It seems like almost everyone is tatted up these days, but just because your best friend
has the cutest little wrist tattoo, doesn't mean you should get one, too.
Here are just a few reasons to think twice about getting a tattoo, according to the experts.
You don't know your artist
You wouldn't undergo surgery with a surgeon you'd never met - and the same goes for your
tattoo artist.
Before jumping in, get to know your artist, look at their portfolio, and ask for references.
Tattoo pro Mark Detter told Baraboo News Republic,
"The state requires that artists abide by certain health and safety standards.
But there's no requirement that an artist have talent."
"I got a tattoo.”
“Sexy!
What is that, a stick?"
A bad tattoo artist could leave you regretting your life choices - or worse, with a serious
infection.
Heath Tech Matt Kachel told the news outlet,
"It leaves people exposed to contracting HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. These are diseases a person
may contract and not know about for a long time."
Do your homework so you can feel confident about your experience.
You're looking for a job
You might be ready for your first tattoo, but if you're currently job hunting, take
a serious pause.
“First tattoo?”
“Yeah.”
“Relax amigo, it's gonna look ok.”
“Only ok?"
A 2016 study from Tilburg University showed that having visible tattoos makes is harder
to get hired.
And that negative bias seems to affect every business sector.
Restaurant owners prefer servers without visible tattoos, while managers worry that hiring
people with tattoos will affect sales.
You haven't thought it through
Getting a tattoo on a whim can feel exhilarating, but it's best to sleep on the decision.
"I used to like dolphins, but now I don't like dolphins, can you cover this dolphin
tattoo for me?"
Dr. Roy G. Geronemus told Medical Daily that people get tattoos removed for all kinds of
reasons, claiming,
"Young [women] become mothers, people experience changes in work status, and sometimes it's
just a matter of maturity.
We call it 'Tattoo Remorse.'"
This tattoo remorse is causing the number of people looking into and pursuing tattoo
removal to rise.
Which makes it even more important to seriously weigh the pros and cons before heading to
the tattoo parlor.
"For your information, this is exactly what I wanted.
This is a tattoo of the Earth as seen from a great, great distance."
You're at risk for skin cancer
If you have had skin cancer, or there's a strong history of it in your family, skip
the tattoos.
While there isn't a direct link between tattoos and skin cancer, there is enough concerning
information about a possible connection to make you think twice.
Plastic Surgeon Cormac Joyce told Time,
"The process of tattooing involves the integration of metallic salts and organic dyes into the
dermal layer of the skin."
And breaking into the skin and causing this inflammation could lead to "malignant transformation."
Dr. Joyce believes that while tattoos themselves don't cause skin cancer, they could put those
already at risk in more danger.
You're sick with a virus
Getting a tattoo isn't like having professional makeup done.
Because the needles penetrate your skin, you will be exposed to potential infections.
If you're coming down with a cold or virus, it's best to fully recover before undergoing
any invasive procedure.
Dr. Stephen Greenberg says,
"Tattoos should be thought of as a medical procedure as it poses similar risks as minor
surgery does.
[…] And there have also been reported cases of infectious disease transmission from dirty
needles and instruments."
You want to mark a special occasion
Many people would advise that tattooing your partner's name on your body is a red flag
that you're about to break up.
Next time you want to make a grand gesture for your significant other, skip the needles,
and book a vacation.
"The coordinates right here of where we met in South Africa.”
“I love it!”
When Kaley Cuoco and now ex-husband Ryan Sweeting met, they married within a year and celebrated
with a tattoo.
And when the brief marriage ended, Cuoco was stuck with a tattoo on her upper back.
But, per her Instagram, Cuoco had it covered, writing,
"The deep, meaningful, larger than life meaning behind this beautiful piece of ink, is […] It
covered the last one."
"Could you just turn it into barbed wire or something?”
“No.”
Next time you're tempted to make it official - on your skin - brainstorm some alternative
ways to show your love.
"I got your name tattooed on my back."
“What?”
"Do you wanna have a look?”
“Yes!”
“Cuz I love you anyway.”
“Simon Cowell and Kayley?”
“Nice.”
You're unsure about the design
When it comes to tattoo don'ts, though, there's nothing more cringeworthy than a misspelled
tattoo!
"Regerts?”
“Sorry."
So if you don't want to end up on a "worst tats ever" list, double and triple check the
spelling and style before permanently placing it on your body.
Celeb tattoo artist Josh Lord told Inked,
"Have a firm sense of what you want.
And have a firm sense of what you don't want.
They're both equally as important.”
Need a celebrity cautionary tale?
Jennifer Lawrence knows this firsthand.
She has an H2O tattoo on her hand, with a messed up number 2.
She told HitFix of her impromptu ink,
"By the way, I know that the two is high and in H2O the two is supposed to be low.
I should've Googled it before I got it tattooed on my body forever."
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