Birds of prey, fierce animals, butterflies, names, quotes from stanzas of songs or poems ’embroidered’ on the skin. All kinds of them are seen in every part of the body. The passion for tattoos and piercings has grown in recent years, and these practices have been joined by scarification, or skin deformation for decorative purposes. These are modes of expression that are also chosen by the very young today. However, not without some risks that it is good to know and make known.
U.S. pediatricians’ recommendations
U.S. pediatricians have presented the first recommendations on tattoos and piercings for adolescents and young adults. In many American states, as indeed in Italy, you have to be at least 18 years old to get a tattoo, but the rules vary widely. The first piece of advice to teens is first to do their research and think hard about why they want a tattoo and where they want it. Second, they need to be aware of the possible repercussions: for example, in a 2014 study of 2,700 people, 76 percent of respondents expressed the belief that a piercing or tattoo reduced their chances of finding a job. Then there is the rate of possible skin complications, which is not known but is considered rare: the most serious danger, in any case, is related to infections.
Due precautions
Before undergoing a tattoo or piercing, U.S. pediatricians recommend, be sure that the salon you choose is sterile, clean and has a good reputation. Managers should explain to clients, and in some cases their parents, how to care for the treated area after piercing or tattooing. In addition, the place should meet the same hygienic requirements as a medical office. Scarification, a kind of extreme tattooing that may involve cutting (etching), branding (branding), and ice kissing (ice branding) to “relief draw” images on the skin in the United States is prohibited.
Anyone thinking of getting a tattoo should be sure that they have had their vaccination booster shots and are not taking any immune-compromising drugs. Finally, very young tattoo wannabes “may not realize how expensive it is to get rid of a tattoo or the fact that tongue piercing can damage teeth,” the U.S. paper says. Ultimately, tattoos and piercings are equated with minor outpatient surgeries, but instead of helping to solve problems they can themselves become the cause of them.
