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by Joy Lynskey
Although we all try to trust our kids, tattoos are one topic some parents may want to brush up on to avoid having a child who sneaks out to the tattoo shop with a bogus letter of written consent, and returns with a lifelong reminder of bad impulse control, a disease that may shorten their lives or a gaggle of the most trendy cartoon characters tattooed on their face. This has happened! And while most tattoo artist do utilize every method to keep their tattoos clean and free of disease there may just be a few things you need to decide on first.
So as a kid who wanted to be tattooed with parents who wanted nothing less than to have a tattooed kid who now has kids who want to be tattooed, I truly believe that research, communication, compromise and even consent are the best ways to safeguard your child against the possible ramifications that may impact the rest of their lives. A quick online search will tell you the laws on minors getting tattooed in your state.
Be sure to choose an artist who advertises their *autoclave and sterilization certification openly. Make an appointment to go in and see their certification. Take about an hour out of a day without your child visit the shop you have chosen. Ask questions and let the artist know that you are researching a tattoo for your child. Most artists are very professional individuals who are salesmen for their own art and only want the best for their clients who remain advertisements for the artists for their entire lives. A lot of them also have children of their own and may have more experience with a child who is begging for their first tattoo, you may be surprised at the understanding and good advice you receive.
It is important to watch their work habits. Is the area well lit? Do they wear rubber gloves? The risk of HIV transmission through tattooing is actually to the artist, so one that does not wear gloves to protect themselves and their clients is not a safe one. Do they use new needles for each person or do they autoclave used ones? Although there are some states that do not require new needles but do allow autoclaved*** ones, this is not considered ‘good practice’ for most quality shops. Are new ink caps being used? Before and during the tattooing process itself you should see the artist spraying an antibacterial spray onto the area being tattooed. If you still have real concerns about the sterility of a tattoo there is always the option of having your child immunized for Hepatitis B before tattooing. Hepatitis B is the main health risk that someone will face in getting a tattoo from a less then sterile environment.
Communicate with your child about your research on the health issues and possible immunization you may require them to get. Include in this talk what they want tattooed on them, and where they want it tattooed. It may also time to move onto the compromise stage. Perhaps having tattoos shouldn’t affect a person’s ability to get any type of employment, but the fact is that it can and does. Make another appointment and plan to bring the child along. Your child should ask the artist about anything that concerns them as well as having them ask them specifically, where is the best place to get my first tattoo? No reputable artist is going to support a child’s desire to have a questionable piece of artwork permanently imprinted on them or support their idea of a face tattoo. Most will freely warn a younger person about the problems they may have in society with certain tattoos or tattoos on certain areas of the body if prompted.
After discussing all of the issues surrounding tattooing, if your child is still determined, then calmly discuss with them that their age and inexperience in life is the only reason why you are now going to require them to wait 3 to 6 months, before they take the final step to lifelong skin art. Explain to them that fads change and so can a person’s view of art itself. The less sure your kid seems of what they actually want, or where they want it, the longer they need to wait to make sure they are positively sure of their decision, it is a final one.
In the end I was very lucky, as the artists that I knew who gave me my first ink at sixteen cared for me and would have refused any questionable request had I made any. They forced me to give ample time and consideration to each design I requested, and walked me through each process before it began. To this day, 20 years after my last tattoo, I still do not regret the ones I have. Many, many others who didn’t have artist with such integrity, or parents who forced them to slowly consider the process in its entirety, are not so lucky.
*** Hudson, Karen L. Autoclave and Sterilization Certification
http://tattoo.about.com/cs/beginners/a/blautoclave.htm
Accessed 4/6/2010
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