Tattoo Myths and Misconceptions

[Delicious]

One I've heard of alot but is blatantly false is that tattooers can't tattoo over the veins in your wrist, because apparently they will puncture them? Even though HELLA people get their wrists tattooed, it still floats around

[Kahlan]

There was quite a few people that asked me if the needles go through seven layers of skin......

and another is my own family claiming the ink enters your blood stream. :/

[CultExciter]

It's exactly 7 layers. No more. No less. EXACT!

[cltattooing]

There was quite a few people that asked me if the needles go through seven layers of skin......

and another is my own family claiming the ink enters your blood stream. :/

A certain amount of it does get into your blood stream, but it's not harmful or anything. I think there's a thread on here mentioning pigment showing up in your lymph nodes in MRI's or some scan of that nature.

[Beth]

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet but i found out this weekend that sailors in the 14th century believed if you have a tattoo of a rooster or a pig on your foot it would keep you from drowning.

[SStu]

My turd supervisor . . .

I'm sorry, but that IS a blatant invasion of privacy.

[G.Uristti]

some girl came into the shop where i work yesterday, asking about getting a small feather tattooed by her eye (to match one in her only other tattoo we could see, on the back of her neck)... before being turned away, she was also asking if anyone in the shop did UV tattoos, and talking all about how they take 10 years off of your life, because the ink is so toxic.

this person is the reason for birth control

[wee black dug]

A certain amount of it does get into your blood stream, but it's not harmful or anything. I think there's a thread on here mentioning pigment showing up in your lymph nodes in MRI's or some scan of that nature.

Not sure where that other thread is, but I can certainly confirm that when I had a MRI scan last year, the radiographer(?)/scanner guy made a point of asking if I had any "old" tattoos with a lot of red in them. What he said was that some older red tattoo inks had a high concentration of iron in them, and given the MRI scanner is basically a huge full body magnet, there could be...um...issues. Whether the science of it is a myth or not I've no idea, but the fact they ask you about it is real enough!

In fairness, I have no idea how "old" the ink has to be before it might be an issue. Maybe he only asked me because I'm pushing 50. :cool:

[cltattooing]

Not sure where that other thread is, but I can certainly confirm that when I had a MRI scan last year, the radiographer(?)/scanner guy made a point of asking if I had any "old" tattoos with a lot of red in them. What he said was that some older red tattoo inks had a high concentration of iron in them, and given the MRI scanner is basically a huge full body magnet, there could be...um...issues. Whether the science of it is a myth or not I've no idea, but the fact they ask you about it is real enough!

In fairness, I have no idea how "old" the ink has to be before it might be an issue. Maybe he only asked me because I'm pushing 50. :cool:

Yeah, I've definitely heard things about people with older red and blue inks having problems after MRIs and CATs. If I'm not mistaken, a lot of (older) pigments have heavy metals in them, so that would make sense.

[Kahlan]

Really glad they don't anymore. I'm highly allergic to most metals. :/

[JAllen]

every tattoo I do contains tiny particles of black sabbath.

[wee black dug]

every tattoo I do contains tiny particles of black sabbath.

See, that's good to know, because as soon as I find somebody that knows what Supernaut looks like, I've got space available. :)

[JAllen]

See, that's good to know, because as soon as I find somebody that knows what Supernaut looks like, I've got space available. :)

He looks like a viking buck rogers.

[Pleadco]

I always keep my heavy metals away from the monster magnet.

[wee black dug]

He looks like a viking buck rogers.

Reaching out to touch the sky, obviously? If that's the case, I'm beginning to form a mental image.

When are you in Scotland next? ;)

[JAllen]

Reaching out to touch the sky, obviously? If that's the case, I'm beginning to form a mental image.

When are you in Scotland next? ;)

Haha, well I've got a buddy in the uk that has given me an open invitation for whenever I want to come over. Maybe once I get this house sold and move I'll be able to afford a trip that direction.

[smiling.politely]

In relation to MRI issues, remembered this from a few years back...

[cltattooing]

In relation to MRI issues, remembered this from a few years back...

exploding seems a little extreme, but that's television I guess.

[kingofcosta]

Ressurecting this thread to add a myth/misconception that kitchen wizards and scratchers always perpetuate to excuse their shit work...

"it depends on how your skin takes the ink"

No, mate. It depends on whether or not you know how to tattoo properly.

[JBHoren]

#1 Myth: Tattoos will get you laid.

[Dan]

#2 myth> tattoos will make you a tough guy and you like to fight and always win ! all because you have tattoos !

[Synesthesia]

^ I wish that was true. I could use some toughness.

[cltattooing]

^ I wish that was true. I could use some toughness.

Haha, it's kind of true! definitely not an absolute truth, but I think tattoos give a lot of people a greater sense of courage and confidence.

[Zillah]

That tattoos can give you STDs! I just saw this on a tattooist's website.

"Tattooing carries a risk of STDs and other nasty things infecting you, and you wouldn’t want to catch any of those."

If you're getting sexually transmitted diseases from a tattooist, it's not the needle they're sticking you with.

[HaydenRose]

That tattoos can give you STDs! I just saw this on a tattooist's website.

"Tattooing carries a risk of STDs and other nasty things infecting you, and you wouldn’t want to catch any of those."

If you're getting sexually transmitted diseases from a tattooist, it's not the needle they're sticking you with.

Well, technically this isn't really a myth. If you share needles you could get hepatitis or HIV (both STDs... even though you're not contracting them via sex). This is only a concern if you don't got to a professional, but I know plenty of people who tout that getting tattoos anywhere carries the risk... NOT TRUE. Just go to a professional.