On Prairie View’s campus there are all forms of body art. Some are body piercings such as naval or tongue rings, but most body art is tattoos. A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on the body when pigment is inserted into the dermal layer of the skin by means of ruptures in the skin’s top layer. It is argued that tattoos have existed since 12,000 B.C. In today’s society tattoos are very common. About 15 percent of Americans have tattoos, and roughly estimating, about 60 percent of Prairie View students have at least one tattoo. Why would one get a tattoo?
A lot of people have tattoos related to family and religious reasons and some people get tattoos for sentimental reasons such as sophomore Dimitrix Gregg who says, “I want a tattoo of my brother because he died.”
Scriptures from the Bible and the Holy Cross are some of the most popular religious tattoos. Some people get tattoos just to be different. Freshman Derrick Wilson explains, “I wanted a tattoo because I wanted one, but I also wanted to stick out from the crowd.”
In contrast, there are a number of people who don’t want a tattoo. The reasons for not getting one varies. Sophomore Demeeka Rogers states, “I don’t want to have a tattoo because I don’t want a brand on my body forever and I don’t like pain.” Other reasons may be that it’s not allowed in their household, afraid of needles, and religious reasons. Sophomore Eris “Red” Henderson says, “I wanted one at first but I read Leviticus 19:28 in the Bible and it said ‘Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you.'” There are many people who don’t have a tattoo but want one.
There are many precautions that one should take when getting a tattoo. Getting it done safely is the first precaution. Although it might look a whole lot cooler than a big scab,a new tattoo is also a wound. Like any other slice, scrape, puncture, cut, or penetration to your skin, a tattoo can cause risk for infections and disease.
It’s very important to make sure the tattoo studio is clean, safe, and all utensils used are sterilized in closed packing before use. It is also important to make sure that all equipment used can be diposed of (in the case of needles, gloves, masks, etc.).
Professional studios usually take pride in their cleanliness. Check to see if the tattoo artist is a licensed practitioner, has an autoclave (a device that uses steam, pressure, and heat for sterilization), and follows the universal precautions which are regulations that outline procedures to be followed when dealing with bodily fluid.
Furthermore, if the studio looks unclean, if anything looks out of the ordinary, or if you feel in any way uncomfortable, find a better place to get your tattoo.
Tattoos are becoming a trend in today’s society and they are more acceptable, so if you have one or not, take pride in your body image.