Tattoo and Body Piercing Blog » Piercing

Forum: Getting a Tattoo While Taking Tetracyclene

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:00:11 +0000

nikkiTT writes: “I was prescribed Tetracycline for acne. Have taken 3 doses so far. Was planning on getting a tattoo on Saturday. Have read of some adverse reactions online w/ people on antibiotics – and healing of tattoos. Anyone have any info?”

Also this week….
Can an artist refuse to tattoo someone’s pubic region?

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Forum: Tattoos and Dermatographia?

admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:12:06 +0000

StrangeSkin writes: “I have dermatographia and for that reason, I’ve been afraid to get a tattoo. Does anyone have this skin condition as well as tattoos? Did your ink distort after the swelling went down or was it okay? I’ve heard it can go both ways.

I’m thinking that I will just get a test tattoo in inconspicuous place to see what happens. I’m just not sure how it will turn out with my weird skin. Any feed back would be appreciated. I know what tattoos I want and I really hope to get them someday. Thanks!”

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Foot Tattoos

admin — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:18:10 +0000

I’m getting ready to get my feet tattooed in April, which may seem odd since I am always talking about how fall and winter are the best times to get inked. But getting tattooed on your feet is actually the one exception to that rule, and this article will explain why. Also, since foot tattoos can be rather tricky to heal and are prone to a lot of problems, this article will teach you how to prevent and care for some of the more common issues associated with tattoos on your feet.

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Forum Discussion: Can Lobe Stretching Damage Be Reversed?

admin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:53 +0000

“I think I have blown out my earlobes but I cannot tell. I just stretched them from an 8 to a 6 but I put in a rather heavy metal earring. I wore the heavy earrings for about two days before I realized that the ears weren’t getting any less sore. I changed them to lighter plastic earring (temporarily) since its the only ones I have. Around the piercing it looks like a lip has formed but not too severely unless I remove the earring. The lip has become hard and feels like the crusties but I cannot remove them by wiping them away. I have sea salt soaked my ears for 5 minutes twice a day trying to soften the skin. It looks like the skin is peeling around the piercing and of course the piercing itself is red and oozy but nothing that would alert infection. Basically I don’t know what to do about this situation. I am afraid that if I have to go back in gauges that I won’t be able go up again.” – Mnstn

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QOW: Why Some Tattoos Age Better Than Others

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:06:47 +0000

Question: “Why are some tattoos so sharp and others are so fuzzy? My late wife had a rose tattooed on her breast and 3 years later when she died it was still as sharp as if it had been painted on. The black outline was still crisp, and the greens, reds, oranges and yellows were still unfaded. On the other hand those blue navy tattoos look like water paint that has been left out in the rain.”

Answer: There are actually many reasons why some tattoos may fare better or worse than others over time. One of those reasons is the depth in which the ink was placed. The deeper the ink goes, the more fuzziness and spreading is likely to result.

Another possibility is changes in the body of the person wearing the tattoo. Weight gain, weight loss, and just natural aging (which also results in the thinning of the skin) can all contribute to a gradual loss of sharpness.

The most common cause of tattoo ink spread is time. A slight increase in line thickness is not only normal but expected, which is why most tattoo artists won’t do finely detailed designs with lines close together because those lines will eventually spread and mash together, creating an ugly blob. Your wife only had her tattoo for 3 years and even thought it still looked great, I’ll bet that if you compared it closely with a photo of when it was fresh and new, you would find some softening of the lines.

The blue navy tattoos you’ve seen are typically at least 30 to 50 years old. Not only does time factor into the appearance of those tattoos, but the quality of ink and the artistry back then all played a part. The finesse required for fine, detailed tattoos was non-existent during the earlier days of assembly-line tattooing. Tattoo inks were also crude and black ink contained bits of metal that oxidized over time and turned different hues of green and blue. So, those old blue Navy tattoos you’re seeing were black at first, but they come from a time when tattooing was much less about art and more about making a statement.

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In the News: Guardian Angels Watching Over Massachusetts Tattoo Shop

admin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:44:09 +0000

Car Crashes into Massachusetts Tattoo Shop
Guardian angels must have been watching over Broad Street Tattoo last Saturday when a PT Cruiser crashed through the front of their building just before their usual opening time. But the shop was empty that day; they closed down so that they could attend a friend’s wedding. Coolness.

Tattoo Artist Recovering From Mugging/Dragging Incident

CT Tattoo Shop Shut Down After Being Accused of Tattooing Minor

Singapore Tattooer Jailed and Caned

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Lars Krutak, Tattoo Hunter

admin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:38:28 +0000

If you haven’t had a chance to catch the latest tattoo reality show, you will want to tune in to the Discovery Channel and check out Tattoo Hunter. It’s actually a documentary-style show in which the “host,” tattoo anthropologist Lars Krutak, visits some of the most remote parts of the world, seeking tattoos from members of the few remaining authentic tribes.

Lars has actually been a technical adviser for Vanishing Tattoo, the renowned online tattoo museum that centers around the search for the “last authentic tattoos.” Now Lars attempts to integrate himself as an honorary member of the ancient tribes he visits, thus earning him the right to also receive a tattoo that is typically reserved for its own.

What I like best about the show is that Lars isn’t one of those typical anthropologists who seem to be prepared for and unsurprised by anything that they encounter while exploring unfamiliar people and territory. He willingly participates in all of the rituals and shows the utmost respect toward the people he is visiting, but he isn’t afraid to grimace while eating grubs or look “foolish” by losing valiantly in the games played among the tribal men. In the two episodes that have been aired so far, Lars manages to win the tattoo artist over and win the coveted prize of an authentic tattoo. His genuine and down-to-earth nature is sure to win you over as well. I think this is time much better spent than watching the over-dramatized tattoo “reality” shows.

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In the News – UK Man Dies After Leg Tattoo

admin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:53:45 +0000

UK Man died after leg tattoo
An infected leg tattoo led to a deep vein thrombosis, which then caused a fatal blood clot to enter the lung of UK man, John Chillingworth. This is an unexpected development that doctors think may have been caused by Chillingworth’s drop in physical activity due to the pain that the infected leg tattoo was causing him. He did see a doctor, but was only prescribed antihistamines and pain relievers. If you think a tattoo may be infected, please take it seriously and keep pressing the doctors or get another opinion if it persists even after treatment.

BAD INK: 12 charges of illegal tattooing

Iowa man arrested for tattooing without a permit

Tattoo advisory – Clients Urged to Get Tested

Police seek tattoo shop owners in grow house case

Florida tattoo artist in the hot seat

Tattoo mistranslation turns Taiwanese tempers

North Carolina Man Faces Criminal Charges For Staging Illegal Fights

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Should the Body Art Industry be Regulated?

admin — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:19:25 +0000

I was surprised when I recently discovered that a friend of mine, who is a professional in the body art industry, actually does not support the idea any kind of regulation that seeks to put demands or restrictions on tattoo and/or piercing establishments. While I agree that some regulations go too far and I don’t support anything that can actually make it more difficult for a tattoo or piercing artist to do their job, I did support laws that made it more difficult for scratchers to thrive. But the conversation with my friend got me thinking – is regulation really a good thing and does forcing scratchers even deeper underground really protect the public? This article explores both sides of the issue, and I encourage anyone to add their thoughts by commenting below.

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Forum Discussion: Dental Hygienist Speaks Up About Oral Piercings

admin — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:46:44 +0000

littlewing_mo writes: “I am a dental hygienist, i love personally love piercings and tattoos, I try to be positive and open with my patients that have piercings that will effect the oral cavity. the truth is though, these piercings not only can cause visual problems like gum recession (which can cause alot of sensitivity) and chipping but they can also cause bone loss and infection if they are not properly cared for.

the specialist that was mentioned was probably a periodontist, when i have a patient with severe perio disease i will recommend to the dentist that the patient be sent to periodontist. the graft she mentioned is actually a very serious procedure.

i feel like there are not enough resources for my patients with oral piercings, but i am happy to say that i have noticed as oral piercings or piercings effecting the mouth have become more common that there are more education resources available for the dental community.

all i ask of patients: if you love your piercing, please take extra care of your mouth and teeth and try breaking any habits of playing with the jewelry and even try plastic jewelry ( they seem to be less damaging) although most people seem to not like the plastic jewelry can someone give me some insight on reasons why that may be?”

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