IslandMode

So you’re a day and year older and ‘things are a changin!’ You want to make your own decisions; whether impulsive or well thought out. It’s time for something different, something new; time for a piercing and/or tattoo.

If your parents are like most they may not be thrilled about the idea but either way, make sure you take the right steps before getting bored up and inked for life.
When deciding on a piercing you may want to consider your reason for getting one. This may be an easy decision to make but remember that boring holes in your body is not just a fashion statement; it can be a health risk or a compromising factor.

One of the first things to consider is how much it costs to get a piercing. Depending on how difficult your piercing may be, the price will go up. If you are paying too little for a piercing after comparing prices that could indicate that the person doing the job may be taking short cuts where they shouldn’t. i.e.: sterilizing or other safety procedures. Pain is another factor to consider. If you are not one to endure pain, forget about a piercing. Your friends may say it doesn’t hurt but their experience may be a whole lot different from yours.



Placement is very important. Getting an eyebrow piercing or lip piercing may not only bring implications of you being an ‘emo’ or ‘freak’ (‘gay’ if you’re a male) but it may also stifle your chances of getting employed in some places. Having a tongue piercing may bring implications of you being ‘loose’ or a ‘nympho.’ Also think about the healing process. If a piercing is not given the space and time it needs to heal a keloid may appear; something Bahamians know as ‘a bubby.’ A keloid is a tough heaped- up scar that rises quite abruptly above the rest of the skin. It usually has a smooth top and a pink or purple color. Keloids are irregularly shaped and tend to enlarge progressively. Unlike scars, keloids do not subside over time. Do you think it’s worth it after that?




Participating in sports and being active may also hinder the healing process. Trauma and jostling increases healing time and the risk of an infection. After care for piercing are crucial! If you decide to pierce your tongue you are required to rinse with mouthwash after eating food as well as frequent brushing to keep your mouth clean. If you can’t keep up with after care, forget about a piercing. Infections are no fun; especially in your mouth.



The same applies for tattoos from pricing to pain; placement to after care. Ask yourself the important questions.
- Why am I getting this tattoo?
- How much will it cost?
- What would people think of me if I put it here?
- How would this look 20 years from now?
- Would I be able to get a job with this tattoo here?

Make sure you can answer those questions before leaving a permanent mark on your body. Most work forces prohibit tattoos on the wrist or where it is visible. There are a lot of risks involved with getting a tattoo like allergic reactions and disease transmission.

Make sure your tattoo artist is wearing a pair of gloves and presents certificates to prove training and license and most importantly new sterile needles must always be removed from an autoclave bag in front of you. Tattoo artist should always use a new needle for every client. The use of a used needle can lead to the transmission of HIV/AIDS.



Before making the decision to get ‘bored up’ or ‘tatted up’ think things through. Do not act on impulse! Holes may close up but infections and illnesses will always be there to haunt you. You may be able to hide a tattoo but HIV/AIDS is incurable.

Investigate! Procrastinate! Negotiate! And be safe!