Think before you ink

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By Scarlett Gambit

When filling out a job application, tattoos are something that should be considered.  Photo by Scarlett Gambitt
When filling out a job application, tattoos are something that should be considered.
Photo by Scarlett Gambit

Tattoos are like potato chips, you can’t just have one. However, many students who look forward to getting inked are unaware of the consequences of permanent body modifications.
Tattooing has been practiced for centuries in many cultures and spread throughout the world. It was popular among certain ethnic groups until this form of body art made its way to North America. Many cultures believe that tattoos accentuate beauty and display class or wealth, but here in America, tattoos hold a different stigma. Originally popular among social outcasts like bikers and prisoners, tattoos have become much more prevalent in different members of society – the millennial generation included.
“I don’t think tattoos define people. I plan on getting tattoos in the future. As long as it means something to you and you are aware of the consequences, I don’t see a problem with them. I think teenagers should wait till they are older, or at least out of high school, because what they think is cool now, won’t necessarily be what they think is cool as they get older.” Vallen Dodrill, sophomore, said.
Tattoos can be a form of art and self-expression, at least in the moment that they are done. Tattoo removal is five to ten times the cost of an actual tattoo and much more painful. According to Pew Research Center, Tattoo Finder, and Vanishing tattoo, five percent of Americans have covered up their regretted tattoo with another tattoo, seventeen percent regret their tattoo, and eleven percent have or will be getting one removed.
Permanent body art can have profound consequences for people who seek employment. Even something as simple as flipping burgers at In-N-Out would not be an option for teenagers with visible tattoos. Hospital and law careers, which require professionalism, also tend to have strict tattoo policies. Not all jobs are like this though. Teaching, culinary or restaurant, and movie theater jobs vary in their policies but are not too strict about visible body art.
“No one is really strict about dress code as far as covering up my tattoos goes. It depends on the principal, but everyone here is pretty cool about it. If you go on a job interview, I recommend covering them. That’s what I did,” Mr. Parris, science teacher, said in regard to his own sleeves of tattoos.
According to Statistic Brain, with more and more young adults getting tattoos, by the time they have to focus on a career, employers will not be as strict due to the influx of people with tattoos in the job market.
A tattoo is a way for people to express themselves as a permanent accessory. Permanent being the key word, tattoos continue to make an impression on people of all kinds, including future employers.