Tattos Descriptive

Ana Castillo Mrs. Elliott English 11 9 October 2012 Descriptive Essay: Tattoos Tattoos are created by inserting colored materials beneath the skins surface. The skin is penetrated with a sharp too. Today colored ink and an electric needle are the material and instrument of choice. Today the practice is popular with a vast cross section of the population. Within the United States, tattoos can be found on anybody from gang members to fashion models. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word “tatu” which means “to mark something”. www. designboom. com) It is arguably claimed that tattooing has existed since 12,000 years BC. Around the year 1981, the first electric tattoo machine was registered by its inventor,

Samual O’Reilly, at the United States Patent (it was based on a machine patented by Thomas Edison, but rather than using the tool as a means to embroider fabric, which Edison did, O’Reilly’s tattoo machine as meant to “embroider” skin). When O’Reilly invested this new machine he didn’t know the whirlwind he would help create in the next years (www. reillytattoo. com). Youth and adolescence is one of the most, significant and influential moments in everyone’s life, when the youth are seeking to identify who they are. Tattooing and body piercing are one of the many ways through which young people express their own unique identity. They are symbolic representations of how they are perceived. When you are young you are trying to find your identity. Most adolescents go through several transitions one of those is more than likely trying to be the cool guy/girl.

But it is quite the opposite, because a piercing or tattoo is signifying certain changes in one’s life. It symbolizes adulthood, because you have to be 18 to get pierced or tattooed, or that appearing to be more grown up because you were able to make this life changing decision or just because you’re of the legal age and just randomly decided you wanted to get pierced or tattooed. Many people think that tattooing is dangerous. Part of this is because people don’t think that the tattoo artist sterilize their materials.

Others believe that tattoos have a high risk of infection. And the most commonly reported problem are allergic reactions. Others feel as though the pain factor is too immense. Although these fears are common they are easily prevented. Most of the people who believe these things aren’t fully informed with information. The sterilization process for the materials used is extremely important. This reduces risks of several things including infection and disease.

When people think of sterilization and risk factors concerning tattoos they have more concerns with disease then infection. This is because of the many myths that contracting AIDS or hepatitis B virus is likely. Many people do not know that there has been an actual reported case of contracting the aids virus is about two drops, which is too much compare to the amount of blood on a non-sterilized needle. So, basically the odd of contracting aids is very rare (tattotemple. hk).

Society has a tendency of negatively judging those who have tattoos or piercings. They are often stereotyped as bad people or even criminals. They are seen as lower than “clean” skin people even though you cannot judge someone’s inside based on their outside appearance. When people see an individual with “full sleeves” meaning someone with both or one arm fully tatted, a common comment that you might hear is, “I wonder what he/she works as, I bet you it’s a low wage paying job” or something similar.

But next time you in for a visit with your doctor think about what you may not be able to see. They might have a tattoo, but you cannot see underneath their lab coat. Tattoos are simply a visual way of expressing your freedom of speech. Works Cited “A Brief History of Tattoos” (2000-2010) http://www. designboom. com/history/tattoo_history. html Pang, Joey “Study At the Temple: Masterpiece Library” http://tattootemple. hk/history-of-tattooing O’Reilly, Samuels “Beginning Times” () http://www. oreillystattoo. com/OReillys_Tattoo_Parlour/Home. html