Hi all, I feel like I need to put my "two cents worth" in on this topic. My partner and I own a tattoo and body piercing studio. I will be 50 in a couple of months. I have been in this business almost 10 years, and my partner for nearly 25. I have a BS in criminal justice, and have worked in law enforcement. I also have my Cosmetology license and have worked as a stylist in the beauty industry. In my early 30s while in college I also competed as a bodybuilder. I did not begin modifying my body until my mid-30s, and then only with pieces I could cover with every-day clothing. It has not been until fairly recently that I have indulged in full sleeves which extend on to the back of my hands. I also have a full backpiece and have recently started on chest work.
At this stage of my life, I have found my niche and can alter my appearance without it negatively affecting my career - in fact, it's expected in my line of work!
However, if someone would have told me 20 years ago that I would have done any number of things that I have accomplished in my life (particularly bodybuilding & becoming a certified law enforcement officer) I would have thought they were hopelessly insane!
Bear with me, folks - there's a point to all this! It is impossible to foresee what life holds for you. You may think you're always going to love that guy/girl, or love the music you love now. You may say "I'll never work as a ....." but never is a very long time. Although body art is becoming far more mainstream, it is still not the "norm." Prejudice? Yes. But that is life in the real world. We who alter our bodies for whatever reason CHOOSE to look as we do and so must accept the consequences. This requires forethought. When young people come in to our shop looking for full sleeves, work high on the neck or hands, or something else highly visible we advise them - kindly - that they may wish to reconsider. Our advice is that if you can't cover it with normal business attire, you might not want to go there. Some heed our caution; others don't. It is not our place to impose our personal beliefs on others, any more than it is our job to "sell" our service - the person needs to make the decision; we are here to provide a service in a clean, respectful professional manner. Looking back now, the extent of ink I have now would have certainly adversely affected my going in to law enforcement, and bodybuilding would have been right out. In our state, we may pierce persons under 18 with parental consent (our shop requires the parent to be present during the procedure) but tattooing is not allowed under 18 at all. Personally, all of us here feel that is an excellent law. Certainly under 18 one is not mature enough to make such a decision. (I've met plenty of folks twice that age who weren't mature enough either, but absolutely not any younger!) We are always amazed when a parent will take their child to a neighboring state where it is legal to tattoo minors with parental consent - particularly the parents who allow the ink but forbid a piercing!! Piercings can be removed, and although of course some scarring could be permanent from even the most well done and well cared for piercing, it is much less than the smallest tattoo!
At any rate, PLEASE think about what you are doing, folks. Don't run out and get inked at 18 just because you can or because your parents don't want you to. If you DO decide to get ink or a piercing, DO YOUR HOMEWORK and be an informed consumer. Consider the design and its meaning. A name?? If you DON'T do it, you' ll probably be very glad later. (I'm thinking of they guy who had his wife's signature tattooed on his penis and ended up divorced a month or so later. Now THAT'S gonna be a tough cover!) Memorials, of course, are a different matter.
Don't run for the cheapest place. Look not only at portfolios but also at healed work on real people. This will be a permanent part of you, and although MOST ink can be either covered or tweaked it'll never be the same as if it were done correctly to start with. Look for a clean shop - and don't be afraid to ask questions regarding spore testing and sterilization procedures. No reputable shop will be offended by this; they'll welcome it. Yes we're artists - but we're not gods!! YOU are the consumer. You are paying for the service. You have the right to be informed. Don't be intimidated by the "mystique" some people seem to feel surrounds our profession. No matter how stoked you are to get inked, if you walk in to a shop and it doesn't feel 100% right, KEEP LOOKING!! I can't speak for anyone else's reasons for getting inked, but for my part it is a very personal representation of my inner self. All my work represents either facets of my personality or my heritage. These are things which are ME, not a passing trend. I don't do it to get attention or to shock anyone. I do it because I like it and find it beautiful. Some people share my feelings; others don't - and that is OK. I've had rude comments made to me in public by strangers, but I've had positive ones as well. Everyone has a right to his/her opinion. Some of the "scariest" looking people are the most gentle souls you will ever meet. Think about it...how easy are we to identify? If I wanted to be a really successful criminal, I'd want to blend in with those around me (think Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer or John Wayne Gacy, folks).
Anyway, thanks for your attention - if you actually made it through this! Trust me, if getting some ink or a piercing is the worst thing your kid ever does, you're GOLDEN!
And by the way...even though hair styling is indeed an art profession it is necessary as with anything to pay some dues before you can get a coveted position in a high-end, trendy salon where you can truly engage in self-expression because your work speaks for itself. And regarding the mom, does anyone else get the feeling that her protests are less about concern for her daughter than about how she thinks people will perceive HER because she has a tattooed daughter?? That's all folks! THINK BEFORE YOU INK!!
Are you a parent whose household is spinning out of control? Cindi says her daughter, Kristina, used to be a fresh-faced all-American beauty, but now, with seven tattoos, she looks like a freak! Cindi says that if her daughter gets inked one more time, she’ll cut her off. Then, Nancy was heartbroken when she learned her 17-year-old daughter had been keeping a devastating secret. See this teen's message about how opening up saved her life. And, when Nancy Davis was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 14 years ago, the doctor said her life was over. She knew she had to get better for her three young sons. See her heartwarming message for anyone dealing with an illness. Then, a mom struggles with 7-year-old triplets competing to be the best! Talk about the show here.
