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June 10, 2006
Tattoos and American Youth
CNN.com has an interesting article, Tattoo nation -- the U.S. is getting inked, which summarizes the findings in a new survey.
Here are some of the statements I found interesting:
...about 36 percent of Americans age 18 to 29 with at least one tattoo......24 percent of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. Two surveys from 2003 suggested just 15 percent to 16 percent of U.S. adults had a tattoo.
"Really, nowadays, the people who don't have them are becoming the unique ones," said Chris Keaton, a tattoo artist and president of the Baltimore Tattoo Museum.
The survey also found that what your mother may have told you about who has tattoos is true: People who drink, do drugs, have been jailed or forgo religion are more likely to be tattooed.
Nearly one in four [with piercings] reported medical problems, including skin infections. Among those with mouth or tongue piercings, an equal proportion reported chipped or broken teeth.
So I'm becoming more unique the longer I go without getting inked or pierced? How odd...it always seemed that proving uniqueness and individualism was why people got it done in the first place.
By the way, here's one example why tongue piercings aren't such a hot idea.
Posted by Craig in Society / Politics
Comments
I have several tattoos and most of them stay covered. I don't have anything obscene. I chose to start when I was 21 and when I started I had two goals in mind. Something that I would cherish and something as my kind of keepsake/memorial. I have my children on me, I have a memorial to my grand father on me and I have my daily reminders of putting my best foot forward. I don't regret any of my tattoos. Again I did not go for flash or something that cost me an arm and a leg. I wanted to have something that i could always look at and say to any of my children that is your tattoo. My children and ALL CATHOLIC family don't find any problems with my ink work. Their reasoning is because it is tastefully done and I can cover them for family functions. Not that I have to but it is a nice gesture towards the elderly in my family.
Posted by: malisha at January 2, 2000 9:19 AM
And I'll lay good odds that the PR person for the "Baltimore Tattoo Museum" is the reason that made it onto CNN in the first place.
Getting a henna (non-permanant) tattoo actually sounds like it might be fun for a special occasion (like a beach vacation), but anything involving needles and pain? Heck no.
Side note - The Jewish religion forbids both tattoos and ear piercing. Obviously that's not universally followed (says the Jew with pierced ears) ;-)
Posted by: fiat lux at June 10, 2006 11:15 PM
You would not believe the number of people I see with nasty infections due to tatooing and piercing. Endocarditis (heart infection) due to tatoos (The bug is usually streptococcus... from the skin of the person getting the tatoo), tongue piercings... 100% infection rate. Proves to me that I am glad I let my ear piercings close up years ago.
Posted by: Renee at June 11, 2006 9:35 PM
I got me a tattoo. I'd been wanting one for a VERY long time, but given the permanence of them, took a while to come to a decision. No, it's not a Transformers logo or anything like that. It's a bit of celtic knotwork. A type of lover's knot. Essentially it's two trinity knots (one each for my wife and I in each of our favorite colors) held together by an 8 (for infinity) in a mock silver tone of gray. The tattoo parlor made me sign a release that said that I wasn't drunk or high and that I understood the risks. I saw their autoclave and watched him open fresh needles, and all that. The pain, while painful, wasn't all that bad. Though I hear that the upper arm is one of the least sensitive for this kind of torment, and that ankles and the inside of the arms, and other places are much more difficult to bear the pain of getting tattooed on.
Anyway, I love my tattoo, and most who see me would never guess that I even have one. Most who know me wouldn't either, until I show them. hehe. ;-)
Posted by: Greg at June 12, 2006 9:44 PM
What seems to be true for the USA, seems to be equally true for Europe. Can it be linked with the global level of "intelligence" among the population of the western world ?
Lot of those tatoo are meaningless/vulgar.
Tam
Posted by: [tourist].Tam at April 24, 2007 5:17 AM