50 Myths and Facts About Tattoos

A lot of people fill your ears with a load peculiar imbecile things whenever you bring up the subject of tattooing. Initially, tattoos were not treated good in reputable in the society but as the time changed even the mindset of people and the society has changed about tattooing. But still there are people who have negative notions about tattoo art and such people suggest others from refraining to get inked.

And that’s why there are several myths surrounding tattoos – whether it’s about getting one done or how they’ll look when one gets old, or is it a good idea to take aspirin or alcohol before getting a tattoo or does chlorine make the color fade Or even more scary questions like one can get HIV from tattoos…….

However, believe you me, not everything you hear about tattooing is a hundred percent correct…

Well, just to make things easier, here is a list which we have created to resolve your dilemma while you go for getting inked the next time:

Just scroll through…

50 Myths and Facts About Tattoos

1. Getting a tattoo is more painful than giving birth to a child.

HAHAHA, this one really made me laugh!

FALSE: Absolutely false. Getting a tattoo is nowhere near as painful as giving birth to a child. When you get inked, it does hurt, but the pain while tattooing is nowhere similar to the one when a women delivers a baby. If at you wonder what it feels like to get a tattoo, then the best description for it is – it’s like scratching a bad sunburn, or when several ant bites you on one place, nothing more than that. It is painful, but not like childbirth.

2. Multicolored Tattoo Can’t Be Removed.

FALSE: It is however true that colors like yellow, white and pink are the most difficult to remove even with laser treatment also. But black colored tattoos can be removed with laser as they respond better to laser treatment. Also, the more pigments there are in a tattoo, the more likely it won’t be removed.

3. Tattoo guns contain only a single needle.

FALSE: Have you ever seen a tattoo gun? NO….. Actually, tattoo guns contain multiple needles which are grouped in odd numbers, which depends on how much coverage and shading the tattoo requires.

4. Scratching or peeling a healing tattoo won’t harm the final tattoo.

FALSE: However, scratching or peeling or pricking at a tattoo can even cause a permanent loss of pigmentation in those areas.

5. Applying a lot of ointment can heal a tattoo faster.

FALSE: In fact, applying a lot of ointment to a tattoo can cause bubbling at the surface of the tattoo and complicate the healing procedure because the skin can’t breathe due to too much of ointment on the area. Also, if you keep your tattoo too dry that can cause the skin to crack. So, there needs to be a medium application of ointment rather not too much not too less.

6. A medical- grade autoclave is always required to ensure the disinfection and sterilization of tattoo tools.

TRUE: In fact very true! A medical- grade autoclave is always required because boiling or disinfecting liquids are not the same and hence do not provide the same results as does the medical –grade autoclave.

7. Getting into a chlorinated pool with a tattoo will fade the colors.

FALSE: The truth is chlorine cannot get below the first layers of skin just like a needle and, therefore, chlorinated water cannot cause the colors to leak out or fade. And, and you don’t have to worry about chlorine fading your precious tattoo. However, make sure that you do not enter into a pool with an unhealed tattoo that is still oozing and raw, that’s all the precaution is!

8. With a tattoo donating blood is not possible.

FALSE: It is not true however, according to the American Red Cross, if you are tattooed at a parlor that uses proper sterilization and is state regulated, you can donate blood even immediately. On the other hand, you cannot donate blood until a completion of a year after getting inked.

9. You can always get a bad tattoo removed with laser.

TRUE: Yes, it is true that laser tattoo removal treatment is gaining popularity, but there are a few pointers to be considered. Firstly, it hurts… it literally hurts a lot! Secondly, it is very pricey affair, and moreover your area where you got inked will be left with a pretty visible scar. Most importantly, laser removal of tattoos depends on the quality of the ink used in the tattoo, if the ink used in your tattoo is of high quality then it may not completely vanish from your skin.

10. You can contract HIV/AIDs from tattooing.

FALSE: If you are getting tattooed at a parlor that uses proper sterilization and is state regulated, hygienic and clean and uses fresh new needles for every sitting, there is hardly any reason to worry about getting HIV. Just a precaution, everyone claims to be a tattoo artist these days, make sure you are not getting tattooed by a shady dude under a staircase of a bar, then the minimal chances of contracting diseases via tattoos are there.

11. Don’t get any water on your tattoo.

TRUE: Yes, you must not “soak” a new tattoo, only a gentle hand-washing of it is required in order to remove harmful bacteria from the healing tattoo. Make sure when you shower, just apply a little extra coating of ointment to the tattoo and avoid direct water splashing on it. Also, when done with bathing just blot off excess ointment. That’s all!

12. You are disease ridden if you have a tattoo.

FALSE: Absolutely false, nothing like that. As, having a tattoo has nothing to do with your state of health. In fact, few decades back it was believed that tattooing would spread HIV, hepatitis or other diseases. Today, there are many procedures for sterilization and even the industry is regulated, contracting HIV or any other disease is also nothing but a myth. Every professional artist uses sterile equipment before tattooing.

13. Tattoo loses its form when the body goes through a transformation.

FALSE: Losing or gaining weight is a huge body transformation. If your tattoo is not too detailed to begin with, losing weight will not change the look of your tattoo. Though, lines that run too closely together could blend and cause a distorted image that too a bit, but this is a very rare occurrence.

Similarly, weight gain also causes minimal changes in each body area. The only problem with weight gain, however, is the possibility of stretch marks. If you get stretch marks in the area of your tattoo, then it will spoil your ink. And if the stretch marks are deeper than the damage will be more – and it is irreversible

14. Tattoo stays forever.

FALSE: Tattoo will generally not go like that, but the fact remains that tattoos are not as permanent as you think.

It is highly likely that your tattoo will begin to fade as time passes especially due to too much sun exposure, or improper healing etc. However, there are still measures that slow down the fading of tattoo to some extent, but, it can’t be completely unavoidable.

15. Making a tattoo makes you look cool or gangster.

FALSE: No, it isn’t like that. No tattoo can make you look cool or gangster. Tattoo is just a type of art that is done on one’s body. It has nothing to do with making people look cool or gangster.

16. Tattooed people are hooligans.

FALSE: It is not like this. This is just a mindset of few who personally do not like getting inked or them who are inked that’s all. Stereotyping is a common habit amongst us all and eradicating it absolutely is not possible, but you go and get inked if you want……now is the right time to start.

17. Is it a good idea to show off your love through a tattoo?

FALSE: Actually it depends on situations, as such there is no problem in getting inked to declare your love for your partner as long as you are 100% sure that yes this is the one you are going to get along all your life.

More often than not, at the spur of the moment thing may change, your own tattoo start to bring sadness to you whenever you will see it after the break-up.

Well, I am not saying that you will surely get a break-up but just in case, when things start to turn sour it is a bad idea.

18. Getting a tattoo will make you look better.

FALSE: There is a famous saying, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” You may take tattoo a reason to make you look better, but that is not true, it only depends how you take beauty, what is the definition of beauty for you.

That is all and nothing much. Your looks have nothing to do with your tattoo and vice versa.

19. Avoid exercising immediately after getting a tattoo.

TRUE: You should try to avoid exercises that may pull or stretch your newly tattooed skin. Like: if you got a new tattoo on your chest, there are certain weightlifting moves which may be irritating. Irrespective of the type of exercise you usually do, apply some moisturizer and cover the area with a bandage to reduce irritation and abrasion.

Also, bathing just after your workout just to wash off any sweat and salt that can be potentially irritating. Finally, you should avoid contact sports until your tattoo is completely healed to reduce the risk of skin abrasion. Most importantly minimum gap of 48hours is a kind of must before working out after getting a tattoo.

20. Tattoo fades away when you get old.

FALSE: It is not true, however, tattoo needs maintenance. All you need to maintain your tattoo is to moisturize your tattoo at least once in a day. Make it a ritual.

21. One can get skin allergy and blood poisoning with tattoo.

FALSE: This is just a general mindset which people usually have that getting a tattoo can lead to skin allergies. There is nothing like that. If you get your tattoo done from the right artist and in the right hygienic conditions, it doesn’t create any problem.

22. People below 18 cannot get a tattoo.

FALSE: There is no age limit for getting inked.

Yeah, kids can’t get it after all it is a painful affair. But at teen and if your skin is mature enough to get the tattoo, you can surely get a tattoo even if you are not 18. Getting inked will not have any health hazards even if you are not 18.

23. Tattoo on bones are more painful than the normal.

TRUE: Yes, it is true.

Actually, when the needle pricks constantly over an area of thin skin and bone, it hurts more. However, the areas on the body where we have more fat and skin, that fact act as a cushion for the needle and that’s the reason it hurts less.

This simply means getting a tattoo along your spine is more painful than the one you get on your thigh or calf.

24. Taking a painkiller or having alcohol before getting a tattoo helps in relieving pain.

FALSE: Yes, it is false, your painkillers can do wonders in your body pains but not necessarily when you get your tattoo. In fact, some painkillers such as aspirin and alcohol are usually blood thinners.

Taking aspirin just before getting a tattoo can even cause you to bleed more while you will be getting a tattoo. Moreover, this could, in turn, lead to issues with healing or color intensity.

Also, most importantly, you should never get red tattoo on your body because it can either fade or may give you an allergic reaction.

Related:

25. One can get a vegan tattoo.

TRUE: Yeah, absolutely.

That is possible at least today. There are a lot of tattoo inks which contain bone char (burnt animal bones) and resin from shellac beetles. If by chance you are a strict vegan, then sometimes getting a tattoo could prove to be problematic.

Don’t worry! There are vegan tattoo parlors for you to help you. Yes, trust me! The only thing is they might be few and may be a little far between, but the best part is they do exist. Fifth Dimension in London is one such parlor.

26. It was illegal to get a tattoo in New York City.

TRUE: Yes it is absolutely true. It was between 1961 and 1997, it was illegal to get a tattoo in New York City in America that is just after a hepatitis scare broke out in the 1960s.

During that period only a number of underground tattoo parlors were opened up. Until 2000 it was even illegal in Massachusetts too, that too with penalties including jail sentences.

27. During her delivery a pregnant woman can’t have an Epidural if she is inked at back.

TRUE: It is true as well as it depends on the hospital. There are some anesthesiologists who give women epidurals (a painkilling injection into the spine) when they are giving birth, they have only raised concerns about piercing skin with tattoo ink covering it.

Because, ink fragments could enter the spinal cord and contaminate the medication. However, the risk of this happening is very small. But you can always check with your hospital if you’re unsure.

It is always good to check with the policies of the hospital you will be giving birth at. Because, chances are that some doctors may refuse to pass the epidural needle through skin that has been recently tattooed because of obvious fear of contamination of ink in the medicine being administered.

28. Red colored tattoos create allergy.

FALSE: It is not true, yeah, there are people who may be allergic to certain inks, but the pigment used specifically in red dyes have been upgraded over the years in order to respond better with people’s skin.

In fact, any tattoo if it is not properly taken care of, will fade away gradually regardless of what color it is.

29. Lighter colors tattoos hurt more than the darker ones.

FALSE: This is a pure misconception, I must say. It may appear that a lighter colors is more painful but the fact is that lighter colors are normally added to a tattoo towards the end of a session, when the skin is already sore and open. More often than not, the last thing which is added to a tattoo are highlights (white ink) and the artist just fill in your skin he has already opened.

Hence, the color of ink has nothing to do with how painful it all will be.

30. MRIs are not possible if you’re inked because the ink will react to the radiation in the machine and will cause your skin to swell or burst.

FALSE: Well, in the past tattoo ink used to have high levels of metals, but today there are much safer pigments that no longer contain metals like mercury. So, it is clear that no metal in the ink simply means no reaction during an MRI. Great….. Now you can have a tattoo without any fear!!

31. Tattoo is an art.

TRUE: Yes, it is very true. However, tattoo is an art which is done in body unlike other art forms which are very different from the tattoo art.

Some tattoos turned out to be good if done well and some may turn to be bad if not done well.

So, getting a finest art on your body make sure you find a tattoo artist who is competent with both a pencil and a tattoo machine for the best results, YES!

32. Any artist can make a tattoo

FALSE: NOPE, BIG NO! Anybody who can draw some cool designs does not make him or her a tattoo artist. Just think, how without the proper equipment, technical knowledge, and mechanical skill, a person can make a tattoo on your body.

Simply the design done on paper can leave you with scars in just a few months.

33. Every tattooist has artistic talent.

FALSE: Anybody can be a tattooist no doubt about it. But know that a good deal of a professional tattooist’s time is mostly spent on covering or fixing someone else’s talent.

34. Any good artist can do any tattoo.

FALSE: Well, that’s not true at all. Simply because every artist has his own unique style. Most professionals are capable of a variety of styles, which they might have developed over the period of time and are especially good at. So, artist who is known for his intricate tattoo designs may not be the right choice for the portrait of your loved ones.

So, all you need to do is get your tattoo done according to your design and the tattooist’s skill set.

35. Wall certificates proves the ability of the Tattooist.

FALSE: Don’t misunderstand. Only the “APT” certificate, which says that the artist is affiliated with a professional organization that is concerned with safe, sterile tattooing procedures, all the other “certificates” which claims professional status are just wallpaper decors, sometimes arranged for free from supply companies.

36. Photos on the tattoo parlor are the best way to judge an artist’s talent.

FALSE: Once again not true, the tattoo photos cannot speak so clearly about the tattoo the way a real tattoos is able to speak about itself. Photos are okay but can only be second best option.

However, the drawings may reflect a tattoo artist’s taste and artistic ability, but they do not ever give any clue about his or her ability to tattoo those designs on your skin.

37. Tattoos bleed a lot.

TRUE: Well, this one is partly true because it varies from person to person. More often than not, people surely bleed at least a little if not much while getting a tattoo.

However, there are other factors too on which bleeding depends such as the time taken by the tattoo I mean, the area of the body that is being tattooed and the amount of shading or color being used, based on these factors there may be a little or no bleeding.

38. Tattoo turns blue with time.

FALSE: This is absolutely false if you have got your tattoo recently or just a few years back.

Because, tattoo turning blue may only be possible to those tattoos that were created 50 years ago or even before that.

Trust that the inks which are used in tattoos tattoo have improved a lot since then.

39. Laser tattoo removal treatment works by burning off the tattoo.

FALSE: This is also something which may have been true in case of older lasers, but the laser used today are Q-switched lasers, which work totally differently to remove a tattoo than the older ones.

They use photo-thermal technique to fracture the tattoo pigments and depend on the body’s immune system to clear them from the tattoo.

40. Fading creams work better than a laser to remove a tattoo.

FALSE: Well, there are no such evidence which can actually prove of any such fading creams which are better than laser.

41. Tattoo artists are scary and mean looking.

FALSE: Yes, it false absolutely. Simply because some artists have lot of tattoo themselves, have different looks altogether, with the color black, and possibly heavy metal does not make them scary or mean. Chances are that you may have not connected with the one artist. So, don’t judge them just on their appearance.

42. If you give an artist an image they will tattoo it exactly!

FALSE: If you are asking for a piece of traditional flash, then yes they will copy the image. You may like one specific design or location for your first or new tattoo, but not every single artist is going to agree.

They want the tattoo to work—for you, for your body, and for their design. They want it to fit. Most artists WILL NOT copy a design exactly, especially if it is from another artist that has already done it.

Again, whatever you walk out of the shop with represents their work and their shop’s name.

43. Tattoos hinders your growth in your career.

FALSE: Absolutely. There is nothing like that. In fact, you see around you will find many tattooed people are extremely successful. Today employers focus on one’s resume and his or her achievement and talents not on their inked parts.

In fact tattoos are becoming more mainstream than ever before, even you will find employers having it.

44. Tattooing requires no skills.

FALSE: Don’t ever just get a tattoo by anyone simply because the person is good in drawing or any specific art. Though tattoo is an art, but it should be understood that it is different from all the other art forms.

It needs one to practice for years before they can even think about tattooing on human flash.

In fact, in many states an apprenticeship is required for becoming a tattooist, and almost all the states require some kind of safety and health certifications. Simply because a person can draw some art does not make him or her qualified to make tattoos. Tattooing is a skill, which is practiced for years!

45. Tattoo artists make their customer get tattoo under the influence of any substance.

FALSE: In fact, it is illegal for a tattoo artist to tattoo any customer under the influence of any substance like drug or alcohol or even aspirin as these substances act as a blood thinner making it easier for you to bleed more while getting tattooed. And if find them continue to let you get tattooed under the influence of any substance, then you should think twice whether you are in a right place or not.

46. Angels exchange the tattoos for a wish.

FALSE: It is highly unlikely. You may not be aware of this but there are people who think that their tattoos can be exchanged for wishes when they pass on to the other side. It is just a matter of belief and nothing else.

47. You will regret your tattoo when you are in your 80s.

FALSE: Of course in your 80s things will not be same as they are today. But the fact is your tattoo will be last thing you will care for in your 80s.

That is absolutely up to you even in 80s, you can walk around with your tattoo on your nape and least bothered about what the world would say. It should be your choice after all it is your life!

48. Tattoos look bad when you are old.

FALSE: Nothing like that, in fact, there are so many older folk having tattoos already and still look absolutely amazing. If you got the tattoo just because you loved it then definitely you will love them even when you are 90 years old.