Tattoos – Yay or Nay? What Are Your Thoughts?

It’s 2021 and there are still mixed feelings about tattoos even though they’re quite popular.

My own mom has a tattoo; which came as a shock to me because she seemed more of the conservative type.

The reason why she got the tattoo? To cover a burn. Mind you that burn was tiny and barely noticeable and I was like, you should have just said you want a tattoo, ain’t nobody was gonna judge you lol.

At first, I actually thought it was a joke and a fake or temporary tattoo but when it was still there a week later, I knew the woman had been dead serious.

A little history

Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, possibly even on mummies.

According to gentlemensgazette.com, there’s archaeological evidence suggesting that tattoos have actually been around since the dawn of mankind.

The ancient Greeks and Romans used to use tattoos to penalise their slaves, criminals and war prisoners.

Oh, how things changed…

Nowadays so many people have and love their tattoos. They are seen as body art and a form of expressing individuality.

Even educated professionals have tattoos these days which goes to show how the stigma has mainly died out. Of course, there are still a few critics who think tattoos are a huge no-no and they go against their religious beliefs and they have every right to feel that way.

Personally, I think tattoos are great (when done well by a professional). They can look really cool and pretty. I have 2 small ones which have meaning to me. I got them at points in my life where I felt like I had triumphed to mark the beginning of a new chapter, I guess.

The first one I got done in like 2014. It’s just below my breast, on my ribs, and it says “Let it go” and no it’s not a reference to the movie Frozen hahaha (insert eye-roll here). I don’t think that movie was even out then.

It was just a symbol, I guess, to signify me finally letting go of a dark time and feeling like myself again and to mark a new beginning…

The second one (done in my mid-twenties) kinda looks like shit. It’s 3 triangles representing body, soul, spirit and simultaneously past, present, future.

I’m trying to remember exactly why I chose that in particular, apart from the looking cool (well it would have looked cool if I’d let it heal properly but sometimes it looks like a scar hahaha not that I give a shit -that’s what happens when you go get drunk right after getting a fresh tattoo and neglect to follow the instructions you were given by your tattoo artist).

There are many arguments against tattoos and here are a few I’ve heard:

• tattoos are evil or the devil’s work
• you shouldn’t desecrate your body because it is a sacred temple and it goes against God’s word
• They’ll hinder your chances of finding a good job because nobody wants to hire someone covered in tattoos
• They’ll draw unnecessary negative attention
• They send a negative message to people

The list goes on…

I disagree with all of the points and I think you should decide for yourself what to do with your body, after all, you’re the one that has to deal with the consequences of your decisions.

Getting a professional tattoo can be quite pricey depending on the size and the complexity of your design. What’s great is that you can design your tattoo yourself and go and get it inked into your skin by a professional tattoo artist.

As with anything potentially permanent, you should do your research before getting a tattoo and find out as much as you can so that you can make an informed decision. Visit a tattoo parlour and speak to the tattooist about any concerns or questions you may have beforehand.

I also suggest getting a semi-permanent tattoo in the design you want before getting the permanent one done. It will wash off after a few weeks, that way you can decide if you’re really sure you’d want such on your body “forever”.

Go to a reputable tattoo artist and if it sounds like your tattoo is too cheap then you should probably not go ahead with it because like most things, you get what you pay for.

Personally, I think tattoos are lovely when done by a professional.

They can be a great way to express your individuality and can say a lot about a person.

In the past, I failed to understand people who got meaningless things tattooed on themselves because that shit is permanent (unless you can afford laser therapy). But now I’m like it’s whatever, it’s your body, why should I give a shit what you decide to do to it…

The guy who did my tattoos did tell me it was “addictive” the first time I saw him and I laughed when he said I’d be back again and guess what… he was right. I’ve been considering getting another but we’ll see about that.

In conclusion, these are some tattoo DO’s and DON’Ts:

DO

• your own research
• listen to your tattoo artist
• follow care instructions
• wash your fresh tattoo with mild anti-bacterial soap
• make sure it’s kept clean
• keep your new tattoo exposed to quicken the healing process
• apply antibacterial ointment or vaseline twice daily to fresh tattoos

DON’T

• don’t go tanning
• put new tattoo directly under running water
• pick the scabs – it could lead to infection
• swim, use a sauna or get it wet for at least 6 weeks as it won’t heal properly

What are your thoughts and opinions on tattoos? Do you have any?

Let me know in the comments.