Why do many people assume tattooed people are weird, freaks, and psychos? Also that we scarred our skin...?

Question

i wanna know. a lot of my friends think i'm crazy to want to tattoo myself similar to kat von d. i love her tattoos. i think she's so pretty. why do people see them as scars? not art? i don't get it. with all the colors and designs and everything, they aren't ugly. i am not a weirdo, freak, or psycho. anybody else with tattoos have this problem?
i hear people say you'll never get a job with those tatoos unless you work in a parlor. you have to cover them up. its bananas.

Answer 1

I'm still trying to figure that one out myself. I've been told everything from "it's a sin in the Bible to mark your body" to "it reminds people of criminals because prison used to be about the only place someone would get one" lol. I wanted a tattoo for years and finally went ahead and got one, and I absolutely love it, and I don't think I will ever regret it, but it is a very personal choice. One thing to consider is just how much do you really care what people think? I got a tattoo of a Celtic sun centered right above my cleavage (hee hee) and I have gotten a LOT of mixed reactions. Usually at the grocery, the men all look at it like Oh wow (and surprisingly, they are very respectful, most aren't looking in the lusty way one would imagine) and most of the women that are with them look appalled and prudish, completely frozen faced lol. But as you can see, I can laugh it off, while someone else may be bothered or even crushed by these women's reactions.

As far as the job thing goes, it all depends on what career you are going into and what the standard policy is amongst companies within your career choice. There are PLENTY of locations to choose from, however, where you can put a tattoo that can either be easily covered up or shown off, depending on the occasion.

(By the way, the guy who claimed it was sinful to get a tattoo later got one that said "fire proof". Go figure.)

Answer 2

The cells in the epidermis of your skin - the outer layer - are constantly renewing themselves (a lot more quickly than once every 10 years, BTW). But, there are several cells which do not (normally) divide in the adult body. Nerve cells, for example, have extremely limited regeneration potential. The best example, however, is the lens fibre cells which compose the bulk of your eye lens: the primary fibre cells in the core of the lens were laid down 7 months before you were born, and remain un-growing for your entire life. > "how come our tattoos and scars remain?" Tattoos are not *inside* any cell: the tattoo ink is deposited into the skin dermis, the layer underneath the epidermis. Cells in your skin ARE constantly dividing and being shed from the surface, but this happens in the epidermis, and does not effect the tattoo in the dermis below. Obviously, if you receive a penetrating injury to the tattoo, which damages the dermis, then some of the tattoo will be displaced by scar tissue. Tattoos also blur and fade with time, as the ink is photo-bleached by UV light from the sun, and as the dye "leaks" slowly into surrounding tissues. Scarring is not a change to the cells themselves, it is a larger-scale change to the structure of a tissue. When a tissue is damaged, the cells divide to repair the damage, but this repair might not be perfect - different cells and ECM proteins might be deposited, and the 3D arrangement of the newly-produced cells might not be the same as the original tissue: this is a "scar".

Answer 3

If you browse through some of these Tattoo questions you'll see hundreds of people asking "How do I remove this Tattoo"

Because you think it's cool now, when you're young, you'll find as you get older that it wasn't cool and that's when you become an abnormal freak.

Not that you really are one, but it's just how you will feel. Sure, if you're already a wealthy musician or sports figure, it may not be so difficult, but the average person needs to make a living and it will be so much more difficult to do this when you're covered in ink.

Wait till you're at least 21 years old to make the final decision.

Answer 4

People who feel that way do so because they probably don't know anybody who's tattooed. I am not tattooed. I used to think that way too. When I met my honey a few years ago I was surprised that she had 2 tattoos. She is the most classy refined woman I have ever met. So I guess many judge a book by it's cover and not the content.

A few months ago she said she wanted to get another tattoo and I payed for it. Now I am in love with her tats and love to see her in clothes that show them off. However she has them in places that can be covered by clothes because she's had episodes at work where comments were made like are a biker chick, or nice tramp stamp. It's your body do what you want to it.

Answer 5

I also think that Kat Von D is very sexy. And maybe a bit extreme. Try not to care what everyone else thinks, but keep in mind that tattoos that show outside of your work attire will be noticed and usually frowned upon. People don't know how to think outside of the box.

Answer 6

Tattoos, technically are just pretty, colorful, scars... Seriously, think about it... when you get tattooed, ink is being pushed into a wound, wounds leave scars, tattoos of course are a highly visible scar.

I see tattoos as art, as self-expression, as a way of keeping a photo diary of things that have happened throughout your life...things like that.

You can get a job with tattoos, some places just prefer them not to be visible. So, for your first one, the best thing to do is put it somewhere that only you and special people will see it.... job problem solved.

I get lectured by my mother weekly about my choice to have tattoos and piercings, and about the fact that I am a piercer and am apprenticing to tattoo... she sees me as being an outcast and even though I have tried for 4 years to change her opionion on that and open her eyes up to the meanings behind a lot of modification, she still doesnt get it. Some people are set in their ways and will never change, thats just how it is .

Answer 7

Its all a personal choice
I dont have tattoo s because its not my thing.
My eldest son has some and one is of special sgnificance.
Early in december his good mate, boxing coach and mentor was killed in a motorbike accident
My son had a tatto done on his left inner, lower arm showing a dove lifting into the sky with the strings of boxing gloves in its claws
All his tattoo s are in good taste and have real meaning

AS for me I try to not Judge a Book By Its Cover

Answer 8

I don't think they are bad or sinful (and Trish, I guess you could call me a Bible banger, because I'm a Christian :) ), I just think it's unwise to do something permanent that you may regret later. So make sure you think long and hard about it first!

I also think that people should make sure that their outside image matches what they are inside. Remember that first impressions carry a lot of weight, so be sure you're projecting the image that you want to.

One of the reasons I don't want a tattoo is because I shudder to think what it might look like when I'm 75! :D

Answer 9

Haha, Ok.... My point of view on tattoo is scars! You see, as you grow older you wil realised that the tatto are a proof of existences to your younger self, they are signs of your existences... the tattoo are what makes you stand out in a crowd, let others know you belong to a group, let others see your point of view of life.

Being older you realised you existence for a purpose, to grow to understand, and you will look back on those tatto and wonder why you ever imprint them on yourself. Yes, it is a form of art, a art that will last. Even with laser remover there is still a scar, you will always have it on you.

Like I said, tattoo have different meanings to different people. For the bosses, they picture you as a gang or associate of a gang. So yea.... that pretty much sums up what I think.

~Winter~

Answer 10

I don't think any of that. My dad's got a lot of tattoos (one of me and a lot on his arms), he WAS crazy when he was younger but he's cooled down.

It doesn't look bad at all and has a "bad boy/bad girl" essence to it. Can be kind of hot even.

I don't think I'd get a tattoo though. Only because it looks like it hurts like hell lol.