March/April 2019

Page 152

TEEN DIY

Tattoos on the Rise By Lori Berezin

At-home tattoos are a growing teen trend. In case

system. Armed with only a few supplies easily found or

you’re wondering how they get their hands on the

purchased on the web, such as a bottle of India ink,

tattoo guns, needles, and ink to do the job, look no

sewing needle, and rubbing alcohol, they can create

further than one of the world’s largest online stores.

tattoos that will impress friends and freak out their folks. Many young celebrities helped popularize tattoos. In-

Baby boomers fought for peace and love and grew

stagram displays countless photos of hand-poke de-

their hair long. Millennials like to Snapchat and docu-

signs. Let’s face it, tattoos have gone mainstream and

ment nearly every thought and emotion. Those born

these kids want to join in. The biggest drawbacks to

after 1995 are considered Gen Z, and they’ve never

DIY home tattoos are risks of blood-borne disease and

lived without the Internet. It follows that they would

infections.

use the web to purchase home tattoo kits. While these kids, some as young as 10, are still growing up, stick-

Whether these tattoos are an act of artistic expres-

and-poke tattoos are permanent. The tattoo guns are

sion or teenage rebellion has yet to be determined.

completely legal and not age restricted. The designs

They’re probably a little of both. However, kids need to

can be small or hidden on a foot or wrist, under the

realize that even if their friend is a great tattoo artist, a

arm, or behind the neck so parents won’t notice them

stick-and-poke tattoo will always look less profession-

for months.

al than one done by an expert. Both, however, are meant to exist forever. And how many long-term de-

150

Kids are basically looking to express themselves artis-

cisions should a 15-year-old make? They’re remova-

tically. Younger teens, forbidden from utilizing tattoo

ble but not without a lot of pain. Perhaps, they should

parlors, realized home tattoos were a way around the

think before they ink. n

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March/April 2019 by Calabasas Style - Issuu