Should Tattoos Be Taboo

My daughter wants to get a tattoo and I don't know what I should tell her. Any advice?

Body art has been a form of adornment and branding for bikers, athletes and entertainers for ions. Due to increased social acceptance, greater exposure, and changing norms, body art is gaining popularity with “common folk”, and is now viewed as much of a “fashion statement” as a hairstyle or designer label.

In fact, today it’s not unusual to see body art adorned by everybody from white-collar professionals, to middle aged moms. Among them are those that perceive tattoos as merely an extension of their first amendment right to freedom of expression.



Everybody has different things that are acceptable for their family. However, I believe tattoos are unacceptable until they are adults. Tatoos should be taboos.

My daughter needs to know what is acceptable in our family. This boundary establishes a threshold that once crossed has consequences. For our family, if they want to act like adults, then they must assume the responsibility of an adult.

How old do you have to be to get a tattoo in The Philippines? I thought I better look this up to see if there are any laws against getting tattooed. Is it against the law to get a tattoo if you are under the age of 18? Can the tattoo shop be prosecuted for molestation of a minor if they tattoo a minor? I think it's our job as parents to uphold the law and to not circumvent it for a child that wants a tattoo under the age of 18.

With kids, it's important to use our leverage over them with responsibility. And, as parents, we must be positive that we are prepared to follow through on the consequences we outline. Otherwise, children have the ability to step over boundaries like Superman bounds buildings. If a child over the age of 18 wants a tattoo, they are free to go to a tattoo parlor, present their ID and pick the design of their choice.

However, we as parents don't have to support this behavior. I'm not saying to stop loving your child if they do things like getting a tattoo, but I do believe in setting the boundary.

I may seem harsh, but the boundary is clear. If my daughter came home with a tattoo one night, I'd say great. You are ready to take care of yourself. Now, if she realized she made a mistake, I would say. Fine. We all make mistakes, however you have to pay the consequences – punishment is in order.

I think it's important to help our kids when they do make mistakes. The important thing is to know that boundaries will be crossed. And not to be too upset or dissappointed, but to inforce the consequence and then to provide the opportunity for them to correct the action.

Risks of getting a tattoo

Tattoo inks are not FDA-approved for injection into the skin. The FDA says that many of the pigments are industrial-strength colors suitable for printer's ink or automobile paint. Even henna, which is often used in temporary tattoos, may not be safe, as it is approved only for use as a hair dye. Ultraviolet ink for glow-in-the-dark tattoos also has not been approved by FDA.

Research has shown that some pigment migrates from the tattoo site to the body's lymph nodes, the small organs located in the channels of the lymphatic system that store special cells to trap bacteria or cancer cells traveling through the body in lymph. It's not known if this ink migration has health consequences.

Darker-skinned people face a greater risk for thick scars (keloid) after tattoo removal or from the tattoo process itself. Keloid formation is more common in darker-skinned people.

Allergic reaction to the tattoo dye can occur. There's no way to predict who will have an allergic reaction to tattoo dyes, especially red dyes. Allergic reactions can include ulcers, weeping, lumpy and itchy skin, burning, and sensitivity to the sun.

Hepatitis B or C can be transmitted by a dirty needle. These very serious infections can damage your liver and are the most common causes of cancer of the liver. On rare occasions, you can get syphilis or tuberculosis while being tattooed.

You risk HIV infection from non-sterile instruments. Blood flows into the hollow tattoo needles and can contaminate any part of a needle or instrument.

Although rare, swelling or burning in the tattoo can occur when a person has a magnetic resonance imaging procedure.