LEISURE - body art is a form of expression

YOUR parents will loathe the idea, of course, but if you are like any other young, expressive adult in Britain, you’ve probably given some thought to having a tattoo or body piercing, or both. Your parents will tell you that you’ll regret it later in life, which you probably will, but you probably won’t let that stop you. What you will regret is choosing the wrong tattooist’s parlour and paying a hefty price with your health.

For many people, especially you youngsters, body piercings and tattoos are part of self expression. However, unlike other more typical forms of self expression, such as makeup, clothing and hair styles, body art can lead to complications that range from irritating to dangerous.

The biggest mistake people make is being impulsive about tattoos and body piercings, like being tempted into a parlour on holiday only to come home with a nasty infection. It may sound dull and dreary listing the possible outcomes of getting a tattoo or body piercing but, in the wrong hands, you run the risk of localised infection, allergic reaction, scarring and exposure to life-threatening blood-borne infections, including hepatitis C and HIV.

If you are thinking of getting a piercing in your tongue, belly button, eyebrow, lips, nipples or other unmentionables, you should be aware that the risks are surprisingly high, even in the right hands. An estimated one in four people will develop some type of infection. Nerve damage is also a risk as is your body’s rejection of what is essentially a foreign object. Health experts advise that the piercing of the tongue, upper ear, genitals and nipples should be avoided as these pose a higher risk of infection. You have been warned.

Tattoos are created by repeatedly injecting ink into the upper layer of the skin. This may take around 45 minutes for a small tattoo or many hours or even repeated visits for more complicated designs. Aside from causing plenty of pain, you should be aware of the risk of skin and blood infections, allergic reactions to the pigments and thick, ugly scars called keloids. Hygiene is essential during and after the procedure.

However, the most common reason people with tattoos seek medical care is that they want the tattoo removed. You might be comforted by the fact that laser technology does make it possible to have a tired old tattoo removed, but this is a difficult, painful and expensive procedure that will probably result in scarring. Some colours are difficult if not impossible to remove entirely. The message is that you should never get a tattoo done if you hope one day to simply delete it with no trace.

Unlike getting a new haircut or outfit, you will have to live with your tattoo for the rest of your life, which will involve you being wrinkly and old at some point. This maybe something to carefully consider if you plan on tattooing above or below the T-shirt or bikini mark.

If you are still gung ho on the idea, at least choose your piercing or tattoo studio wisely. Only consider a reputable piercing or tattoo studio with well-trained staff. To evaluate cleanliness and safety, check that equipment is sterilised in an autoclave machine between each use and that they are happy to unwrap needles and inks in front of you.