I find tatoos repulsive but I also find the craze hilarious. There are going to be some truly embarrassed folks and some truly funny situations as a result of the wave of tatoos over the last decade. Older folks, such as myself, think about the idiotic styles that we actually wore in our youth. THANK GOD they were not permanent and can that we can haul them out of the basement or buy them at a second hand store when it is time for a retro party. I sometimes laugh out loud when I see some poor schmuck with a giant dragon over half his upper body that he thinks is soooooooooooooooo cool right now. Yah, so were afros and leisure suits.

Chuckle.

I have absolutely nothing against tattoos. Branding, on the other hand makes my skin crawl. Some of the work that I have seen is gorgeous, and in my mind, art. However, I am quiet sure that some of my friends will doubt the wisdom of some of their tattoos when they get older. A fairy on the upper arm may be cute when you're in your 20's, but it is not going to look the same when you're 80! That being said, I must admit to some bias, I do have a small tattoo which is easily kept under wraps.

As for what occurs in a hospital to those with lower back tattoos... Let's just say that I have never come across an official policy to that effect.

I do think the business to be in about 20 years from now will be tattoo removal simply because of the lack of foresight in making some of the more unfortunate tattoo decisions. You do have to wonder what possesses someone to want a permanent mark of "Calvin & Hobbs" or "Tweetybird" on their ankle?

The tattoos that fascinate me are one that people have gotten in remembrance or in tribute to loved ones or to mark momentous changes in their lives. (ie. getting over addition/abuse)

Is there a question here? I mean, "only for the young" is answerable easily enough: no. Besides that?

A: No

Personally I spent a good amount of time reflecting on the body art that I have chosen for myself. Using the human body as a canvas to express Self is as age old as our attempts at creativity. As with anything, I feel that there needs to be reflection and consideration as to what I have imprinted upon myself. And after close to 2 decades since my first one, I feel a great connexion with where I have been and where I continue to journey.

I do wonder often if the resistance to tattooing is more about cultural expectations of what is normal than those who choose to express themselves. With body piercing now, I again wonder if this is more of a commentary on the migration towards a more sanitised and regimented society and the reaction to that tendency.

Blessings.

To Blah: Sorry if I didn't post a more stimulating, thought-provoking question for you. I thought it was okay to voice whatever ponderings you might have here. I guess I was just curious as to what people think when they get tattoos, if they consider the future when making the decision, what this generation will look like as pierced, tattooed seniors, or, who knows, perhaps there are some people out there who think we shouldn't even tamper with our God-given image. I don't know. But my question to you is if you aren't interested in a forum why bother weigh in at all?

i have a tattoo of the rebel insignia from star wars on my lower back, and i LOVE it. i've had it for about six years now, actually... my husband and i decided to get tatoos when we celebrated our 10th anniversary. our wedding colours were red and black, and so we each have different designs, but they are in red and black. he has aborigional heritiage, so he has a haida orca whale design on his calf. it is beautiful.

personally, i could care less what people think. for me, the day i start worrying about someone thinking my tatoo is wierd or whatever is the day i need to look at it and remind myself that the only one i need to be true to is me!!! and i'm looking forward to having it when i'm in my twilight years... something to talk about besides my sagging breasts and bad knees!!!

My perspective is from Tattoos as a sacrament.

I decided to get Tattooed as a sign of my faith when I was about 28. It took me about ten years to research and decide on exactly what designs to have.

The problem with young people, especially teenagers getting tattoos is that they rarely think of long term consequences. I know that when I'm 90, God willing, I will still find inspiriation from my visible expression of faith. The 20 year old in the booth next to me at the time may not be so pleased with her facial tattoos when she's older.

It wasn't that it wasn't stimulating or thought provoking, it's just it didn't seem to be a question at all. We already had a thread on tattoos recently, which focused on whether they are acceptable for religious people. So yeah. A little direction would have been nice.

On the other hand, if you just wanted people to weigh in with their thoughts about tattoos and piercings in general, then that's a whole other thing.

Personally, I think body modification is great. It's forcing us to reconsider the meaning of "human," and to think about to what degree we can change our physical bodies, and what changing our physical bodies means in various ways.

For example, thousands of women a year get cosmetic surgery on their breasts. Why shouldn't I be able to go to a doctor to get horns? And if I do, does that change me in some essential way?

@ Witch

Thank you for the powerful naming of sacrament in this regard. I think of the Maori and their use of Ta moko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C4%81_moko) and the import of this art form. The use of sacrament seems very appropriate to me in this regard.

Blessings.

Blah....so.....I think if you get horns it makes you horny.

If a 20 year old young woman had a tatoo of a rosebud placed on her breast, when she was 70 -- would it look like a long stemmed begonnia?

Just wondering???

I have no problems with tats when they are well thought out and hold meaning for the person wearing them.

My babysitter has many many tattoo's ... she is working on a sleeve (full arm of tats from shoulder to wrist) and I have to say I am worried for her later on. She is 19 and obviously loves her tats, but I look at them and think "when she's 30 - 50 - 70, will she still want the unorganized and disjointed images on her body?" There's no point to her tats ... she just keeps picking ones that she thinks are cute -- there's little devils and hearts and mostly anime characters ... but none of them are related to eachother and none of them are well done.

My girlfriend has 2 full sleeves, but it is well thought out and there are symbols and artwork that she loves on her arm. I know that she will be fine with them later in life because she thought it out so well.

I'd love one ... but I just can't think of an image that I'd still want to look at when I'm 60, so I've got some piercings. They are far less permanent.

I am thinking about getting my nipples pierced. The big toe hoop will help me when I am older to lift my leg.
Back to my corner now

Like Witch, it took me about 10 years to settle on the symbol I wanted to represent my spiritual path before I got it tattooed on. I am happy with it now and will be happy with always. I am thinking of getting another as well.

But that was my 2nd tattoo. My first was a homemade-job in Grade 8. For years after I was worried it marked me as a bad boy. Now I don't think it made any difference at all. But it's still with me and part of my journey too. Hardly anybody can figure out what it is.

--- origionally posted by IBelieve ----
If a 20 year old young woman had a tatoo of a rosebud placed on her breast, when she was 70 -- would it look like a long stemmed begonnia?

________________________________________

ROTFLMAO!!!

hey hey hey, i'd be durn PROUD of that begonia!!!

thanks for the laugh, IBelieve!!!!

and also ...

ROTFLMAO@ stephen...

girl, THAT is how i'm feeling right now... everymorning i have to roll them up just to put on my bra...

lol at the rosebud/begonia thing. I have always told my husband that if he ever got the eagle tattoo he wanted when he was younger, by the time he was in the home, it's look like a pterydactyl!

now onto what i'd like to say about tattoos.

I personally have 3. I have intertwining horoscope signs of leo and gemini on my ankle, a memorial for my grandmother (which i slighty regret, as the artist didn't do a very good job) and japanese kanji on my shoulder for my daughter. Each of my tattoos have specific meaning to me, and each is very easily hidden.

My husband has a sock (from the knee down) of celtic artwork to symbolize his irish heritage, with each piece being from the book of kells and other traditional sources, a celtic cross on his shoulder as a memorial to his younger brother who passed, a traditional chinese dragon for our daughter who was born in the year of the dragon and the same intertwining horoscopes as i do.

Where tattoos are placed can have meaning. (for example, the person who had the compass on the foot, good choice!) In my husbands sock, he has fighting dogs flanking a scar that has a protective dragon over it, to represent him protecting his brother from 2 fighting dogs, which resulted in the large scar.

As for the age thing. My dad got his first tattoo in his 50's. he has 2 now and one is something he fought for and one is a part of who he is. so to me age is what you make it. if you want a tattoo when you're younger, think it out!!!! if you want a tattoo when you're older, why not?

(i do watch Miami Ink at every chance, and i would love to have work done by Chris Garver and Kat)

thats mine...

thats my husbands.

i love them!!!

The style of tattooing "badges" apparently randomly on the body has a venerable history. It's generally known as "American style" tattooing.

Also, bodily beauty is always the province of the young. Old people tend not to have beautiful bodies in the way that we see young people's bodies as beautiful at any rate. So if their tattoos are a little faded or distorted, so what?

I agree with Blah's last comment. When you are 70-80 are you really going to bethat hung up on your image. Lets face it people most of us are going to look...OLD. Sorry fi that was harsh no offence intended. Also another neat idea I heard of was a dad had his kids write their names on his hands with markers and then he had a tattoo artist fill them in (his kids were fairly young so it was very scrawly and unneat) although I believe it was something of a bad boy rocker who did this I thought it was a sweet (both meanings intended) tattoo to get.

Peace

Joel

I got a tattoo about 6 months after I turned 18. Without telling anyone, I was thinking about getting one for longer than that. My friends got their first done around their 18th birthdays (6 months before mine) so I took about a year to think about it. When I said I wanted one, everyone was surprised. I asked one of these friends to draw a true-looking maple leaf (no like all those fake ones, such as our flag) in green and red. She did and it looks beautiful. I went to the parlour to get it done and decided to get it about the size of a hockey puck on the back of my left shoulder. It's hidden unless I'm not wearing a shirt. I love it still and look at it occasionally. I think it's a great thing.

As for the age thing, my grandmother got one done when she was 60. It was a rose on her foot and it looked good. She had hers before I had mine, but not by much. :D

my 57 year old mom is actually considering one now, too!!!

Hon, I think this is a great question! If you've got something on your mind , then say it.. So- about tattoos. Go for it girl!! Don't worry about that Tibetan whatsit or Pennsylvanian hoozit when you're 70! At least when you're 70 you won't have to worry about epidurals. So maybe you should wait until menopause before you get one! Seriously, it's all about enjoying this life we have isn't it? If we worry too much about the future, well, I know i would have had a lot less whoopee if you know what i mean. And in this day and age, if something no longer floats your boat then , the implants can come out, the hair can be dyed, and the tats can be removed.
Personally I don't like them for me.

Hey Sigh ... your mom rocks!!

whataboutme I wonder why they wont let you donate blood, if you have a piercing or tattoo?

WELL I AM 27 AN I AM WORKING ON MY FIRST TATTOO AND I LOVE IT. I TOOK A LONG TIME TO DECIDE WHAT I WANT. I DO AGREE THAT SOME PEOPLE REALLY DON'T THINK TO MUCH ABOUT IT BEFORE THEY DO IT BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS THERE BODY AND THEY CAN DO WHAT EVER THEY WANT TO. IF YOU REALLY DON'T LIKE SOMEONES TATTOO WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE THEM????? MY TATTOO IS ABOUT MY FAITH AND TRUST IN THE LOARD. I DO REALIZE THAT WHEN I GET OLDER IT MAY NOT LOOK AS GOOD AS IT DOES NOW BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT I AM GOING TO BE WALKING AROUND WITH OUT A SHIRT ON THEN EITHER. AS FOR THE EPIDURAL THE ONLY TIME THAT THEY WON'T PERFORM THAT IS IF THE TATTOO WAS JUST DONE. AFTER IT HAS BEEN THERE AND HEALED THE INK DRIES AND CAN NOT EFFECT ANYTHING. I DON'T THINK THAT TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS ARE ONLY FOR THE YOUNG. I THINK THAT IF YOU ARE HAPPY WITH IT THEN ALL THE POWER TO YOU. YOU ARE THE ONE THAT HAS TO LIVE WITH IT SO YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH IT. AS FOR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK WHY DOES THAT MATTER?? WELL THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR NOW THANKS FOR READING.....
NICK.

Another anecdote: I have a friend who upon turning 18 had a fairly large tatto emblazoned upon the area between her lower chest and neck. Nedless to say this partially went upon her breast. When asked if she was worried about certain areas saggin she said that at that age she probably would not be wearing low cut shirts in her old age.

Peace

Joel

I think tattoos are for anyone, any age. I choose a Celtic Motherhood Knot on my mid back as my tattoo. I got the tattoo after my third child was born. I'm not concerned about how I'll feel about it when I'm old, I'll consider that when I'm actually old. I can't imagine I'd be ashamed of something that celebrates my most proud accomplishment.

Frankly, I couldn't care what others think, I got the tattoo for me.

Thanks for all the input and sharing. That's what I was looking for. I don't think of tattoos as a shallow, spur of the moment, bad art decisions but permanent memorials to whatever you hold most dear. And yeah, maybe when you are really old 1.) you won't care and 2.) it'll be the perfect thing to spark memories when yours start fading

Tattoos have been a feature of every known civilization since the beginning of recorded history, and have had spiritual, magical, social, personal, decorative and artistic significance (among other things).

I am not getting any tatoos. Not that I think it is a sin but I don't want all those needles poking me.

My other thought was if I got a butterfly on my ankle in 50 years I would get tired of looking at it.

But like Witch said if it was a symbol of my faith I would not get tired of it. But all the needles poking me I still don't want to think about it. I really hate needles.

hmmmm.... i'm sensing that you don't like needles, serena...

This is a cry for help. Our 18 year old grandson, we are told, has a tatoo running up his leg, across and up his side. We understand it is a series of little fish swimming up stream. His mother says he just can't wait to come over and show it to his Grandmother and Grampa.
He has paid his hard earned money for this, and is very proud of it. We love our grandson. How should we react?

hey gopher...

just try and find something you like about it, and compliment the heck out of it. even if its just the colour of the fish.

i remember when i was a kid, and i learned how to say something in ukrainian, and i couldn't wait to tell my great grandmother, or baba... when i got there, i was just BEAMING, and so proud of myself. well, when i said it, she didn't understand it at all, and was trying to correct my grammar.

i was DEVASTATED. i cried for days.

please don't do that to your grandson. he sounds like he is genuinely excited to show you what he's done. please, just find something about it you like and be happy for him.

thats my 2 cents!!!

Meh. I don't think you have to like it. As long as you don't screech "OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOURSELF!!" whatever you say will probably be fine.

Gopher, another way to approach it is to simply ask questions about the design and what it means to him. It shows that you are interested but you don't have to express approval if you don't really approve (or like it). If you like the colors or something, tell him that. Just don't ask whether it hurt or how much it cost.

Why not ask if it hurt? That's probably the number one question.

Because it is the number one question, number two is "how much did it cost" People with tattoos usually consider the level of pain and the cost to be personal matters. The tattoo should be the subject, not how much pain or money was involved. The answers are: "Yes" (from sunburn like pain to quite painful), and " a lot". Another question that can be touchy is "why did you get it?" -- this can put the person on the defensive. It is better to ask if there are any meaning to a particular tattoo.

Yes, but these aren't strangers, they're family. And they're not young people who are knowledgeable about tattoos.

When I was 41, my best friend and my lover (2 different people) accompanied me to get my tattoo. It's a socialist rose inset within the symbol for women and I really like it, although there are a couple of spots that need touching up. Since it's just above my breast, I fully expect it to sag as I do over the years and it probably will look like a begonia at some point. That's true living art!

It was a wonderful experience, akin to ritual, and I am glad everytime I look at it. (I plan to have those spots fixed soon but I've had another child in the interim and was breastfeeding for a long time so that had to wait.) I am thinking about a second.

Serena, I know that some folks have problems with needles but I swear, it really didn't hurt. It was more like a buzzing sensation with the odd slight pinch.

I am/was going to get a body percing but now rethinking this situation. Only younger children around ages 10-15 want one because they are "cool". I find them interesting in manyways but the thought of what could go wrong during pregancy and/or infections. During Labour.\, a woman might have to be given a needle through the lower back. Woman with tattoos on there lower back can't get that needle with out some ink comming off and hurting the baby.

My theory on Piercing's and Tattoos is not to get them unless it is under surcomstances witch are resloveable by getting one or the other.( also if it is to get one because you are remembering a pasted-one, it is ok to get them). People out there should just consider the consiquences of medical and emotional issues before this procedure is done.

That claim about epidurals is an urban myth. Anyway, how would tattoo ink leaking from your lower back hurt a baby during childbirth? They come out from the other side.... the biology simply doesn't work.

Do we dare place holes or ink into what is not ours?
We are God Holy Temple, leave it alone, it is not yours.

thank you door57 for that very deep and thoughtful post.

Now, on to reality. Does our body accompany us into the afterlife? Or, does it sit here on Earth and rot into dirt? I don't think God cares what holes or inks we put into ourselves.

Also, and correct me if I'm wrong, but by your reasoning nobody should be cutting hair, shaving, going to the dentist, going to the doctor, cutting our nails, wear glasses, etc. Any of these things would be against the plan that God has for us, or else we wouldn't have to do them in the first place, right? I mean...if God wanted our hair and nails to be short, wouldn't they just...be short? If God wanted our faces or armpits and legs hair-free, wouldn't they be? If God wanted our eyesight and hearing to be perfect...why should they be anything less?

my body is MINE.

" Do we dare place holes or ink into what is not ours?
We are God Holy Temple, leave it alone, it is not yours. "

Wow, that definitly sounds like the brain-washing Christianity that scares away the curious.

I'm freshly 18 and have a tattoo. My tattoo spirals up my right arm. It is seven black outlined stars in three different sizes. It looks very appealing and not one bit trashy. It is not finished because it is a tattoo that I can build upon during the years. I am planning to put little starbursts/fairy dust between the stars to show that they follow eachother. I can also put the initials of my future children inside the stars or whatever I choose.
The significance of my tattoo is this;
-seven stars reprecent the 7 Chakras. (The chakras are thought to vitalise the physical body and to be associated with interactions of a physical, emotional and mental nature. They are considered loci of life energy, or prana, (also called shakti, or chi), which is thought to flow among them along pathways called nadis. The function of the chakras is to spin and draw in this Universal Life Force Energy to keep the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health of the body in balance.).
-to myself, stars represent something that is constant, will never change, something that guides me and when I have nothing in the world to look up to, I can look at the stars in myself.

Not to mention my goal is to be a Gangsta-Grandma. I'm gonna be so rad.

Leviticus 19:28
You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.

Uh huh. So do you follow all the rules of Leviticus, or just that one?

seriously.
ever gotten your hair cut, door?? eaten shellfish??? cause that is against levitical law too.