BASICS OF TATTOO

BASICS OF TATTOO
Meaning & History Of Tattoo

The word tattoo is derived from the Tahitian word "tatu", meaning to
mark something. Tattoos’ historical significance, dating back to eras
BC, was to indicate a person’s skill or position in society. Some
superstitious cultures believed that they warded off evils. More
commonly today, a tattoo may signify association with a group or
subculture in society. Increasingly, tattoos are being used as
‘permanent jewelry’ of sorts. A cosmetic use is something referred to as
permanent makeup.

Ladies may have eyebrows and other facial
highlights permanently applied via tattooing techniques.
The design of the tattooing tool has seen relatively little change since its
invention in the late 1800s. Samuel O'Reilly, its creator, patterned the
tool after Thomas Edison’s autographic printer, an engraving machine
for hard surfaces. A tattoo machine is made up of a few basic parts; a
sterilized needle, a system of tubes for drawing the ink through the
machine, an electric motor and a foot pedal which controls the up and
down movement of the needle.
The physical process of applying a tattoo is accomplished by injecting
ink into a person's skin. An electrically powered tattooing tool, with a
small needle on the end, moves up and down at a rate of 50 to 3,000
times per minute to puncture the skin. On each puncture, a drop of ink
is injected into the dermal layer of the skin. This is about a millimeter
below the skin surface.
As you look at a tattoo, you're seeing past the epidermis, or the outer
layer of skin, and into the dermis, the second layer. Dermal cells are

more stable allowing the tattoo ink to stay in tact, with only minor fading
and/or dispersion, throughout a lifetime.
What You Need To Consider When Getting A Tattoo
What do you need to consider when getting a tattoo? First and
foremost, do you really want a permanent marking on your skin? This
won’t ‘grow back over’, as a piercing location would. This will be a
lifelong alteration to the look of your body. While tattoos can be
surgically removed, there is a great deal of scarring and potentially, skin
grafting to remove the remnants of a tattoo.
At the moment, tattoos have gained a kind of fad status. It seems as
everyone wants one, or at least knows someone who has one. It is
important to know as much as you can before you commit to getting
one – as we said, even removal techniques can leave scars worse than
the original ink. So do your research. Wait a while, and if you still want
one, read on…
Why do you want a tattoo? Is it to be part of a popular crowd? Think of
how a dolphin on your breast today will look after you’ve had children,
and body parts aren’t what they used to be. A sprawling tribal design
across your shoulders won’t look so attractive at the local high school
reunions, 15 years later. Or, maybe that's what you want. In any case, a
tattoo is not something to rush out and get just to keep up with the rest
of your peers.
Secondly, where is the tattoo to be located? Is it to be a location that
will be visible, no matter what type of clothing you are wearing, or will it
be in a location that is often concealed. Is it a private or a public thing?

Sometimes tattoos have significance to the bearer. Mothers who have
lost children sometimes get a tattoo to remember them by. Lovers have
their partner’s name (or names!), even children have tattoos of parents’
names. People with specific ancestries get tattoos to reflect their
heritage. If you are choosing a design for its significance, make sure it
moves you. If you are getting a tattoo simply because you like a
particular design, great! Just make sure you’ll be happy with it after it’s
done.
Remember, trendy sayings or images go out of style as quickly as
fashions or any other pop culture item. In a highly visible spot, a tattoo
may go from cool to embarrassing in a very short period of time. Also, if
working in a high visibility occupation, will a tattoo help or hurt your
image? This may determine how readily visible you would like your
body art.
The third consideration is how does the tattoo look on yourself. Pictures
may look great on the wall, but how is something going to look on you,
on your skin color, and is this artist truly capable of replicating the
design that you choose? Ask to see some pictures of the tattoos
already applied or, if possible, someone who has had a tattoo from this
artist.
As for the tattoo parlor, make sure they’re safe and sterile. Above all,
make sure that the artist has proper sanitation techniques; disposable
needles and ink cups, proper cleaning of the tattoo area and some
credentials to back it up. Needles are to be single use, anything else
must be sterilized in an autoclave (uses steam to sterilize). The artist
must be licensed, and they must adhere to a strict code of ethics. If you
feel unsure about anything, it’s best to find somewhere you are
completely comfortable.