TATTOOS

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Although tattoos are almost mainstream nowadays, how much do we really know about this phenomenon that has been around 6,000 years old? Here are some numbers from the world of tattoos

17% of those who have tattoos regret having them. The most often reason for regret is It's a name of another person.  Women are more prone to regretting having a tattoo than men are.

When I was in the Canadian navy in the early 1950s, I saw a tattoo on a sailor who had to have the most embarrassing tattoo I ever saw in my life. What normal person is stupid enough to even consider such a tattoo. I will describe his tattoo.

Imagine a naked woman lying on her back with her arms and legs spread apart. The sailor had her hair in her groin inked above his belly button along with her vagina inked above his belly button and her anus being inked in his belly button.

I don’t know if he had that tattoo removed but if he was in the Canadian military nowadays, he wouldn’t be permitted to have such a tattoo inked onto his body. Military personnel are banned from having tattoos that are sexual or are racist.  

36% of Americans between the age of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. 72% of adults with tattoos have tattoos that are usually hidden by clothing

My oldest daughter doesn’t regret having a very small flower inked on the base of her spine which can only be seen if she chooses to show it to someone.

In 2002, of those who have tattoos, 70% have more than one tattoo and 20% have more than five tattoos.

While you can obviously get a tattoo anywhere you like, it's good to keep in mind that some areas of the body aren't always the most ideal places for tattoos, especially if you're worried about it fading or stretching as the years go by. For that reason, you might want to avoid areas that naturally change with age, or ones that might be affected by pregnancy. That last statement refers to women, naturally.

But most importantly, when it comes to a tattoo's longevity, take into consideration how much sun exposure the area might receive. "While you can always protect your tattoos with sunscreen, it may be a good idea to choose an area of your body that's usually covered up by clothes if you want your ink to stay looking fresh for years to come — especially if you're getting a color other than black.

A location that doesn't get a lot of sun exposure is best for the longevity of the color, as sun exposure causes colors to fade. Light colored inks will fade more quickly than darker colors.

The size and shape of the tattoo can also affect how great it'll look in ten or twenty years, so definitely discuss all of these factors with your tattoo artist, before getting inked. They'll help you wade through all your options, and help you choose the best tattoo location. Here are a few of the best and worst locations when it comes to the longevity of a tattoo, according to experts.

If you've been daydreaming about getting a tattoo on your upper chest, it may be a good idea to go for the outer collarbone. This area tends "to be least exposed to the sun since it's easily covered up by shirts and scarves. It's also an area where skin is least likely to stretch as you get older, which is another factor that can affect how a tattoo holds up over time.

If you're always out in the sun, you may want to avoid getting a tattoo on your outer arm, and instead choose a more protected spot. "Your inner forearm is practically immune when it comes to sun exposure. Without the constant onslaught of UV rays  which break down the ink, tattoos in this location tend to stay looking fresh.

Again, thanks to the fact that your back is for the most part,  is covered up by clothing. The back tends to be a prime spot for long-lasting tattoos. This area isn't exposed to UV rays on a regular basis.  And it tends to hold up well as aging occurs.

The upper thighs tend to be protected from the sun, so if you want that area inked that'll stand the test of the time, this may be your best bet for having that area inked for a tattoo.

Of course, that doesn't mean you have to hide your tattoos under clothes all the time, or worry 24/7 about how they might look in twenty years. All you have to do, when you do decide to show them off, is apply a liberal amount of sunscreen on your skin to keep your tattoo safe.

A tattoo right below your hairline on your neck will stay looking newer longer as it doesn't have a lot of sun exposure. And this is especially true if you have longer hair that you tend to wear down, as that'll help protect it even more.

A tattoo on your ribs that doesn't extend too far out towards your abdomen is a good location since it's often covered up with clothing, and thus generally protected from the sun.

But even more important, if you get pregnant, this is one spot on the abdomen that isn't as likely to stretch. Of course, if that does happen, it's not a big deal. But if it's something you're concerned about, talk with your tattoo artist to figure out a way to avoid areas that may stretch or fade over time.

Since the skin on the shoulders and calves isn't as affected by aging, tattoos in these areas tend to stay put. This is compared to areas that tend to see a lot of change over the course of your life, like your abdomen. While your stomach may stretch during pregnancy, for example, the skin of your calves and shoulders won't stretch.

It is obviously not a big deal to women if their stomach tattoo ends up stretching out during pregnancy. Not only will it bounce back, to some degree, but it's a small price if they want to have a children.  Even with constant moisturizing during this time, you can still face a warped or blown out tattoo as a result of the skin stretching.

Anywhere skin tends to stretch or bend on the body is best avoided, due to the fact the moving skin makes it difficult for tattoos to heal properly. And that can affect how they end up looking years down the road.

Crease lines such as on your wrist, armpit, and joints such as knees and the outside of your elbows are another location in which healing is hindered. These spots are frequently stretching. The constant pulling of the skin causes cracking of the tattoo, slowing the healing process, and causing damage to lines and color of the tattoo.

Thanks to direct sun exposure, hand tattoos tend to fade quickly. But there are other factors to contend with, too. You are constantly washing your hands which sloughs off skin more quickly and causes tattoos to fade and blur faster than other parts of your body.

If avoiding the backs of your hands, as well as your fingers. "The palms of your hands and fingers wear out quickly, since the skin is also different and it is difficult for the ink to take easily. Tattoos on the sides of your fingers and the inside of your palms are guaranteed to fade shortly after healing. Tattoos on your fingers and palms are novelty and do not look good for long.

I have seen tattoos on the fingers of ex-cons who tattooed themselves in prison with the word LOVE n the fingers of their left hand the word HATE in the fingers of their right hand. It is a sure way of telling people that the man is a former criminal.

While you can always get a foot tattoo, and then touch it up later on if it starts to fade, this may be one spot to avoid if you want ink that's low maintenance.

Tattoos on the ankle, sides of the feet, the top of the foot, and around the heel may require more touch-ups as they are exposed to constant rubbing from your shoes and socks. "They can also be exposed to dirt and bacteria, and again, you have constant movement at your ankle all of which can result in faded tattoos.

Ear tattoos can look great when they're first done. But tattoos aren't built to last. The inside of the ear does not hold ink well and the lines tend to blur so if you aren't keen on constant touch-ups, this may not be the tattoo location for you.

Think twice before getting a tattoo in an area that has a lot of friction. "Any area of the body that commonly rubs against other body parts [such as] in between fingers, thighs, armpits, and [the] inner biceps will generally be likely to fade quicker, Similarly, areas where the tattoo is exposed to constant rubbing will possibly fade more quickly, such as the waistband of your pants, bras, and belts or other areas where your clothing fits tightly and rubs against your skin.

Don’t get a tattoo inked on your arms or legs when you are elderly since your skin is wrinkly and the tattoo will also be wrinkly.

While you can obviously get a tattoo wherever you like and touch-up any ink that starts to . It’s still a good idea to consider location if you want your tattoo to look good forever. It can help to follow these tips, and ask your tattoo artist for even more advice when it comes to the perfect placement of your tattoo.

And now, the real bad news. WHAT! You didn’t know that there was going to be real bad news included in this article?  Brace yourself and put your seat belt around your belly for this rough ride that is forthcoming.

Before you finally make the decision to "ink" your skin, it’s worth understanding all the potential risks.

You should only go to a professional tattoo artist. Severe complications can arise if the instruments are poorly sterilised or not used correctly. And always check that the tattoo parlour is hygienic and clean. Transmission of serious infections like HIV and hepatitis, as well as allergic reactions may occur, and many people don’t consider these dangers beforehand.

Tattooing implants permanent granules of pigment granules under the skin. Aside from the usual dangers (HIV and other blood-borne infections), here are five complications you could experience after getting a tattoo.                                                                 

1. You could be allergic to the ink

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Nicola Hickman decided to get a tattoo of a heart on her ankle to show her love for her daughter. Everything was fine until six weeks later.

“She noticed that the tattoo was bumpy and the red colour was fading. so she went back to the tattooist to ask his opinion.  Hee told her that  he would be happy to top up the colour when the bumps went down.

The tattooist told her to use an antiseptic cream. However, it just worsened. “I tried to ignore it but it got to the point where I couldn’t think of anything else. I couldn’t wear proper footwear and I couldn’t sleep on it.”

Hickman was allergic to the red ink. “The dermatologists took one look at it and were shocked. They’d never seen an allergic reaction like it before. They took pictures which they wanted to use for a report in a medical journal,

Doctors had to surgically remove the growth that developed 11 months later, and she was left with a scar on her ankle.

She had another tattoo done of her daughter’s name in black ink on her neck and she never had any problems with it. They’re still not sure what it was in the red ink which caused the allergic reaction. It might have been a metallic chemical. Her ankle is still not perfectly healed, but She is glad the growth has gone.

According to an article in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, “classic pigments and their degradation products used in tattooing, such as dichromate (green), cobalt (blue), cadmium (yellow) and mercury salt (red)-based pigments are responsible for these kind of allergic reactions with permanent tattoos.”

When a foreign substance is introduced into the skin during tattoo, it can cause a toxic or immunological response. This reaction can occur shortly after the tattoo or years later.  

2. A tattoo could hide skin cancer

German clinicians report a case in JAMA Dermatology where a man wanted to have multi-coloured tattoos removed from his arms and chest. However, doctors noticed a suspicious-looking mole inside a tattoo on his right arm, which they recommended having removed before starting laser therapy to remove the tattoo.

The man refused to have it excised and began laser therapy. Forty-seven surgeries and seven years later, the mole had to be removed and was diagnosed as stage 2 melanoma. (s skin cancer).

Dr Robert Shmerling, faculty editor at Harvard Health Publications, says that tattoo ink may hide changes to moles, making it difficult to evaluate. The ink can also move into underlying tissues and resemble the spread of metastatic melanoma.

He says laser removal therapy is problematic if you have moles because the lasers break up the pigment of the tattoo. “Lasers break up pigment inside the tattoo. But it can also break up pigment inside a suspicious mole, making assessment of the mole difficult.”

If you still want a tattoo, make sure you have it done on skin that has no moles or birthmarks, or ask your doctor to check any of the moles before you are tattooed.

3. It could affect how you sweat

Tattoos may interfere with how your skin sweats – compared with no skin sweats.

“We also found the sodium in sweat was more concentrated when released from tattooed skin,” Maurie Luetkemeier, a professor of physiology at Alma College in Michigan, said. Your skin usually reabsorbs sodium and electrolytes released during perspiration, but he says tattoos may partially block this reabsorption.

It won’t really matter if you have a single small tattoo but if you have a large tattoo – particularly on your back, arms or other areas with many sweat glands – your body may struggle to cool itself down and hold onto inked skin, tattooed skin releases about 50% less sweat.nutrients.

Where tattoos are exposed to high heat and a heavy workload, there could be thermoregulatory problems. It’s worth keeping in mind if you are planning a large piece of ink on your body.

4. It could raise your risk of a bacterial infection

An article in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery says tattoos can cause bacterial infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, which could lead to impetigo, erysipelas and septicaemia; Staphylococcus aureus can cause rare toxic shock syndrome; skin and soft tissue infections can be caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA); treponema pallidum can cause syphilis; and Mycobacterium leprae which causes leprosy.

A case study published in BMJ Case Reports refers to a man who got a leg tattoo and then swam in the Gulf of Mexico. He was admitted to hospital with an infection with the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus. He suffered from skin necrosis and septic shock for two months before dying. While the man didn’t die directly from the tattoo, he did have chronic liver disease. 

Unfortunately the recently tattooed skin allowed the bacterium, which was exposed to in the sea water, to enter his blood stream. “Infections can also occur with exposure of open wounds to contaminated salt or brackish water.  However this represents an uncommon mechanism of infection."   

5. A tattoo may lead to complications during medical procedures

You’re probably not thinking about MRIs when you’re having a tattoo done but studies have shown that metal-based ink tattoos can react with magnetic resonance imaging studies.

An article in the American Journal of Roentgenology reports a man who received second-degree skin burns in two tattoos while having a cervical spine MRI. He complained of a burning sensation on his arm – his tattooed skin was raised and swollen. In another case, a professional football player sustained a burn on a tattoo following an MRI of his pelvis. 

The study says burn was caused by an “electromagnetic reaction due to the ferromagnetic metallic compounds found in tattoo pigments, especially iron oxide – a reaction that has the potential to distort the field of image.”  

Fortunately this reaction is rare but if you are thinking about getting a tattoo, experts suggest avoiding iron-based inks that may interfere with MRIs, or alerting your doctor if you already have such a tattoo.

What kind of reactions may occur after getting a tattoo?

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, you could notice a rash in the area of the tattoo or develop a fever.

More severe complications include a high fever, chills and sweats. You may need to treat an infection with a course of antibiotics or have surgery. A rash could indicate an allergy to the ink – remember, tattoo inks are permanent, which means the reaction may persist.

Make sure that you see your doctor if you have any concerns about, or

adverse reactions to tattoos.

Now remember what I have told you in this lesson relating to tattoos because the next time I see you, I am going to ask questions.