When former Seaholm student Ted Splittstoesser sat down in the tattoo parlor last year for the first time, he knew exactly what he was getting himself into. He meticulously planned out what his tattoos would look like and where they would be so he could prepare himself for permanent ink.
“It took me a year to plan the tattoos, I won’t regret them, I think a lot before I ever get one,” Splittstoesser said.His several tattoos, located on his arms, chest, and back have cost him upwards of $1200 and over 12 hours in the tattoo parlor. Splittstoesser has plans to get more tattoos in the future and overall he has received a positive reaction about his tattoos from his friends and family.
“Most of my friends loved them and all family except my mother loved them as well, [and] everyone got used to them quickly,” Splittstoesser said.
Another Seaholm student, Brendan Keyes, got a tattoo on his back right below his neck. His tattoo displays two hands holding a rosary reading: “In loving memory.” It is meant to display the love he has for his father, who passed away, and to be a reminder that he will never forget him.
“I got it for the sole purpose of my dad and it means a lot to me,” said Keyes.
While both Splittstoesser and Keyes obtained their tattoos legally, Birmingham police Deputy Chief Mark Clemence said there are legal repercussions for minors (under the age of 18) who get tattoos without parental consent.
“Having a tattoo under the age of eighteen without parent’s consent is in violation of the public health care code section 333.13102,” said Clemence. “ If convicted, violators will receive a misdemeanor.”
Royal Oak Tattoo, which specializes in body ink and piercings, regularly has high school customers. Store employee, Andrea Farmer explains that they uphold the strict state tattoo laws for minors looking to get inked.
“We have some [minors] come in about four to six times a month and they always have a parent present with various other personal information like a birth certificate in order to get the art they want,” Farmer said.
Farmer also said Royal Oak tattoo is also committed to providing client satisfaction and therefore entails customers to schedule appointments to design tattoos in advance.
“We require scheduled appointments with an artist to get your tattoo done correctly and efficiently,” said Farmer.
However, customer satisfaction is not always guaranteed for the long term, and if someone gets a regrettable tattoo, they might have to go through the expensive and painful process of tattoo removal.
Oakland Aesthetic Dermatologyoffers the service of tattoo removal, and a doctor at the clinic, Barry Auster, said the pain of removal varies with different kinds for tattoos.
“We use a machine called the Alexandrite, which is a laser that basically erases the body ink. It can be painful depending on the detail and size of the tattoo, but normally is not that bad,” said Dr. Auster.
Not only can tattoos cause damage to one’s bank account, but also damage to one’s body as complications from getting a tattoo can be fatal.
According to the Mayo Clinic, tattoos can cause a variety of skin infections and other complications because they breach the skin.
Common health risks are allergic reactions to the tattoo dye and bacterial infections “characterized by swelling, pain, and pus-like drainage.” Other skin problems include bumps called Granulomas which commonly form around tattoo ink and keloids which form from the overgrowth of scar tissue.
While these infections are often treatable, tattoos can also cause fatal bloodborne diseases like Heptatitis B and C, HIV, and Tetanus. These diseases are contracted when the equipment used for the tattoos is contaminated with infected blood.
Auster acknowledges the health risks caused by tattoos and believes that, while it is the customer’s choice, it may not be worth the risk.
“Getting a tattoo is very stupid in my opinion, but it’s the customer’s choice to put themselves at risk whether it’s a very minor or major risk,” said Auster.
