Let’s Talk Tattoos
Photo from Canva
Mikayla Kauffmann
Despite the tattoo industry’s increasing popularity, it is by no means new. The art of tattooing can be traced back at least 12,000 years and has managed to survive throughout all that time. The techniques involved with tattooing have innovated over the years. In the past, tattoos were given a bad reputation because people saw them as something affiliated with gang or criminal activity. However, this reputation has dissipated over time and society has accepted tattooing as a form of art which has led to an increase in tattoos, especially among teens. As of 2021, 36% of US citizens ages 18-29 have at least 1 tattoo (CompareCamp). Some students at Hamilton make up this 36%, and in an interview with the Press, they give more insight on the reasons behind joining this evolving tradition.
Dom Carini- Cross
How long have you wanted this tattoo?
I’ve wanted it since I was 17.
Why did you get it/what is the meaning behind it?
I have the same [design] on a chain that I wear that my grandma gave to me.
What did the tattoo feel like?
It felt like a knife dragging on my skin.
What would you rate the pain level, 1-10?
At first the pain was like a 4, then at the end it was like a 10/10.
What is the aftercare like?
I wash it with unscented soap and rub aquafil on it.
How long is the healing process?
It will take 2 weeks until it will be fully healed.
Samantha August- “Tomorrow”
How long have you wanted this tattoo?
I’ve wanted this tattoo since freshman year. It was the first tattoo idea that I had that was more of my own which is why I knew I wanted this one to be my first tattoo.
Why did you get it/what is the meaning behind it?
The main meaning behind the word tomorrow is when you feel like there’s nothing left to hold onto, hold onto tomorrow because it could be better or worse, but how will you know if you're not there to see it? I’ve always struggled with my mental health and this word is a reminder to keep going not only for me but for anyone that sees it.
What did the tattoo feel like?
Out of the 5 tattoos I have this was by far the least painful. I would say it’s more uncomfortable than painful. Like you want it to stop, you’re not sitting there thinking wow this feels great, but it was a lot less painful than I expected.
What would you rate the pain level, 1-10?
I would give the spot I got this tattoo a 2, but pain definitely depends on location.
What is the aftercare like?/How long is the healing process?
For me it took around 2 weeks to fully heal, but it can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks.
Samantha August- Butterfly
How long have you wanted this tattoo?
This past summer was really when I started picking out the tattoos I wanted and that was when I decided I wanted to get a butterfly.
Why did you get it/what is the meaning behind it?
A: Butterflies are a symbol of change and how amazing change can be. I tend to always think of the worst possible outcome which is why change is a major source of my anxiety. The butterfly represents courage to embrace transformation to make life better and shows change isn’t always a bad thing. My sister is also getting a butterfly and then my mom is getting the butterflies my sister and I got tattooed on her ankle.
What did the tattoo feel like?
A: This one hurt really bad because I got it on my ribs. It felt like a sharp object was constantly scraping against my skin. There were periods where my tattoo artist was going over one spot for a long time and it felt like it went numb and then a couple seconds later it felt like I was getting stabbed in a spot that had gotten stabbed one hundred times before. I feel like the pain in this spot is what most people expect when getting a tattoo for the first time (it feels like you're getting stabbed).
What would you rate the pain level, 1-10?
I would say a 7. There are definitely more painful spots to get tattoos and this tattoo also didn’t have a lot of shading. I will say it was very painful, but I would never tell someone not to get a tattoo on their ribs because of the pain.
What is the aftercare like?
How it’s wrapped immediately after you get the tattoo depends on the artist. Mine was covered with a thick piece of gauze and then taped down. I had to leave that on for 2 hours after getting my tattoo. Then twice a day, for about two weeks, I washed it with white, fragrance free, antibacterial soap and used white, fragrance free lotion.
Bella Sansone-Sun and Moon
How long have you wanted this tattoo?
I wanted it for about 2 months before I got it.
Why did you get it/what is the meaning behind it?
I got this tattoo because I’ve been through a lot in my life and for me, the moon represents your hard times and the sun represents your good times and the hands represent that you have the choice on how to handle those situations.
What did the tattoo feel like?
The tattoo felt like a lot of pressure with stinging pain. It's far from the pain of a shot; it doesn’t feel like that at all. It just feels like immense pressure with a pain sensation added onto it.
What would you rate the pain level, 1-10?
I would say my pain level for all my tattoos was about a 7. I tolerate pain well so I could handle it.
What is the aftercare like?
The aftercare includes moisturizing it at least 3 times a day with unscented lotion, cleaning it while in the shower, and not exposing it to the sun or submerging it in water for long periods of time.
How long is the healing process?
The healing process takes from 2-6 weeks based on how big the tattoo is. You’ll know when the healing process is over when the tattoo stops peeling and scabbing.
Bella Sansone- Angel Wing
How long have you wanted this tattoo?
I wanted it for about a year before I got it.
Why did you get it/what is the meaning behind it?
I got this tattoo because my dog of 15 years passed away and I wanted to have her with me forever so I decided to do angel wings with a dog print above as the halo. Eventually I will add her birth year and name to it.
What would you rate the pain level, 1-10?
I would say my pain level for all my tattoos was about a 7. I would say that the most painful one was the angel wing tattoo because it’s right on my muscle which is a sensitive spot especially in that location.
