Throughout history, much has been written about tattoos, which are designs on the skin made with needles and colored ink, and body piercing, which is the practice of piercing a part of the human body to create an opening in the that jewelry can be worn. Naturally, there are many opinions as to why people will wear tattoos and body piercing. People often have negative and preconceived opinions when they see someone with tattoos and body piercings. Many people claim that they get tattoos as a means of self-reflection on their identity, life goals, and interests. Since tattoos and piercings are so popular, this must be true. The purpose of this article is not to encourage or condemn tattoos and body piercing. The purpose is to explain what tattoos and body piercing are, to explain the dangers, and to express the need to carefully evaluate the choice of getting a tattoo or piercing.
Tattoos are designs on the skin made with needles and colored ink. Permanent makeup is a type of tattoo. The word tattoo comes from a Tahitian word meaning ‘to mark’ and dates back to 3300 BC Tattoos were found on Egyptian and Nubian mummies dating to around 2000 BC.
Body piercing is the practice of piercing a part of the human body to create an opening into which jewelry can be worn. One can have body piercings on almost any part of the body. The history of body piercing is obscured by a lack of scholarly references and popular misinformation; however, there is evidence that shows that it has been practiced since ancient times, in various forms and by both sexes, throughout the world.
There is a difference between body decoration and self mutilation. Experts agree that cutting is not piercing and is a symptom of serious psychological problems
Tattoos are usually permanent, and piercings can leave scars. Tattoos and piercings are difficult and expensive to undo.
Because there are several concerns about tattooing during pregnancy, it’s probably best to wait until after delivery.
Laws in some states prohibit children from getting tattoos and piercings because children do not have the experience or ability to assess the dangers. Laws require minors to have parental permission to get a tattoo. However, some teens get tattoos from friends or hobbyists using makeshift tools like pens and paper clips with little to no sanitary precautions. This is extremely dangerous. You should only get a tattoo from a licensed tattoo artist who takes proper safety precautions.
Long-term negative consequences may be related to large, excessive, and unacceptable tattoos and multiple piercings.
Hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS are two of the many diseases that can be transmitted with a dirty needle. Hepatitis B is a serious infection of the liver. HIV/AIDS is a life-threatening disease that prevents your body from fighting off other infections.
Each piercing offers risks such as bacterial infections, nerve damage, excessive bleeding, and allergic reactions to particular jewelry. Some scars extend beyond the original wound, and other scars extend to the margin of the wound and no further.
Ear piercing is very common and is unlikely to cause an infection if done correctly. One should avoid removing the earrings during the first four weeks of healing. Earrings need to be worn most of the time for the first year or the holes can easily close up.
Tongue piercing recovery requires time and patience to avoid problems. One needs to use an alcohol-free mouthwash three times a day and use ice during the healing process of about three weeks to reduce swelling. Tongue piercing can be risky for some people. One study reported that tongue rings can cause gum recession. This may result in a required root canal or other oral surgeries. Rings can result in chipped teeth.
Belly button piercing became popular after the early 1970s and is more common among women, but many men have this piercing as well. The minimum healing time is normally six months, but a year is not uncommon.
Nipple piercing is common for both men and women. People have many reasons for getting their nipples pierced. Men and women report that the procedure increases sensations and others report that it decreases sensations. Healing time varies from four months to over a year. Scarring or nipple development after piercing is common and the risks should be understood prior to nipple piercing. The nipple can be expected to grow in response to stimulation from the piercing and jewelry. This is more common in small undeveloped female nipples and male nipples. This nipple growth can be very nice, or it can be very unattractive.
Nose piercing dates back to around 1500 B.C. The most common nose piercing is in the nostril, although placement on the septum or bridge of the nose is not uncommon. A nose piercing takes anywhere from two months to a year of tender care to heal.
The piercing holes are usually closed if you no longer wear the jewelry.
The Association of Professional Piercers is a California-based international non-profit organization dedicated to disseminating vital health and safety information about body piercing to piercers.
If you decide to get a tattoo or body piercing, be sure to go to a licensed center and take the time to discuss safety procedures with the artists working at the tattoo shop or parlor.