A tattoo is a marking on the skin made by inserting ink into the layers of skin. In humans, tattoos are used mainly for decorative purposes and is used chiefly for identification in animals. The first tattoo was created by accident, a person had a small wound, he rubbed the wound with ashes from a fire. Then he saw that the mark stayed permanently.
The word tattoo is borrowed from “Polynesian” and means “to mark” or “strike twice”. The syllable “Ta” means “hand” (used twice for repetitive nature of action) and “u” means “Color”. “Tebori” is the traditional hand method. “Irezumi” means “insert ink” or western style machine or tattoo using tebori.
How is a tattoo marked on the skin?
Making a tattoo involves placing pigment into the skin’s “dermis” that is, the layer of tissue underlying the “epidermis”. The ink is then dispersed throughout a “Homogenized Layer” down through the epidermis and upper dermis, where the presence of foreign material activates the “immune system” to attend to the particles. Preceding this the damaged epidermis flakes away and, “granulation tissues” are formed deeper in the skin. These tissue is later converted into connective tissue. The presence of pigment is permanently created. Those people whose skin is sensitive or allergic to metals may react to pigment. They may have swelling or itching of their skin.
Tattoos serve the following purposes:
Decorative and spiritual uses
Historically in some societies, tattoos served as marks of status, symbols of religion, sexual lures, pledges of love, punishment, protection and as the mark of outcasts, slaves and convicts. But today tattoos are more likely to be used for cosmetic purposes, religious, magical, memories or as a sign of belonging to particular groups and gangs.
Identification
Many times tattoos are used for identification reasons. Sometimes people are forced to have a tattoo, such as in many military organisations members have tags or tattoos on their chest. Tattoos are also placed on animals for identification such as a serial number.
Cosmetic
Tattoo is also be used for cosmetics purposes, such as hiding skin discoloration or for hiding moles and for permanent makeup like lips( lipstick), eyes(liner) or to enhance eyebrows.
Medical
In medicine, tattoos are used to convey the medical information like blood group etc about the particular person. Tattoos are used to ensure that the instruments are properly located for “radiotherapy”.
How tattoos are negatively associated?
Some Japanese gymnasiums and bathhouses avoid having “Yakuza” i.e. the full body tattoo. Many prisoners and criminals have tattoos like “Tear Tattoos” which is a symbol of murder. Tattoos can have negative effects on women like adolescent girls have a positive correlation between negative feelings towards the body and self-esteem and body-modification. However, in Central American countries such as “E1 Salvador” and “Honduras”, people with tattoos can be arrested for gang affiliation.
Removing Tattoos
Traditionally getting a tattoo meant having a permanent marking on your skin.
Latest advances in technology now makes it possible for tattoos to be removed by exposing the tattoo to laser light. Tattoo removal will break the ink from the pigment and that ink will then be absorbed by the skin and the tattoo will be removed.
Tattoo Care
After having a new tattoo you have to take care of your skin. The tattoo should be wrapped for the first twenty four hours, or you have to keep bandages for the next two hours. For the first two weeks you have to avoid hot water or soaking in a tub, just to keep part of the tattoo ink from over-hydration and infection because of bacteria and chlorine exposure. You have to keep your tattoo clean. Various products are there to keep clean the tattoo like “Cocoa Butter”, “Salves” and “Lanoline”.
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