In the last twenty years or so tattoos have become more common than at any time previously. Tattoos used to be quite seldom seen, and then only in certain types of people such as seamen. Tattoos usually carry a message or meaning which symbolises the wearers lifestyle or personality. As such they are important to the person wearing the tattoo and should never be applied without all due consideration of the consequences. Tattoos are made by injecting colored inks under the surface of the skin. They are most often applied using a tattoo gun which can move the needle very rapidly in and out of the skin hundreds of times per minute. A small drop of ink is injected with every penetration of the skin. A single needle tattoo gun is the most common …show more content…
Unless this is properly done there is a high risk of spreading infection. Dangerous diseases such as hepatitis and aids can be spread with a poorly sterilised tattoo needle as well as less serious skin infections. The needle should be removed from the tattoo gun after every tattoo and replaced with either a new needle or a properly sterilised needle. Ideally needles should be disposed of after a single use. Primitive tattoos done by seamen in the past, and what are known as jailhouse tattoos today, were done with ordinary needles and improvised inks.These tattoos often look very crude as the ink was deposited too deep in the skin and infection often damaged the tattoo giving very poor results. Infection is always a risk in getting a tattoo but the risk can be minimised by proper sterilisation of equipment.
Black, white, red and blue are the most commonly used tattoo colors, although some other colors may at times be used. The tattoo must be properly designed and drawn up by an experienced tattoo artist in order to get satisfactory results. The experience and skill of the tattoo artist are of major importance in getting a really good tattoo. It is much better to pay a higher price for a really good artist than to go with someone else just because the price is lower. You will have to live with your tattoo for the rest of your life so you should get nothing less than the best available. A really good tattoo is something to be admired whilst a poor or botched tattoo is something you will always