The Relationship Between Tattoos & Dark Skin Noemi Iniguez
We all know that a tattoo remains imprinted on your skin, for a very, very, long time, so before you get inked, here are a couple of questions you probably have in mind: what do I want to get tattooed? Designs, images, people, the possibilities are endless, but why do I want a tattoo? Will the idea work with my skin tone? How will it affect my skin? Here are a couple of basics on the history of tattoos and how it affects your skin.
The History Behind Tattoos and Identity
Tattoos have been around for more than centuries now, and its history and significance comes from different cultures and traditions, but they’re used as a way to identify to a culture. According to the Smithsonian, the earliest signs of tattoos, came from Egypt in 2000 B.C. on female mummies! Although Egyptian women had tattoos to mark them as prostitutes, in other cultures, such as Polynesia, they’re a sign of honor. Tattoos, or a tatau, as PBS says, is a skill acquired from father to son. Young chiefs would be tattooed, ceremoniously, as a sign of reaching adolescence, and the beginning of leadership. In Japan, evidence shows that tattoos were more of a body suit, and were used more for aesthetic reasons, but before that, historians discovered tombs with figurines covered in tattoos. According to Tattoo Temple, these tattoos signified individuals who accompanied the dead in the afterlife. They were highly symbolic to their spiritual world.
Tattoos don’t necessarily have to be used with ink or as methods used above, but there are also other forms of “tattoos” that cultures such as African and India use. The National Geographic News explains that in certain locations, such as Ethiopia’s Karo tribe, “Men scar their chests to represent killing enemies from other tribes. Women with scarred torsos and chests are considered particularly sensual and attractive.” Although scarification is no longer used, there was an artist, Joana Choumali, whom documented the last generation whom used scarification. Scarification is known as an alternative for tattooing, just like how henna is an alternative of tattooing as well. Henna is a type of flower shrub that can be not only used for tattooing, but even to treat skin conditions. It’s used as a dye and can be traced all the way back to Cleopatra! According to Huffington Post, “The art of applying henna to the hands and feet is known as Mehndi, and is traditionally used for celebrations and rites of passage [...] for Hindu weddings, henna is painted on the bride to symbolize joy, beauty, spiritual awakening and offering, while Moroccans often paint doors with henna to bring prosperity and chase away evil.” Every culture has a different meaning to tattoos, and like these different cultures, each person’s skin reacts differently to tattoos.
The Safety of Your Skin
Your tattoo stays in place due to the second layer of your skin, known as the dermis. The dermis is the reason the ink stays in a stable position because of the skin cells in that layer, and lasts throughout your entire life. When you get a tattoo, you do run a risk of getting an infection, because of the ink. The ink can create substances such as warts, hepatitis, or staph. According to WebMD, “The FDA regulates the inks in tattoos, but the actual practice of tattooing is regulated by local jurisdictions, such as cities and counties. That means there is no standardized certification for those doing the tattooing or an overall governing body supervising the health and safety of tattoo parlors.� In other words, because of lack of government supervision over health concerns, you may run the risk of tattoo shops that may not properly sterilize their equipment. You may also get an allergic reaction to the ink because of ingredients such as nickel or mercury so always talk to your tattoo artist first, and ask them questions. WebMD also provides some tips for finding a safe parlor:
•Treat a tattoo as you would any other medical procedure. You want a tattoo parlor to be at least as clean as a dentist or dermatologist’s office •Ask to see the tools the artist will use. The needles should be new, sterilized, and wrapped -- no exceptions. The ink should be in small pots meant for single-use and anything that touches your skin should not be reused. And the artist should wear gloves. •Make sure the work area is free of any possible contamination from items like purses and cell phones.
If you decide to get a tattoo, just remember—it’s on there forever—so choose something that you won’t regret, because tattoo is not only painful, and causes hyperpigmentation, but it’s quite expensive! Business Insider also has a detailed guide on what happens to your skin cells when you get a tattoo, check it out! Once you do get your tattoo, you’re going to want to take some extra precautions on your skin, such as the ones that Mayo Clinic has created:
Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Apply an antibiotic ointment to the tattooed skin while it's healing.
•Keep the tattooed skin clean. Use plain soap and water and a gentle touch. While showering, avoid direct streams of water on the newly tattooed skin. Pat — don't rub — the area dry.
•Use moisturizer. Apply a mild moisturizer to the tattooed skin several times a day.
•Avoid sun exposure. Keep the tattooed area out of the sun for at least a few weeks.
•Avoid swimming. Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water while your piercing is healing.
•Choose clothing carefully. Don't wear anything that might stick to the tattoo.
•Allow up to 2 weeks for healing. Don't pick at any scabs, which increases the risk of infection and can damage the design and cause scarring.
Tattoos and Dark Skin On top of the epidermis, lies melanin, which is the pigment that creates dark skin dark. The more melanin you have, the darker the skin tone. Now, since that is on the epidermis, and the ink on a tattoo goes under the epidermis, your tattoo is technically covered by the color of your skin. So your skin tone matters when it comes to tattoos. Getting certain colors can therefore be tricky due to the fact that not all colors will help enhance the image you want. EOD Tattoo states that you can never go wrong with blacks and greys, but lighter shades of blue, and red are common colors that can be used on dark skin. So not only is it important to scout an artist that understands the safety of your skin, but you also want one that will understand what you want and understands your skin!
Darker skin is more likely to get keloid, so you want to make sure your artist knows your skin and how it might react to getting a tattoo. According to Cosmopolitan, “The artist might need to adjust the way they work to suit your skin, by reducing the power and not going over the same area too frequently.” Therefore, it’s important to know your skin and its history in order to go ahead and get a tattoo. Just keep in mind—if you do decide to get a color tattoo, then it will more than likely fade after a few months. So if you really want a good tattoo, just remember—your skin is not the problem, the problem is not many tattoo artists have the acquired skills to create colored tattoos that adapt to skin tone. But, when you do find one that helps you shine through with art on your skin, then it’s well worth it!
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