get it.  

[Gothwish]

i have two tats one of wich i got when i was 18 i love them both and i would not change either one if u really believe that u want the tat then lood at it every day til u get sic of it if u dont then go for it its body art dont just get it cuz its "pretty" you will regret it  

[Snows Wyntre]

Well, I'mma be very quick about it, I apologize if anyone has resolved thi already or whatever. I have three, Just enjoy them, and make sure you get only someting you are sure you want installed on your body for the rest of your life.