Body art (tattoo) is a popular type of body alteration in many cultures. People acquire tattoos to show their cultures, passions, identities, and so on. While tattoos are important to many cultures and have grown in popularity, they do have a number of drawbacks. The top 5 benefits and drawbacks of having tattoos on your body are listed below.
Pros
- Tattoos are culturally significant
- Tattoos are an individual’s self-identity or expression of beliefs
- Tattoos may boost your confidence and motivations
- Tattoos may serve as life-long memories
- Tattoos can cover up scars on your body
Cons
- Tattoos may lead to infections on your body
- You may not be able to donate your blood for a certain period after you get a tattoo
- You may not qualify for certain jobs or profession because of tattoos
- Tattoos are considered rude in some cultures
- Getting a tattoo can be very painful
“I am a canvas of my experiences, my story is etched in lines and shading, and you can read it on my arms, my legs, my shoulders, and my stomach.”
Kat Von D
Let’s put this into context by comparing the two in a table.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tattoos are culturally significant | Tattoos may lead to infections on your body |
| Tattoos are an individual’s self-identity or expression of beliefs | You may not be able to donate your blood for a certain period after you get a tattoo |
| Tattoos may boost your confidence and motivations | You may not qualify for some jobs because of tattoos |
| Tattoos may serve as life-long memories | Tattoos are considered rude in some cultures |
| Tattoos can cover up scars on your body | Getting a tattoo can be very painful |
Few facts about tattoos:
- Your skin is pierced 50 to 3000 times per minute by a tattoo machine.
- Religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have traditionally been opposed to tattooing.
- The first tattoo machine got its inspiration from Thomas Edison’s electric pen.
- The most popular tattoo motifs are said to be angels and hearts.
- Greek philosopher Plato believed that people found guilty of sacrilege should be forcibly tattooed.
- Angels and hearts are the most popular tattoos.
- Tattooing is illegal in three countries: Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
- The part of the body tattooed the most among women is the ankle area. Among men, the most common spot is the arm.
- One of the oldest recorded tattoo ink recipes consists of Egyptian pine bark, corroded bronze, vinegar, vitriol, leek juice, and insect eggs.
- The Latin word for “tattoo” is stigma.
It’s nice that you pointed out how people acquire tattoos to show their cultures, passions, identities, and so on. I think tattoos are pretty cool so I am thinking of getting one soon. I should start by looking at the best tattoo shops in our area.