What Is Going On Today
With Tattoos
As with most things in life, changing times signals new
improvements, and tattoos are not an exception. The
process itself has come a long way since people had no choice
but to use crude homemade instruments to force equally-crude
variations of ink into their skins. People these days
also do not need to resort to regular needles and either ashes
or bottles of India ink, because most have clean, sterile
tattoo studios and licensed, reputable artists readily
available. For a practice that has been around nearly
since the beginning of time, such factors as health, safety,
and procedure are relatively modern.
Since South Carolina lifted its ban against tattooing in
2004, which required eleven years of failed attempts before its
eventual success, the state of Oklahoma remained the sole
hold-out in banning tattoos until that ban also was finally
lifted at the end of 2006. Currently, tattooing is legal
in all states of the United States, each with its own set of
laws, some of which are governed by the state itself, others
which have left the matter in the hands of city or other local
governments.
Laws and regulations covering tattooing are varied on a
state by state basis. If you wish to get a tattoo, or if
you're considering going into the tattoo business yourself, it
is wise to familiarize yourself with what is required in the
state where you live. One key point is that if you have
received a tattoo license in one state, it is not necessarily
valid in another state. An unusual exception to state laws is
that it is becoming a common practice for parents to take their
teenagers to a nearby state where tattooing minors is legal
with parental consent, even though they reside in a state where
it cannot be done. Crossing state borders in order to get
a tattoo may appear extreme, but it happens quite
frequently. However, this has produced difficulties in
some instances where school districts have implemented policies
forbidding their students from having visible
tattoos.
As tattoos as a basic form of artwork and self-expression
have expanded, so has another aspect of tattooing which has its
roots in ancient history but until quite recently was not
widespread in modern times. Many women, the famous and
the average alike, are now opting for tattoos as a form of
permanent cosmetics. No longer needing to apply such
things as eyeliner or lipstick on a daily basis, a more
permanent form of these previously-temporary cosmetics are made
by tattooing in a manner quite similar to the more well-known
types of tattoos. Getting these types of tattoos not only
requires careful consideration on the part of the client, but
skill and professionalism on the part of the artist.
Especially since HIV and AIDS became a life-threatening
risk, reputable tattoo artists have become even more
conscientious in taking health precautions for both their own
and their customers' sake. In addition to keeping their
studios clean in general, there is a large focus on such
practices as using disposable tattooing needles, throwing away
unused inks, and wearing gloves. Prior to this problem,
while most artists did take a reasonable amount of care during
tattoo procedures, it was not nearly as important as it is
today. While keeping tattoo studios under the
jurisdiction of the state, city, or county Board of Health may
be an intense measure, it is good to know that reputable tattoo
artists consider it to be important, necessary, and
worthwhile.
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