You’re sitting in the chair and the buzzing noise is getting louder and louder. The needle is getting closer, about to break the skin, and you can hear your heart start to beat faster and faster. The tattoo, sometimes a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling, is about to be placed on your body forever.
When teens are deciding where to go for a tattoo they should consider where the needle and ink came from. Many teenagers are carefree and put themselves at risk for ink poisoning, Hepatitis C, and even HIV/AIDS. “They are stupid, and they are playing with fire, and putting themselves at risk to infections. They don’t know what they use and they don’t know if it’s dirty,” junior, Krystal Concepcion, said.
Most people used to get tattoos because they were symbolic and meaningful, now tattoos are the latest fad and teens under 18 are getting as many as possible.
“They are really addicting,” James Harris said, “but I only get tattoos done if they mean something to me. If not then they are pointless. I got one at a tattoo shop and the other two at a guy’s house. I saw his artwork and some tattoos he has done, and he is still licensed and worked as a tattoo artist for 15 years so it is still professionally done.”
“I love fishing so to me, my two tattoos are symbolic, but it might not seem that way to other people. “After I got my tattoos I got really sick and I was in the hospital, they thought it was because of my tattoos and tested me for all major diseases caused by unsanitary needles.
It really opened my eyes to see that this is serious stuff and students should be careful,” Patrick Ketchem said.
Teens should make sure they are of age and have permission from guardians and, if visiting a shop, check out some tattoos already done, certification, and that the needles are coming from closed packaging.
According to, tattoodesigns365.com, The Alliance for Specialist Tattooists have seminars and continuing education throughout the year and, “tattoo parlors that can prove membership are more likely to have a lowered risk for tattoo site infection.”