Tattoos and Piercings

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Tattoos and Piercings Tattooing and body piercing has been around for thousands of years. Tattoos and piercings in today’s culture are more common and more for fashion rather than ritual or an example of being a criminal. The ancient Egyptians had tattoos as a sign of nobility and as a sign of fertility. Body piercings have been associated with religious rituals in some cultures throughout time and still going on to this day in some parts of the world. For the Roman soldiers piercing themselves was a sign of manhood. More recently, in today’s culture piercings and tattoos are more of a fashion statement, just as they were in the 1800’s with European and English royalty. How safe are body modifications though? At times a tattoo or a piercing can hinder a person or put a damper on their journey to progress in life. Some employers do not allow visible tattoos or piercings, some places have rule regarding tattoos and piercings. Some religions ban them as well they might see it as a sin to deface your temple. There are health risks with tattoos and body piercings as there are with any body modification that you are planning to do. If your tattoo artist or piercer happens to use a dirty needle on you, the possibility of diseases like, HIV or Hepatitis become higher. Piercings can become infected and scar a person considerably if not properly taken care of or not properly done. “Body art is no longer reserved for social outcasts such as bikers, criminals, and sailors.” Kristopher Kaiyala says in his article. Body art is becoming more and more popular among a variety of age groups and demographics. Body art is also being more accepted, even among senior citizens. A 2003 online survey by Harris Interactive, found that, “16% of U.S. adults have a tattoo”. People ranging from 25-29 years old are the highest number in that 16% with a tattoo. Since that

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