Here's a fun one sure to stir the pot: Tattoos. Like them or no?

[bookjones]

I could care less either way. I have no tattoos, but my first one will be the "C" with the tomahawks crossing it with Stanley cup dates under it.

As far as the studies are concerned, it's not a huge deal breaker for me.

WTF dude? You are married to an honest to goodness artiste---you wouldn't have Marcy design something wholly original and funky and for you first before a Hawks one? {{{shakes head}}}

 

[Pez68]

I think a relevant question that was missed in those studies is "Are your parents aware of the fact that you have a tattoo, and did they provide permission for you to have the tattoo applied?" Seems like a no-brainer to me, considering, like TSD said, getting a tattoo under 18 without parental permission is illegal. So, it just makes sense that a child that would get a tattoo illegally, would also be prone to other high risk behavior. It's like sampling teenagers and making a connection between drinking under the age(illegal) and high risk behavior. Well, DUH.



What a loaded study...

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

WTF dude? You are married to an honest to goodness artiste---you wouldn't have Marcy design something wholly original and funky and for you first before a Hawks one? {{{shakes head}}}

Could you imagine me having to explain to some one a tattoo that my wife designed?

Then I'd have to deal with the crowds of people that don't understand abstract art (my kid could have designed a better tattoo).

You just convinced me to never get a tattoo.

 

[Pez68]

Perhaps, but the summary of the 1st link to the large, randomized, national, peer reviewed, scientific, controlled study says it all.



"Tattooing is a common behavior among adolescents and has strong associations with early sexual intercourse, substance use, interpersonal violence, and school failure. These risk behaviors account for the majority of the morbidity and mortality seen in adolescents. Tattooing may serve as a permanent, easily detectable, visual marker for an adolescent who is at risk for involvement in premature sexual intercourse, substance use, violence, and school problems. Therefore, observation of a tattoo during physical examination of an adolescent should prompt a more intensive assessment for high-risk behaviors and subsequent counseling during clinical office visits."



A tattoo may indicate other associated risky behaviors in teens. Not based on color, ethnicity, religion criminal background, gang affiliation ect.... only the presence of a tattoo.





I'm sure I could run a NLM/PubMed search and come up with studies in adults too, but I think I've made my point.



Edit: Bolded the part of the summary I really think drives the point home.

The point hasn't been made at all, since you are talking about CHILDREN. Children that shouldn't even have the tattoo to begin with, and likely broke the law to get it...

 

[winos5]

The point hasn't been made at all, since you are talking about CHILDREN. Children that shouldn't even have the tattoo to begin with, and likely broke the law to get it...

The second study referenced was in military basic trainees. Didn't mention what age they got them. TSD assumed they got them as teenagers. Having a tattoo in adult military basic trainees was associated with health adverse risky behaviors. Alas I don't have access to the full article, only the summary. I'll do my best to find more, though I doubt it will ever satisfy those who don't agree.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

The point hasn't been made at all, since you are talking about CHILDREN. Children that shouldn't even have the tattoo to begin with, and likely broke the law to get it...

One of my friend's daughter has tattoos-- and she's under 18. If I recall, she is a very intelligent young person. Not sure about her sexual habits (if I ever ask, I'll make sure I'm living in a van down by the river). Maybe I can get Eruns to ask for all of us.

 

[Pez68]

The second study referenced was in military basic trainees. Didn't mention what age they got them. Only that having a tattoo in adult military basic trainees was associated with health adverse risky behaviors.

METHODS:

We surveyed a cohort of 550 military recruits using a modification of the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS), a validated instrument used to assess health risk behaviors in adolescents.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:



Tattoos are an increasingly prevalent form of self-expression, especially for adolescents. This study was conducted to determine health-risk behaviors associated with tattoos in young men and women entering military service.

But, OK.



Not to mention, did you look at the dates on those studies?

 

[Pez68]

One of my friend's daughter has tattoos-- and she's under 18. If I recall, she is a very intelligent young person. Not sure about her sexual habits (if I ever ask, I'll make sure I'm living in a van down by the river). Maybe I can get Eruns to ask for all of us.

Was your friend aware of her getting the tattoo?

 

[bookjones]

Could you imagine me having to explain to some one a tattoo that my wife designed?

Then I'd have to deal with the crowds of people that don't understand abstract art (my kid could have designed a better tattoo).

You just convinced me to never get a tattoo.

Fun-sucker!

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Was your friend aware of her getting the tattoo?

Yes.

 

[LordKOTL]

Here's my tat fresh after an update:

The pic doesn't do it justice. The lines are actually straight as hell.



It was done by a clean shop, all sealed instruments. I vetted the artist and loved his work (especially the broken collarbone poking out of the skin tat he did. As for the symbol, it was something that I've used for an expression of me since I was 14 (some may recognize it as an alternate avatar I use) Got the 1st version of it at 21, updated it when i was 29 to be a bit thicker. The only other thing I want done to it is some UV work around the septagram itself, but i can't find artists in my area who do them.



My wife, who is about as straight-laced as they come wants a tat as well--of a stylized pisces. She's still mulling the design over and location--she wants to be able to see it but at the same time not be in a "trashy" location, or an area hard to cover up.

 

[Pez68]

Yes.

That's what I figured.

 

[bri]

People should post pictures of their tats like Lord KOTL.

 

[winos5]

What percentage of teens with tatts got parental consent for it? I'd assume negligible until someone provided a reliabe evidence otherwise (ie not my friend's daughter).

 

[winos5]

But, OK.



Not to mention, did you look at the dates on those studies?

Yes. Still valid and reinforced by the larger study published in 2003.



By the way young men and women entering military service are considered fucking adults by nearly any standard save consumption of alcohol. The tatt may have been obtained as a teen, but the behaviors were on going in adults.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

What percentage of teens with tatts got parental consent for it? I'd assume negligible until someone provided a reliabe evidence otherwise (ie not my friend's daughter).

I just gave an example.

I have no clue if a study like that exists, and if the numbers are reliable. I'm not sure if tattoo parlors check ages of under 18s like businesses selling tobacco.

 

[MassHavoc]

Yes. Still valid and reinforced by the larger study published in 2003.



By the way young men and women entering military service are considered fucking adults by nearly any standard save consumption of alcohol. The tatt may have been obtained as a teen, but the behaviors were on going in adults.

Actually, the study date does matter greatly in that the popularity of tattoos and their entrance into mainstream culture has greatly changed the perception of tattoos recently. Also, the second study is invalid completely for this argument as it is a focus on men and women entering the military which is a construed sample size and could be argued that they already have a behavior pattern toward or against certain these types of behaviors and thus can not be used to generalize to the populace.



If you would like the full text:

Behavioral risks associated with tattooing.

 

[MassHavoc]

Now had you sited something more along the lines of....



Tattoos and body piercings in the United States: a …



Then we can talk

By the way, this is an article everyone should read before continuing the conversation.

 

[winos5]

Here's a more recent one.



All participants were college age adult undergraduate students 18-22 I'd assume. Same correllations drawn.

 

[winos5]

I can keep going, but I feel like I'm beating a dead horse and I'm falling behind at work.