Tattooing of Minors Act 1969

Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 - http://tinyurl.com/3xlajt

Think before you ink

Tattoos can leave an indelible impression of the wrong sort

By Belisa Vranich

Teens can't fathom life after high school, yet somehow they think they
have the ability to foresee that 30 years from now they'll still love
that Chinese symbol on their shoulder that means "creativity." For
many parents, tattooing ranks high among the most dreaded subjects -
right up there with "I'm dropping out of school" or "I need breast
implants."

Clinical psychologist Laura Grashow says teens often get tattoos as a
show of independence or as a rebellious way of claiming control over
their own bodies. "Parents can't, and shouldn't, overlook the fact
that the targets of their passion, such as current boyfriend/
girlfriend or bands, often change from one month to the next," she
says.

Usually, "everyone is getting them" is an exaggeration when it comes
to dogs or cars. But in the case of tattoos, the numbers have risen
remarkably in the last decade. While two surveys from 2003 suggested
just 15% to 16% of Americans had a tattoo, one study last year found
that rate had risen to 24%.

The Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 says 18 and sober is the rule but, as
with most rules, teens find their way around them. Less professional
tattoo parlors will turn a blind eye to age, and in these unscrupulous
places there is a higher risk of infection and inferior work. If all
else fails, teens find tattoo kits are available online for about
$100. Some parents grudgingly give consent to 16- to 18-year-olds,
usually under pressure, thinking that helping in the process is the
lesser of two evils.

Stand firm, recommends editor-in-chief of Inked magazine Hawaii Salman
to parents. "Young people should make the carefully thought-out
decision to get a tattoo when the decision is all theirs to make, not
by guilting a parent to give consent or doing it secretly," Salman
says.

Nationally recognized tattoo artist Mike Bellamy, of Red Rocket on W.
36th St. says, "The worst possible thing a kid can do is get a tattoo
somewhere that can't be covered by a dress shirt." Your tattoo choice
and placement could affect your livelihood. "You could end up closing
doors for yourself at a really important time in your life - say you
are doing everything right, then you try to get a loan. They don't see
grades, that you are going to church, all they see is the ink on your
neck. It isn't fair but it's reality, especially outside of New York
City. It's a really big commitment."

Jennifer Trujillo got her first tattoo, of a fairy, at 19, then a year
later covered it with a spider.

"Most people think it's ugly. I still like it, though," she says. "But
I do wish I had put it somewhere where I could cover it."

There is, of course, the temporary solution. Spurred by the fact that
there didn't seem to be any temporary tattoos that weren't "cheesy and
obviously stickers," Megan Kingsbury and Krista Finne started a temp
tattoo company in Brooklyn ( http://www.Kingfintattoo.com ). "We
wanted to give people an alternative to actual ink, since it is such a
big commitment. Now they can have a huge colorful Virgin Mary or
bright orange oriental fish that you usually only see on people with
real tattoos."

Removal options like expensive laser, grafting or surgery can leave
scars or discoloration - Kingfin's extra-large bright temporaries last
longer than most and are often mistaken for the real thing./copy and
paste from http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle...e_you_ink.html

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Curt