My partner and I have 19 tattoos collectively (4 are mine the rest are his) , we love getting inked and each tattoo has a significant meaning sort of like a memento to remind us of a time/ person we will never forget – for example , I lost my mother to diabetes when I was just shy of 17 and I really wanted something to remind me of her , a tribute if you will. So the idea of a tattoo sprang to mind. I was going to do it, it was a fast growing trend and so many of my friends had one. I was going to get one too!
Telling my very traditional father this back then, however, was another story , he wasn’t as enthusiastic about it as I was he pointed out that God had given me a beautiful body and I was going to spoil it with this “rubbish”. He also added that tattooing can be dangerous and that in the age of so many diseases I could catch one and then I would die and then what would he do ?he would be to blame for allowing his child to do such a thing.
The rebel in me didn’t want to hear this, but being 17 years old and knowing that once Dad said no it meant no , I let my plan rest a couple of years. During this time, I researched on tattoos and my hunger for one kept growing. I checked out different designs online some were absolutely stunning while others were terribly done. There were also stories of people who got tattoos when they were younger and regretted them later on in life. Take Angelina Jolie for example; before she was saving the world one orphan at a time, she got her then-boyfriend Billy Bob Thorton’s name tattooed on her arm. She has since had it removed and replaced with the coordinates of where each of her children was born which to me is way classier! Another concern was all the diseases my father warned me about from getting tattooed! Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including:
Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo.
Skin infections. A skin infection is possible after tattooing.
Other skin problems. Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink. Tattooing also can lead to keloids — raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.
Blood borne diseases. If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases — including tetanus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
In another article I read, I was shocked to discover that people with tattoos are treated differently, one man applied for a job, for which his qualifications made him the best candidate for the job but he didn’t get the job because when he came for the interview the interviewer saw that he had a tattoo of a spider on his neck. I thought that was insane and vowed to not have any of my tattoos visible especially to have them on my neck, face, fingers or any other part of my body that might be exposed when I am in my work clothes.Why should I be judged on my ability to work based on my tattoos ???
[related_posts]Equipped with all this knowledge of diseases, and bad choices that so many people had made, I drew out my own design and talked with several tattoo artists, friends , friends of friends and even a doctor who assured me that if I did it the right way my tattoo would be a beautiful expression of my love for my dear mother and that I had nothing to worry about. So at 21 years old ( when I was old enough ) I announced to my father I was going to get one . He made the face all fathers do when their daughters do things they don’t deem appropriate but I went ahead and did it ! I got my mum’s initials on my right back shoulder!
Tens of millions of people all across the globe have at least one tattoo, and the number keeps growing. Tattoos are not only a form of self-expression, but also a form of self-improvement. They can make you stand out from the crowd in a very original manner.
Another positive aspect is that cover-up tattoos can efficiently hide scars. Whether they come from an extended surgery or from an accident, scars are very bothersome. I met a gentleman who had a bad motorcycle crash and as a result tore the flesh off his arm his scars were, for lack of a better word,hideous. Fortunately for him, he met an experienced tattoo artist and he helpedhim completely cover up the scars!
I am proud of my tattoo and the ones that followed, I have discovered that once you get one it is very addictive, and despite having 5 I am always on the lookout for a new idea for a tattoo. Yes ,there are risks involved, but you only live once and as long as you do proper research and pick the right artist everything should be okay.
My next one will represent my life so far and all the blessings that have been bestowed on me. Any ideas?
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