tattoos and piercings: Risks

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The risks of tattoos and body piercings
Introduction
The universe is diverse, and likewise, the individuals living in the ever evolving world are differentiated. Some people will not mind having tattoos and piercings on their body while there are those that view these forms of body art negatively. People with body art have particular reasons for getting tattoos or body piercings while others will simply get them because it seems like a trend in the modern world. Having our bodies pierced or tatted might have positive implications, but it is worth noting that there are risks associated with this practice. It has become evident that most people especially the young generations will want to get body art because it is beautiful or it associates them with particular groups without learning about the risks related to such activities. Therefore, before opting to get piercings or tattoos people should be aware of the risks they are likely to expose themselves to enable them hence to make wise decisions regarding the works of art on their bodies. The risks range from health complications to the expense of removing tattoos. Therefore, body piercings and tattoos have a broad spectrum of dangers that people should try to avoid under all circumstances.
Health complications
Tattoos and body piercings have a broad range of health complications that range from allergic reactions to the spread of infectious diseases during the exercise. Tattoos are images on the skin that are drawn using a variety of dyes that may trigger allergic reactions in different people.

People need to be aware of the likelihood of developing allergies after having their bodies tatted since a wide range of inks are used and have different reactions on varied individuals. The possibility of getting allergies from tattoos should sound a warning to individuals that have not had any artwork on their bodies hence promoting their health (“Tattoo Risks | Body Piercing Health Risks” n.p.). Allergies might not develop immediately after getting a tattoo, but they can be exhibited in the form of rashes after several years of procuring the body art. The slow emergence of allergies is one indicator of the health complications likely to be linked with body piercings and or tattoos.
The spread of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis further indicate the risks of acquiring body art. Tattoos and piercings are done using sharp injections that pose health risks to those individuals wanting to have their bodies pierced or tatted. It is advisable for all individuals wishing to acquire any form of body art to have it done by people who promote health. Sharp injections and needles used in tatting and piercing my get contaminated by infected body fluids during the exercise hence acting as transferring objects. People are likely to acquire deadly diseases such as hepatitis and HIV from contaminated needles and injections when getting pierced or tatted hence placing their health at risk. Health complications such as HIV tend to be life threatening hence people should avoid getting tattoos or piercings on their bodies if they want to promote their physical well-being. Therefore, individuals might abstain from sexual relations or use protection during intercourse but still acquire deadly ailments that are spread through sexual activity such as HIV. For individuals who view getting tattoos or body piercings as mandatory should have them in places where sterilization is a priority. Getting tattoos and body piercings in places where sanitization is a priority will help curb the risk of spreading life-threatening conditions such as HIV and hepatitis. Further, inks used for body art tend to have carcinogenic substances that might contribute cancer. Therefore, tattoo inks pose a danger to health and life of those individuals that have their bodies tatted.
Formation of scars, swelling and formation of keloids is another health risk associated with tattoos or body piercings. Some people say that they get tattoos or body piercings because they are beautiful but never consider the risk of getting scars or swellings on the body. There is no beauty linked to scars hence people should avoid pointing out that they get body art for beauty. Swellings and keloids around tatted areas are risk factors in an individual’s health hence the need to avoid them under all circumstances. Tattoos and body piercings have multiple health implications, and people should endeavor to avoid them as a way of evading the health dangers associated with the practices.
Psychological implications
Most individuals will claim that they get their bodies pierced or tatted as a way of expressing themselves. It has to light that tattoos or other forms of body art do not represent the actual since others use them to conceal their real personalities. Tattoos and body piercings might be used for expression but most result from defiance. The above statement implies that people will have their bodies tatted and or pierced to express themselves in a different way that others perceive them. Therefore, tattoos and or body piercings have severe mental health implications since they play a role in negatively affecting self-esteem. Individuals that are characterized with low self-esteem might opt to have their bodies tatted or pierced by this will not alter their personalities. After acquiring tattoos or body piercings, some individuals will tend to be anxious or depressed hence negatively affecting their mental well-being (“Tattoo Psychology: Art or Self Destruction? Modern-Day Social Branding” n.p.). Anxiety and depression arise from the regrets of having body piercings or tattoos. Therefore, individuals that think that the acquisition of body art will act as a way of expression turns into mental torture due to the regrets. It is evident that body piercings and tattoos have negative implications on the psychological well-being of most individuals hence becoming an avenue of mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Cosmetic impacts
Tattoos and body piercings are thought to enhance the beauty of individuals, but at times the opposite is true. Having body art is an expensive undertaking, but it is not as costly as when a person has the desire to have them removed. Tattoos are thought to be permanent since the cost of removing them is quite high and further contributes to skin damage. Removal of tattoos is done by the use of a laser that is an expensive but painful experience. Removal of body art does not guarantee that the skin will go back to its original state because the exercise tends to be destructive. Therefore, skin damage poses as a risk of having tattoos and body piercings either when acquiring or removing the different forms of body art. Therefore, tattoos and body piercings do not promote beauty in some people since the dangers of skin damage are inevitable.
Financial implication
Tattoos and body piercings are easy to acquire but quite expensive to eliminate. Body art is acquired using money but will also be eliminated using the money. Therefore, it is surprising that some individuals will acquire expensive body art but after some time decide that it is not worth it hence decide to have it eliminated. Tattoos are quite costly to remove especially when using a laser. Averagely, a session will cost between two hundred and fifty dollars and eight hundred and fifty dollars depending on the area covered by the body art. One session is not adequate to completely remove the artwork; hence several sessions to a maximum of ten are required to have a tattoo removed completely. Body art might also pose health complications to certain individuals hence further contributing to financial consequences while seeking treatment. Therefore, body art has financial implications on a person since they are acquired at a fee and remove at a premium. Body piercings or tattoos pose financial implications when it comes to acquiring them, seeking treatment due to complications associated with the exercise or when having them removed.
Religious implication
There are diverse religions in the universe, and there are those that support body art while there are those that do not promote such practices. All religions have their reasons as to why they support and do not support tattoos and piercings on the body (“Religions and Tattoos” n.p.). Christianity condemns body art. For any Christian desiring to get to heaven, then body art should be avoided as directed by God. Those who want to get into heaven should, therefore, avoid getting a body piercing or tattoos as directed in the Old Testament. It is evident that tattoos and body piercing will prevent many Christians from enjoying eternal life and should, therefore, consider the risks of body art since the human body is sacred and should not be subjected to such practices.
Military implications
Many people have the desire to serve their nations by getting into the military, but these ambitions can be shattered by the nature of body art one possesses. There are varied regulations put in place that control places and types of body work military personnel can possess. Therefore, body art may pose a threat to individuals wanting to get into the military while having tattoos in prohibited places such as the face or neck. Therefore, tattoos in prohibited places can prevent individuals from securing jobs in the military despite having freedom to have body art. Therefore, different military branches have varied regulations on body art, and they may prevent individuals from enlisting since they might have them in prohibited areas. Further, tattoos in restricted areas may have to be removed hence contributing to financial or health implications.
Conclusion
People will have different explanations for having or lacking tattoos and or body piercings but what matters is the risks associated with such activities. Body art has numerous risks ranging from health complications to religious impacts and therefore all people should endeavor to avoid the impacts. Body artists should play a role in reducing the risks associated with tattoos or body piercings through proper sanitization of the equipment used for the activity. It is expensive to acquire tattoos and or body piercings, and they do not promote beauty rather pose a challenge to aesthetics. In finality, body art has numerous risks that individuals should endeavor to avoid always.

Works Cited
“Religions and Tattoos.” LoveToKnow. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.
“Tattoo Psychology: Art or Self Destruction? Modern-Day Social Branding.” The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.
“Tattoo Risks | Body Piercing Health Risks.” Healthline. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.