Prewriting-Tattoos

Know?
-Tattoo's can be removed.
-The Jewish religion and some christians look down on tattoos.
-Many people get tattoos for various reasons.
-Tattoos are common in the United States, but tattooing is also a form of body art practiced throughout the world.
-They can be done in any color.
-Some are more expensive than others
-It apparently hurts to get a tattoo.


Need to Know?
1. Can all tattoos be removed?
2. How are tattoos removed?
3. What are the risks that come with getting/removing a tattoo?
4. How much does it cost to get a tattoo removed?
5. The history of tattoos?
6. What are common sicknesses or diseases acquired from getting or removing tattoos?
7. How deep does a tattoo needle pierce the skin?
8. How do people express themselves with tattoos/motivations for getting tattoos?
9. What are the roles of tattoos in some cultures?
10. What organizations, groups, or affiliations prompt people to get tattoos?


Answers-
1. It seems all tattoos can be removed but only to a certain extent. Some will leave more of a scar than others, or can be removed more than others. It all depends on the size of the tattoo, the colors used, location, how long the person has had the tattoo, how it was applied, and the person's natural healing process. Regardless, once something is put on your skin like that, there is no way to heal it 100%. An older tattoo or a tattoo that was done by a more experienced artist may be easier to remove.

2. Tattoos are usually removed by dermatologic surgeons. Some older, more painful, less succesful methods are dermabrasion, cryosurgery, and excision. These were initiated in the late 1980's. Dermabrasion involves sanding the skin where the tattoo is to remove the surface and middle layers. Cryosurgery is when the area is frozen before it is removed. Lastly, excision is where the dermatologic surgeon removes the tattoo with a scalpel. In cases with larger tattoo's a skin graft may be necessary to cover the area. The area is then stictched. The most popular and current tattoo removal tactic is laser removal. The risks are much lower and the procedure is bloodless. It can either be completed in one or several visits to the dermatologic surgeon. The laser technique is called Q-switching.

3. Getting and recieving a tattoo is painful. Side effects of laser procedures are hyperpigmentation which is color in the skin at the treatment site, and hypopigmentation, where the place where the tattoo is removed does not match the color of the other skin. Infection, lack of complete pigment removal and a 5 percent chance of permanent scarring are some other side affects. Also, people sometimes get infections or diseases like HIV/AIDS from unsterile tattoo needles. If the tattoo artist is not careful skin reactions can also occur.  (Discovery Health "How Tattoo Removal Works) Another risk is getting a tattoo you won't be satisfied with later in life. A lot of jobs require you to cover up a tattoo while at work. If you get tattooed somewhere like your face or arms it may be difficult to get a job if you can not conceal the tattoo. Also, later in life you just may not want the tattoo because it was something you rushed into when you were young. Then you have to pay to get it removed, which runs several more risks. (Tattooing Tips)

4. Laser tattoo removal can cost several hundred dollars or even thousands. But the cost depends on the size, type, where the tattoo is, and the number of visits required to remove the tattoo. Medical insurance does not usually cover tattoo removal. (Discovery Health "How Tattoo Removal Works)

5. The farthest evidence of tattoos seem to date back to ancient Egyptian times. (History and Archaeology-Smithsonian Magazine) There is evidence that they used tattoos as early as 4000 B.C. The Japanese also tattooed themselves. The different cultures participated in these acts for religious and cultural beliefs. In 1891 the first electric tattooing machine was patented to Samuel O'Reilly. The first tattoo parlor in the United States was the one he opened in New York City. Tattoos started to become very popular among men in the service somewhere around the first and second World War. (United States Tattoo History) In 1961 tattoos were illegal in the state of New York. It seems ridiculous since that is where the first tattoo parlor was opened. The City Health Department deemed it necessary to illegalize tattoos after they linked tattooing to an outbreak of Hepatitis B in the Big Apple. Tattoo artists worked out of their homes or in the underground society of New York. Several also offered the service in the back or basement of stores. Finally, thirty six years later, in 1997 tatto artists of New York banded together and took the case of legalizing tattoos to court. They won and held the first New York Tattoo Convention in May of 1997. (NYC24: Legalizing Tattoos)

6. Some diseases that can stem from unsanitary tattoo creation and removal are Hepatitis B and C, HIV, tetanus and about any other blood-borne diseases. Some other chronic skin diseases that have been reported are sarcoid, keloid scarring, allergic dermatitis, photosensitivity reactions, hemorrhaging, psoriasis, and benign or malignant tumors. When someone gets a tattoo they are at such a high risk for infection because a tattooing machine can pierce the skin 3,000 times a minute which makes a person very susceptible to blood-borne diseases. (Deadly Little Secret)
From a study of tattoos........"Dr. Haley concludes, "We found that commercially acquired tattoos accounted for more than twice as many hepatitis C infections as injection-drug use."When you consider hepatitis B can be transmitted with as little as 0.00004 ml of blood, and can live on blood contaminated surfaces, such as needles, tattoo machines, tables, etc. for over two months, the risk of hepatitis is very real indeed." (Deadly Little Secret) Tattoo artists are required to use disposable needles that are discarded after EVERY use. However, some do not follow these rules and disease is spread. Not disposing of a used tattoo needle is the same as sharing drug needles with strangers. Their blood and body fluid are being transferred into your body. Also, improper cleaning of the workspace or tattoo parlor exposes the next customer to body fluids and blood of the person before them. A needle that touches anything else like the floor or the unclean work table before it touches your skin can also carry infection. Lastly, the tattoo artist should not reuse ink caps. They should be thrown out and a new set should be used for each customer. (FAQ)

7. The ink is injected into the dermis which is the second layer of skin. A foot switch is used to turn on the machine, which moves the needle in and out while driving the ink about 1/8 inch (about 3 millimeters) into your skin. (Kid's Health).

8.  Some people who get tattoos use tattooing as a form of art to decorate their bodies (Speckman). It is believed by some that getting a tattoo can amplify one’s attractiveness and reflect one’s personal identity (Speckman). Tattooing the name of a loved one who has passed is another form of self-expression through remembrance. (Speckman).Lovers permanently imprint each other’s names on their own bodies to prove their love, friends choose identical designs as symbols of their friendship, and rock stars get tattoos to show how hard core they can be.
Breast cancer tattoos invariably have a deep meaning to their wearers; they have either survived the disease themselves, have a loved one who has suffered with it, or want to make a bold statement in support of cancer research. Whatever the reason, the symbols and designs used for breast cancer tattoos show onlookers the strength and courage of the person who displays them (Lehoux).
One of the most common symbols you will see with breast cancer tattoos is the pink ribbon. There are other symbols like the suicide prevention symbol and other cancer ribbons. Survivors sometimes get tattoos to represent their accomplishment and courage (Tattoo Ideas).

9. Born under the sign of the gods
Ethiopia
If African people use cicatrization as an indicator of their social status, women apply this technique as a beauty make-up. This is because, in the African culture, the more symbols you have "sculpted" in your skin, the more you are considered to be purer, closer to the gods and vicariously, more beautiful, spiritual and physically.

The Moroccan weddingMorocco/Mali

A young Moroccan woman tattooed her hands with henna. The symbols represent eternal happiness, prosperity and fertility. The girl will be married very soon, and for her people, the henna taboos which are only made in the holy month of the Ramadan, are absolutely mandatory (they say that, beyond their diverse magical powers, they enhance the bride's beauty).(Walters).

Many Americans get Bald Eagles or the American flag to represent national pride. Other countries get their flags as well as a sign of nationalism.

In many Native American cultures there is a belief that everything in the universe has meaning and humans were meant to pay attention and to respect nature. Native American tattoos are a way of having a particular spirit with people at all times, especially in uncertain times when help is needed. Native American tattoos that depict animals for example may be reminiscent of astrology in that they can represent they type of person you are, based on an animal’s character.  Native American tattoos representing the animals of the zodiac is said to have that animal spirit with the person throughout their lives. Other Native American tattoos can depict nature, such as the wind. Many Native Americans believed the wind was a living entity in and of itself. The power of symbolism is great indeed and is a way to get to know ourselves and the world we live in. Native American tattoos are a great way to show individuality and to honor and respect those who fought to live in harmony with nature (Native).

10. Amulets, status symbols, declaration of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments, and forms of punishment. Religious tattoos can be a symbol of faith and spirituality even thought a verse in the bible says tattoos are a sin. The Jewish and Islamic religion also looks down upon tattoos. Regardless, this can be a spiritual representation of one's culture. Christianity: Crosses, angels, doves, praying hands, Bible versus'. Islamic: Koran, crescent with a star, angels. Buddhist: Bodhi Tree, Buddha image, Lotus. Hindu: Lines and circles (no special prohibition against tattooing). Jewish: Star of David, Hebrew writing (Religious).

Tattoos have always been used as a means to identify members with particular gangs. Members use tattoos for several reasons. Some members will have numerous tattoos, particularly if they have spent time in prison. These tattoos may include one or more symbols that has been adopted as something unique to identify it’s members.
Tattoos such as a tear drop under an eye or a spider web represent prison time. Many members will have their name tattooed in large bold letters so that rival members will be intimidated.

It is clear that tattoos have been adopted by mainstream society even though not too many middle-class wannabes are willing to get facial tattoos, or tattoos on their hands - practices common amongst members.

Mark Sands, 39, is an Army veteran and tattoo artist at Performance Tattoo in Fayetteville, N.C. Sands said soldiers usually receive tattoos immediately before and immediately after their deployments. "They get more memorial stuff on the way back," he said. Sands will never forget the soldier who wanted a memorial tattoo on his back to include the names of 18 friends who died during deployment. The soldier was still wearing his in-patient bracelet from a mental health care facility. "It seems like he needed to get it done," Sands said, explaining that sometimes tattoos help soldiers heal (Russo).

Fifty years ago, tattoos were viewed as rebellious signatures, or as something done on an inebriated whim, Radojevich-Kelley said. Such markings started to become more mainstream due to the tattooed punk movement of the 1980s, and younger generations — even those going through business school and looking to be corporate leaders one day — have ramped it up, she said (Sealover).