The following are some of The Harris Poll results of 2,225 American adults surveyed online October 14-19, 2015 on Americans and tattoos.
- Tattoos are especially prevalent among younger Americans,
- Almost half of Millennials (47%) have at least one,
- More than a third of GenXers (36%) claim to have at least one,
- Only 13% of Baby Boomers claim tattoos,
- A scant ten percent of the mature ones are “inked”, and
- Millennials and GenXers are also exponentially more likely than their older counterparts to have multiple tattoos.
Geographically, rural dwellers are just as likely to get tattooed as urban dwellers, but suburbanites don’t share the same level of enthusiasm for this art form. However, suburban parents are apparently influenced by their children, as suburban adults with children are twice as likely as those without children to have at least one tattoo. Neither major political party seems to favor personal beautification more than the other.
With tattoos on the rise, regrets have also increased. The regrets relate to the sometimes poor quality of the artwork, how the appearance accommodates later lifestyles, interests, and how the content, including the names of people, places, and events, is often best left at the last. Most important is the recognition of some old and fuzzy tattoos that can create strange social and financial opportunities and contribute to adverse health effects.
In the United States, we need to further study and publicly publish Chemical Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) related to inks commonly used in the tattoo industry. To produce tattoos, artists inject the dermis with dye-filled needles at speeds of up to 3,000 times per minute. Recipients should know that tattoo inks are placed on the dermal layer of the skin, not the already dead epidermis. Therefore, the inks are deposited in well vascularized tissues, as is evident from the slight bleeding that usually occurs during their application. This also suggests that the application of these chemicals is not only local, but is subject to circulatory disbursements and related acute and chronic effects. Some ink materials that enter the microvasculature are deposited distally in the lymph nodes and in the liver as the body tries to rid itself of foreign substances. Locally, tattoos produce permanent microscopic scars, even if they have not been measured, on the surrounding tissues, particularly in the dense areas of the sweat glands. Therefore, the larger the surface worked, the greater the potential for dysfunctional perspiration and overheating effects. Some people also experience infections due to suboptimal cleaning of tattoo needles and / or their own less than stellar personal hygiene while recovering from procedures.
Recipients volunteer for these procedures and could therefore be considered somewhat masochistic, as tattoos always cause injury. However, they do not deserve adverse labeling any more than people who consume too many calories, smoke, drink, or engage in the misuse of pharmaceuticals or any other unhealthy practice. Unfortunately, in addition to acquiring the initial or subsequent new tattoos, many tattoo enthusiasts have their art re-inked (to fade) or modified, repeatedly increasing their total exposures. Tattoos are more than superficial, and love (for them) should not be blind. Given the associated adverse health effects, is this a tattoo epidemic?
