Tattoos by definition are body modifications that are caused by sticking ink into a thin layer of your skin. Most people believe tattoos are a form of expressing yourself or a type of art. Others just do it because they believe it looks pretty. Tattoos have been around since the beginning of time.  The first known tattoo was seen in South Africa of a mustache on a mummy. Tattoos although very intriguing are also a big commitment. Tattoos are meant to stay on your body forever, and the only way you can get rid of one is through painful laser surgery. Tattoos are something to really consider before you go through with it, or you’ll regret it forever.

Throughout life you see people covered head to toe with ink, and others stay like a blank canvas their whole life. Many people stereotype tattoos as a bad thing or associate it with criminals. For example, many criminals get a teardrop tatted on their face to show how much  time they spent in jail, or it can signify that the person has committed a murder of some type. For some cultures, tattoos signify the position or title you hold in the community, other times they hold significance to your family and ancestors. Before we had the equipment of modern such as needles we have now tattoos used to be given by a tool resembling wide, flattened needles. They would use soot , a black powdery or flaky substance, to use as ink for the tattoos before we had the correct tools to use. I’m pretty sure a tattoo back then is way more painful and unsanitary then now.

In the present, 2018, the law is that you can’t get a tattoo by a certified tattoo artist until you are at the legal age of 18, or get permission from a parent and they accompany you when getting the tattoo. I asked one my fellow 17-year-old classmates at my school how they obtained their ink. Their response was, “I got my tattoo by being at the right place at the right time. I was at one of my friend’s tattoo party and the tattoo artist asked who was next, and I just sat in the chair and told him what I wanted. It happened so fast, and it hurt like all get out. But in the end it was totally worth it!”

Unlike some of my classmates, I don’t have any piercings (besides my ears) or tattoos. I’ve longed for both a piercing and especially a tattoo. My parents, like most parents, said I have to wait to the legal age of 18.

All and all, tattoos are truly creative and significant. They give you another way to express yourself. I can’t wait to see how tattoos evolve in the next couple of years!