To resolve the internal conflict - to be or not to be a tattoo on your body, first determine what your motivation is. It's important to understand why you want to body paint. Maybe it's just imitation of friends around you, or you wish to hide a cosmetic defect, and maybe this way you need to discover your unusual inner world or to self-affirm, to change for the better?
The best proof of the need to apply a tattoo will be a conscious, deliberate approach to this action. This requires a full understanding of the chosen design, its purpose, because the made tattoo can serve as a business card, will create a certain image, which will not be easy to change, even if you want to.
Why did I decide to write about it?
They opened a cool fitness center near my house not too long ago. There's a really cool gym, pool, saunas, tons of yoga classes, kids rooms, and tons, tons of stuff!
Right across the street, across from King Fit is an entertainment and there is a fitness center on the top floor too. You can find at least 3 more basement-type gyms within a 1 km radius. So my neighborhood is very athletic. I often see really muscular guys, bald, bearded, very fit girls with great figures - just like in the picture.
Sometimes you can meet fitness couples who walk hand in hand - it's so interesting to watch. A huge, muscular man with a well-drawn relief walks hand in hand with a fitness lady. And now, in the summer, there are so many of them. I've never seen such a concentration of athletic people in such a small piece of land.
But you know what else I see here a lot? Tattooed people, and often it is the visitors of these fitness centers. Boys, girls, teens and older people. Some have small tattoos, others have entire paintings on their skin.
When summer comes, everyone undresses and rushes to put their tattoos on display. I don't know about your city, but I've got a tattoo epidemic here. Even though I've lived here for the 3rd year, for some reason it was this summer that I seriously paid attention to it.
Sometimes the tattoos look more or less aesthetically pleasing, but sometimes they are just downright ugly. When I look at people like that, I immediately think, "What makes a person do this tattoo? Why do people do it at all?
For me, as someone who has never had a tattoo, this topic is quite interesting. I also observe a well-developed network of tattoo parlors in my city. On the screenshot below I showed the concentration of these institutions at this time in my city (you can enlarge the picture by clicking on it):
As you can see - not a small network. All this prompted me to discuss the topic of tattoos on my blog. Should we do them? Why do they need to be done? What are the consequences and dangers, both physical and moral. How serious is it?
I think you will be interested in this topic. In general, the question whether it is necessary to get a tattoo is topical, and I will try to discuss it from the most important sides. Let's go... Are you with me?
Is it worth getting a tattoo?
People have been tattooing their skin since ancient times. Various tribes considered tattoos an integral part of life and applied them as a sign of distinction. Tattoos were used to demonstrate merit or to mark certain milestones in a person's life. Geisha would stuff their bodies with tattoos so they could undress freely in public while remaining "clothed. And shamans adorned themselves with magical symbols to help connect with the gods.
In today's world, the tattoo situation has changed dramatically. The possibility of choice has appeared, and with it a number of important questions, which everyone should answer before opening the door of a tattoo parlor.
Why should I get a tattoo?
To begin with, I would like to draw attention to the very meaning of getting a tattoo on one's body. What motives usually drive a person who wants to paint their body?
"Although our skin is the barrier that separates us from others, it also tells everyone around us about our inner world."
Having talked to some tattooed acquaintances, having browsed the Internet - I came to a conclusion that there are 1000 and one reasons to get a tattoo. But here are the most common that I was able to find out:
- First, it's just jewelry for a lot of people, and nothing more. If you ask them "why?" - they won't give you a coherent answer. "Just pretty..." - at most they will answer you.
- Man wants to show that he is the master of his body and that no one dares to tell him what to do with his body. I want to paint, I want not to paint.
- Some people try to stand out from the crowd in this way (although there are people with the same tattoos).
- Many see this as true art.
- There is also a cosmetic component. Overlap the scar, disguise any unsightly place beautiful pattern, etc.
- Some people are particularly turned on by this. The reasons for this are known only to them.
- But there are those who do tattoos because it is fashionable and so do many.
- Some people think of tattoos as a reminder of some kind of joy or pain.
- Also people believe in a certain mystical meaning of tattoos and believe that this tattoo can influence their destiny.
- For some people, tattoos are a great motivator. Because it is a serious step that a person thinks over, prepares for it - then after the realization of his intention he can feel the power to change in different spheres of his life. He anticipates change. "Decided to get a tattoo - why not start running in the morning?", something like that.
- Sometimes the drawings on the body are related. One means one thing, another complements the meaning of the first and you get an overall picture or a whole story.
- Teenagers usually want to show that they are adults. If it's a boy, it's a tattoo on the shoulder or on the calves, a gait that even the most pumped-up guy on the planet doesn't have, and other funny signs of the usual show-off. Such "macho men" can usually be seen with a cigarette in their teeth, a bottle of beer in their hand, a dead body, thin legs, but with a very important look. In spring, when it's still just starting to get warm, they hurry to twist up their pants to show off the fancy tattoos on their caviar. He himself is still wearing a jacket, but his legs are already bare. Does this picture look familiar?
- In some cases, tattoos signify a person's affiliation with a group or organization.
- The person wants to protest. Usually it concerns teenagers who rebel against parental upbringing or something else.
This list of reasons could go on for a very long time. In addition, you realize that if you want you can invent new reasons only we know.
But some special reasons come to light in just a few life stories.
I read about a 35-year-old girl who works as a lawyer. She has her ex-boyfriend's initials printed on the back of her hand.
They remind her that she almost lost herself once because of him. She was psychologically trapped by that guy and became abnormally dependent on him. And when he dumped her-she couldn't come to her senses for a year.
But then the girl shows a tattoo on her neck of wings. She says it symbolizes her freedom from that awful addiction. So that's how it is... Seriously, with meaning.
Another girl decided to get a tattoo after watching the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Since her job requires her to maintain a strict dress code, this girl likes her personal dragon lurking underneath this formal attire.
The trucker father has printed the image of his young son, whom they don't see for a long time, on his skin. It gives the father a sense that his son is always around.
And here's a couple in love. There are special marks on the body of each of them. They signify a symbol of eternal devotion. They were separated for five years, but they were faithful to each other. Then they reunited and live together.
It's time to consider the most important things to think about before you make a conscious decision whether to get a tattoo or screw it...
You want to mark a special occasion
It seems like getting a tattoo of your partner's name on your body is a little out of character for you. You can find more original ways to express your love for your significant other without resorting to tattoos.
There are many stories of young couples who, in a burst of light feelings, got tattoos with the name of their love or an important date for both. But, unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, and many couples break up, but tattoos are a sad memory forever, and not the fact that the master can something overlay the drawing.
Basic types of tattoos
Of course there is no point in listing all types of tattoos. Why? Yes because there are new types all the time.Let's list the more or less common ones:
- THE DRAWING OF FLORA AND FAUNA (ANIMALS AND PLANTS). These images often mean qualities of character, personality traits. That is the meaning put into them by the bearers.
- ETHNIC STYLE. These are all kinds of ornate patterns that used to be made on themselves by different peoples and tribes. For example, the style of "Treble. It is characterized by the fact that the zoo-themed pattern is applied to the body. For some reason I immediately remember Keira Knightley, who played the role of Pictish warrior in the film "King Arthur" in 2004. Such a spectacularly tattooed girl from the wild tribes.
- CYBER-STYLE ("BIOMECHANICS"). These are images of microchips on the body, drawings of joints with mechanical connections, computer characters.
- INSCRIPTIONS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. Of course, inscriptions, of course. The main thing is to be without mistakes and with the right translation (especially hieroglyphs).
- PORTRAITS OF GIRLS. Usually done "for luck," if someone seriously believes in it. Can be done in "Old School" or "New School" style.
- CRISP GEOMETRY. This style is based on depicting crisp geometric shapes in different interpretations. Sometimes a complete picture and a clear geometry can be seen only by connecting together two parts of the body, such as the forearms.
- BLACKWORK STYLE. The most suitable style for overlapping various defects on the skin (scars and scars) and old gore-tattoos, because large dark spots (tone or halftone) prevail here. Suitable for both guys and girls. Very much gaining in popularity. Seen more than once a tattoo in this style. A guy had two shins painted. There was a picture of a forest with birds taking off.
The non-standard (in my opinion) can include drawings in the style of prints, dot drawings style "dotwork", the style of minimalism, stencil, Polynesia (the style in which the tattoo are made by Duane Johnson), etc. Yes, and the very notion of standard-unstandard in this developing you here is quite questionable.
You have to give up the idea of a tattoo if you have a lot of moles on your body
If you have a lot of moles on your body, you should be careful with tattoos.
"The tattooing process involves embedding metal salts and organic dyes under the protective layer of skin," said plastic surgeon Cormac Joyce. - "If you damage a mole on your body during a session, there's a high risk that you'll get an infection there that turns into a tumor. Dr. Joyce thinks the risk of a tumor is pretty low, but it's still worth consulting your doctor if you're concerned about it.
Physiological considerations
Nowadays, few people compare tattoos to felons anymore. Yes, there is such a stereotype, but lately it has lost much of its impact against the background of blue youth. Fewer and fewer people think that way now.
The only thing that can be said here is that those prisoners, who are being looked up to in this case, were doing tattoos with completely different materials and with a completely different technique of execution. Real pros do everything with modern tools, disposable needles and for a pretty hefty sum.
I asked about the cost of tatoo-work in Krasnodar, and found that it is 6-8 thousand rubles for 3-4 hours of work. That is, an hour costs around 2000 rubles. But the price varies depending on the region, of course. In Moscow for an hour of work will take already 3-4 thousand rubles. In short, not cheap.
To remove a tattoo is twice more expensive than to do it, and it is more painful.
Now let's look at the most important physical points. Think about them before you paint your body.
"What's going to happen when I'm old?"
This is probably the first thing one hears from people who are against tatoo. Some are worried about the physical side of the issue - how a tattoo will look on flabby skin in old age. Others are more worried about the moral side of the issue - how sensible a grandmother would look with a tattoo on her waist.
Well. Personally, I'm quite supportive of these concerns, primarily on a moral level. But the truth is that a generation that values purity of body and spirit is a thing of the past. The vast majority are people who don't care about their own or anyone else's health, primarily morally.
Interesting fact: Pediatrician Timothy Roberts of the University of Rochester Hospital (USA) conducted a special study. He interviewed 600 16 year old boys and girls and found out that intimate relationships were 83% those who had a tattoo and only 36% non-tattooed teenagers.
And when people of my generation grow old, they will hardly be surprised by a tattooed grandmother, because they grew up surrounded by all this.
As for the purely physical side, you need to pay attention to a few facts:
- A tattoo is not applied to the skin once. For it constantly need to be cared for and during the healing, and then throughout life.
- Approximately every 3-5 years, adjustments are made, additional elements are added.
- In my life I saw one professional man who worked with me in a furniture store as a furniture assembler - his name was Sergei. He also professionally beat tattoos at home, multicolored. From the example of his body, I saw what it meant to add elements.
- Colors can fade, blur, the skin tends to undergo deformation.
- Experienced masters know how to place a tattoo taking into account the aging of the skin and its sagging state in the future.
But old age is old age, and not even the toughest tatoo-profi can save you from its consequences, so the tattoo will not be the same, it's 100%. It's worth thinking about.
Danger of infection.
This is possible only in the case of extremely poor workmanship. If disposable needles are used - this is excluded. Therefore if you really decided to score yourself a tattoo - do it only in a respectable salon, but not in some "shabby" basement. It seems obvious, but there is still this problem.
People still get AIDS, hepatitis B and C, get sepsis, suffer allergic reactions - all as a result of not sterile process.
In addition, many dermatologists refer to the skin as a "vindictive organ." They warn us that the effects of tattooing can take years to manifest. Our skin wasn't designed for that after all.
Girls are not recommended to visit the tatoo-salon in the "critical days", because already terrible condition will worsen with procedures, in addition, in these days the immunity drops.
This is for life.
Since we're talking about real tattoos here, and not childish translations from wrappers - you have to be prepared for that. Are you ready to live with it for the rest of your life? Do you realize it?
In some mature tattoo parlors that have already proven themselves - always hang warnings that "there is no such thing as temporary tattoos".
On the palms of the hands and feet tattoos live about 2 weeks. In these places there is a very active renewal of the skin.
If you are told that you can score a temporary, it means either that the paint will be driven in not deep under the skin, or that they will use permanent makeup paints.
Always make sure you know these things in detail, and let the master tell you everything. There are plenty of cases where people have fallen for fraudulent tattoos that, over time, become blurred.
The pain threshold.
It's different for everyone. One woman shared her observation. She said that pumped-up, rude men are often very hurt when they get tattoos. At the same time gentle girls often say that they did not feel anything.
So there's no point in taking others' words seriously like "don't piss - it's like a mosquito bites". You will only have your own feelings.
According to the feelings of people who have been under the needle - the most painful is to tattoo the chest, back and ribs.
You do not know what ink is used
Professional masters say that it is worth in the salon to ask what ink will be used by the tattooist in the work. It is necessary to ask about the composition and the place where the master buys them.
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The ink itself may not be suspicious and may be absolutely sterile, but there have been unpleasant cases when wicked artists diluted the materials with ordinary tap water to get the perfect shade. It is the water that causes the ink to become contaminated, which can lead to infections.
Psychological and Moral Aspects
And now let's get in touch with the finer points, which I believe are the key to this issue. Neither the pain threshold nor the price of the tattoo is basic to this issue. It all starts with the head.
"The human body is beautiful in and of itself."
With this I agree 100%. Personally, I think it is. But the truth is that now many people do not look beautiful because of their heredity, others kill their looks with the wrong lifestyle. If it happens that one thing is added to the other - well, then it's just too bad...
So for such people a tattoo serves as a kind of compensation. It doesn't make them more beautiful, but at least it draws attention to them. It's silly and sad at the same time. It's a pity that many people focus on their looks, but this is what the world around them, advertising and an imposed lifestyle incites to do, so this phenomenon is not surprising.
Others fall into a peculiar philosophy on the theme of "this tattoo is an extension of my body", "this is a part of me". And only a person knows the motives for these words.
A complete renewal of one's personality
This is a problem that cannot be understood by those who have carefully thought through their tattoo. Because it becomes "part of them," as mentioned above, they don't even think about the fact that they'll get tired of it someday, or that they'll treat it differently.
If the tattoo was foolishly done, it's removed by laser. But besides a hasty decision to have a drawing done, there can also be a complete transformation of a person's personality - his inner being.
Few people really believe in such transformation now, but in my experience I have seen thousands of such people by virtue of the circles where I communicated and am communicating up to now. Over the years I have come to know more and more such people.
I remember one man whose name is Vitya. Even before the war in the Donbass, he lived in my city of Gorlovka. His body was so "tattooed" that when he walked on the beach in his bathing suit, many people wanted to take pictures with him. Some people threw monkeys, boa constrictors that they offer to take pictures with on the beaches and took pictures with him... He was blue from head to toe, he was in jail.
But then this man started studying the Bible (not reading it, but studying it). What he learned from it completely transformed his personality beyond recognition. To hide those shameful tattoos that were done to him in the troubled times of his life and that he hated now - he wears a long-sleeved shirt even in the heat to this day.
So when you decide whether to get a tattoo or not - consider also that your consciousness can change dramatically over time. That's something that thinking people can't ignore.
"The Blue Sickness.
This is a kind of diagnosis for people who have become addicted to tattoos. It often has purely sensual roots. That is, these people have become addicted to the drive and adrenaline, even pain, that they get from the needle. It is possible to distinguish some stages of this mental disorder:
- At first there is an obsession with the very idea of doing a tattoo.
- Then the person decides to do the first tattoo.
- Next comes the planning. How many more drawings should be done on the body and when it should be done.
- When most of the body is already covered with drawings, they begin to irritate the person, he feels powerless, may become depressed, he no longer likes the way he looks.
In order not to fall into this disease, psychologists advise a simple method - just don't do the first tattoo. That's all ...
