Getting a tattoo can be daunting, especially if you think of the long and painful process you must go through in order to complete a well-made work of art. This thought alone frightens many from getting their own tattoos, therefore they discourage people around them from receiving one as well. Often, the decision against one is made based on the fact that the tattooing process seems painful and the instruments used for the process can quite scary to some.

For a normal person to overcome this feeling, she must familiarize herself with the procedure first and what’s involved in it’s entirety. Basically, the concept of tattooing is applying permanent ink to the skin by injection.

Our skin consists of two layers, namely the dermis and epidermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. This is the exposed part of the skin that we can touch and feel. Underneath it is the deeper layer called dermis; one cannot touch or feel it. In a tattooing process, the ink is injected straight into the dermis or the deeper layer and not on the surface or the epidermis. This is because the epidermis sheds cells regularly and the dermis won’t. In order for the tattoo to be permanent, it must be applied to a place that will not shed or peel so it is applied to the dermis. Tattoos have been done this way since the beginning, only the instruments have changed over the years. Today, the machines that are used for tattooing provide both better precision for the artist and less pain for the one who is being tattooed.

Tattooing is basically images that are formed by creating series of dots. By strategically spacing them apart, an artist can make the concentration either darker or lighter, depending on the demands of the design. The tattoo gun itself consists of three parts: the ink, the tube connecting the ink to the needle and of course, the needle. The needle injects the ink to the dermis. After a procedure is done, the needle is disposed of and the equipment is sterilized properly. This is done for each and every client that comes in for a tattoo to keep everyone safe from diseases and is strictly enforced.

Clients are encouraged to choose their own colors to go with their design but you can let your artist choose for you if you are having trouble choosing one. After you have chosen your colors, design and location of the tattoo, the procedure is ready to begin. The duration of the whole tattooing process depends on the size and complexity of the design.

It is normal to feel tolerable pain during the process but one will have to sit still and not move for the entire length of the procedure so that there are no mistakes made by a quick movement and slip of the tattoo gun. Pain depends on your own tolerance for pain; worse if you are afraid of needles but not at all bad as one might expect.

The long established connection between tattoos and people engaging in illegal activities earned the art of tattooing a bad name but it’s not the only thing that has been haunting tattoos since it’s creation. There have been many myths and unjustified criticisms that come with getting a tattoo. For years,  those who underwent tattooing learned to accept the stigma associated with tattoos,  but the question of whether tattooing is an addiction remains clouded and heavily debated.

There has been a persistent connotation that getting a tattoo could cause an addictive reaction in someone. Maybe because this theory is based on the fact that one tattoo may never be enough for some. A lot of people who experienced one tattoo often find themselves getting another one or making multiple trips to tattoo studios for more but that doesn’t warrant the claim of tattoos being an addiction.

Everyone who has a tattoo  has their own reasons for getting one and like any other decision a person can make in his or her lifetime, it solely depends on what he thinks is right for him. Tattoo represents art; it can also be commemorative for some. It represents and defines the person’s character and separates him from the rest. Nothing has ever been proven that getting inked happens due to a craving or longing for it.

This fallacy is based on two factors and both of them give tattooing bad name to the art and to the individuals who decided to get a tattoo. The first factor is that a person who sports a tattoo gets addicted to it and would often acquire another one to satisfy the craving while the other one is the misconception that the process itself is addicting; so strong that it compels a person to come back for more. Of course, there is no scientific basis to support this claim and it is completely based on malicious intent of the person making the claim.

A tattoo gives the one you has it a certain high and feeling that is something that is hard to explain unless you experience it yourself. That is why, a client who is very satisfied with his tattoo is most likely to get another one from the same shop; but again that doesn’t mean this person is addicted to pain. Addiction by definition is when a person loses his self-control over a thing that possesses them. It is when you are completely dependent on something beyond your control and someone gets a tattoo because he wants to not because he needs to.

It is unfair to associate tattoos with addiction since there is no real basis to the claim and it’s usually made by people who can’t come to terms with why someone who tattoo their entire body. Just because they wouldn’t do it, doesn’t mean it’s a problem.

Tattoos have been around for a long time now and are definitely a hotter topic than they’ve ever been. They are becoming increasingly popular among all walks of life, especially now that the society is not too restrictive and judgmental toward people who have tattoos. Years ago, you seldom saw women and celebrities with tattoos and those who sport them are considered thugs and bad guys. Fortunately, we broke free from those stereotypes for the most part and tattoos are something that can be acquired by anybody who wants them without too much risk of being judged.

Nobody can really pinpoint when and where skin art started; it seems that it has been around ever since time began. The methods, techniques and designs evolved,  but the concept of tattooing has been around for ages. In fact, a mummy known as Oetzi was found in 1991 sporting a tattoo consisting of lines. The mummy has an estimated age of at least 5300 years old. Due to the location of his markings, researchers suspected that they were used for medicinal purposes, the same concept used for acupuncture where needles are used to alleviate joint aches and pains. Aside from Oetzi, there have been other discoveries of mummies with tattoos. Tattoos back when then they were used to mark tribes, symbolize social status, as well as decorative purposes.

Of all cultures, it was the Egyptians who have the most extensive tradition that supports tattooing and even ancient Egyptian women had them. Their designs are more intricate and complex which consist of lines and dots in various parts of the body. They were thought to be ritual markings that every one had to undergo.

Tattoos also found their way into the circus arena. People who attended the circus found it interesting to see circus performers flaunting their collected skin art from all over the world. Some of the most popular performers are best known for the tattoos they have added over the years and it is impossible to forget the ones with full body tattoos.

If you study the history close enough, you will find pictures of ancient personalities who proudly show their tattoos; men and women alike. They are usually representations of important things such as status and tradition.