10 misconceptions about tattoos that everyone should know


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Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:54 pm

It’s no secret that people still remain divided over the topic of tattoos. Society still has a certain stereotype on people with tattoos and usually not in a good way. Here are some misconceptions about tattoos that everyone should know.

“Getting inked won’t hurt at all”
This is an outright lie. Image a needle piercing your skin rapidly at 50-150 times per second and tell us that doesn’t hurt. It freaking hell hurts the crap out of you.

Image: blog.tattoodo.com
Image: blog.tattoodo.com

“Lighter colours hurt more than darker colours”
Lighter colours are usually added towards the end of a tattoo session as highlights. They feel like they hurt more because your skin is already sore and open. Colours don’t make a difference to the pain factor at all.

“You’ll not get a good job with tattoos”
While it’s true that visible tattoos that can’t be covered may impede your changes of employment in certain industries, it is certainly not true for many skilled professions. Heavily tattooed nasa engineers, lawyers, doctors and academics exist and they are in their jobs today because of their capabilities.

“Tattooed people lead rowdy lives”
Not all tattooed people smoke, join gangs or get into fights as part of their lifestyles. Many who get inked are perfectly normal people who have a stable job and life. Tattoos are for everyone and we should never discriminate against those who have.

“Anyone who can draw can do tattoos”
If you want to become a tattoo artist, be prepared to go through years of training or apprenticeship before you actually get to use the needle on human flesh. Tattooing is a form of art and requires professional skills.

“Tattooed people are attention seekers”
We know it’s hard to miss a large tattoo staring in your face and not ask about it. However, everyone have their own personal reasons for getting a tattoo in the first place. Who are we to judge? There are other ways of seeking attention than putting yourself through hours of pain on a leather chair.

“You must have been in a gang or served prison time with those tattoos”
A rather extreme misconception of tattoos. The truth is, there are still people out there who view tattoos as a symbol of gang allegiance or carry out crimes. But nope, not all people with tattoos are gangsters or criminals. Some are simply the girl or boy next door who lead the most ordinary life.

Japanese-Gangster-Tattoo
Image: poptattoos.com

“You’ll regret your tattoo when you’re older”
Polls conducted in America in 2003 and 2008 found that 84% of people with tattoos did not regret them. Often, getting a tattoo is backed by deep personal reasons. Reasons for regrets are often due to getting it too young, selecting a wrong design or that the tattoo was poorly executed–not getting the tattoo itself.

“You’ll never be able to donate blood”
You only have to wait 6 to 12 months in order to donate blood after getting inked.

“You will contract diseases from tattooing”
Thanks to sterilisation and stringent health regulations, the chances of contracting diseases such as HIV and hepatitis through the needle is very low. Every professional tattoo artist should be using sterile equipments for tattooing.