What Doctors Want Kids (and Parents) to Know About Tattoos
For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics has released a guide to safe tattoos, body piercing, and scarification for young people . They are not saying that you shouldn’t get tattoos – either way, kids should still ask mom or dad about it in most states. But they have some tips if you think about it.
Be sure you want a tattoo
Yeah, huh? Most people don’t really regret their tattoos (according to a 2016 Harris poll , 86 percent of people with tattoos are happy with their decision), but making a careful decision will help you avoid looking for tattoo removal services in some cases. years. Although tattoos are more popular than they used to be, many employers still discriminate against potential workers with visible tattoos.
Removal services do exist, but they are expensive, time consuming, and don’t always work as well as you might hope. Laser tattoo removal costs between $ 49 and $ 300 per square inch per session, writes AAP, so if you have a 15 square inch tattoo that requires 8 sessions, you’ll need to pay a minimum of $ 5880 to remove it.
Given these numbers, you’re probably better off getting a bigger tattoo to hide the old one. Or, even better: don’t get a tattoo that you’ll regret, like the person’s name (then they’re guaranteed to leave you) in the first place. This is why it is better to save money on a session with a good tattoo artist than to choose the one who is cheaper or least likely to reveal a map to you.
How to dispel parental fears
Pediatricians have statistics to reassure parents who think a tattoo will ruin their child’s life. Here:
- Everybody does it . According to a 2010 survey, 38 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 had at least one tattoo, and 23 percent had piercings elsewhere than their earlobe. So no, your child won’t be the only freak with a tattoo. However, 72 percent of the tattoos in this survey were applied to areas that are usually covered by clothing.
- Wanting (or getting) a tattoo doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with your child . Previous research has shown that tattoos are more common among children who use alcohol and drugs, but this association is weakening as tattoos become more popular. Body modification is also not considered self-harm from a mental health perspective, as the intention of the child is completely different. If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, a pediatrician can help.
Infection is your greatest risk
A tattoo is a giant open wound, or rather, many tiny open wounds. If the tattoo artist does not use safe methods, or if you do something stupid while the tattoo is healing, you may be at risk of infection, which can lead to anything from a tainted beautiful image to a blood-borne disease for life.
So go to a licensed tattoo parlor , mannequin and follow the care instructions . Why do you ask? That’s why:
Infections can be superficial purulent infections, deep or severe purulent infections, atypical mycobacterial infections, systemic or skin viral infections, or (rarely) skin fungal infections. Systemic viral infections caused by blood-borne pathogens include hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV. Superficial purulent infections are usually associated with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes with typical pustules or papulopustules along the tattoo lines. Infections usually appear 4 to 22 days after tattooing. Infections range from cellulitis and small pustules to larger abscesses requiring surgical incision and drainage. Treatment is similar to other pyogenic skin infections. More severe purulent infections remain rare, but cases of endocarditis, spinal abscess, erysipelas, gangrene, and amputations have been reported.
They go on, but you understand. You should be up to date with the latest vaccinations before traveling (especially for tetanus and hepatitis) and make sure that the person tattooing you takes all precautions for your safety.
According to the Alliance of Professional Tattooists , you should pay attention to things like whether the tattoo artist is using sterile equipment, washing their hands, wearing gloves, disinfecting everything, throwing away anything that touches you at the end of the tattoo session, and not ink stains all over the place. And yes, it’s fair to ask to see them first.