Tattoos: My granddaughter asked my advice about getting a tattoo. Why do teens want a tattoo?

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I dont have a tattoo, but I have wanted one. I am not sure what I would get though. For me it would be something that will remind me of something. I am very sentimental. I have lots of things that people would have thrown out, but I keep because they mean something to me. I would get a tattoo for this reason, but it would be smaller and easily hidden if I want to do so....Show more

I am a parent, and am 52. My kids are 21 and 18. When my son, now 21 was your granddaughter's age, he wanted a tattoo and my most reasonable arguments against it had no impact on him because it was what all the kids were doing, it was "cool" and sexy, etc. He didn't want to be a dork.

Now he is 21 and very glad he didn't get one because he has a lovely girlfriend who really doesn't like them very much. I don't know that she would have rejected him on that account, but she might not have been attracted so much in the first place.

How did I keep him from getting one at 16? Well, I didn't forbid him, that's for sure, because then I thought he might go somewhere for it where it wouldn't be sterile. I just told him that if he thought it was such a great idea, that I loved and respected him, and I thought maybe I should have one, too. In fact, I thought it would be really amazing for us to have the same one in the same place--an experience neither one of us would ever forget and a story we could tell forever whenever we showed people our matching tattoos. I couldn't understand why he decided not to do it after all, then. I think that would have been very special....Show more

A lot of people generalize and say teenagers want it for a 'fad' or a 'coolness'.
Why don't you ask HER this? Why does she want it? Does the tattoo have any special meaning to her? It doesn't have to, but if it doesn't, there should be a reason beyond "it's cool". Maybe it doesn't have any personal meaning, but she appreciates it as a beautiful piece of artwork, or whatever else.
As long as she has a genuine desire for the tattoo, you should let her have it. She's old enough to have an idea of what she wants to do with her body, and even if she waited until she was eighteen, she could still regret it later - hence talking to her and making sure she understands its permanent and wants it beyond a 'trend'.
If she does genuinely want it and you deny it to her, she might be inspired to go through 'under-the-counter' means of obtaining the tattoo, which will ultimately be less safe and of a lesser quality, and more regret!...Show more

I got my first one around the same age, and I got it because it got so much attention from my friends. I ended up getting 5 more tattoos since then and I can honestly say that I wish I hadn't gotten them.

The ink has faded and I did not know it at the time, but I am slightly allergic to the ink. If something aggravates my allergies, the tattoos will puff up and the lines get bumpy...it's noticeable and unattractive.

I am embarrassed to have my tattoos exposed when I'm around family or small children because small children are so impressionable. I also did not realize how many people are offended by tattoos because of religious reasons. My friend was joking around with her parents one night and asked them if they would approve of me marrying her. They said I was a great guy but no because of the tattoos.

You have to really be careful when you get a tattoo. Most places are clean because they don't wanna get sued. If you do decide to let her get one, make health precautions a priority. There are so many chances for blood from a previous customer to somehow find it's way back to your chair.

Lastly, you have to realize that tattoos are addictive. Most people who get one tend to get another one, and then another one. Even though I don't like my tattoos any more, there are times when I look at my arm and think "hey, this would look cool there."...Show more

Teens want a tattoo for the same reasons they start smoking and drinking, they want to be cool and fit in. I don't like tattoos for the pure reason that they are permenant (well, you can remove them through surgery, I guess). But, she has to think, whatever she gets, is she really going to want this when she's your age?? I have seen so many tattoos on older people (for instance sailors that are now in their 70s) that just look hidious, also what if she gains and looses weight (like with pregnancy), it will look good now, but what about later? I'm 26 now and I would never even think of getting one for the fear that I would not like it later in life.
If she truely wants it THAT bad, she can wait another year until she is 18....Show more