Flaunt It But Watch Out

As they head to colleges, they seek to carve out an identity by doing ‘‘cool things'' to look different a crowd of thousands. They don't want to be an average Joe. While there are more than thousand ways to add to your ‘‘cool quotient'', consensus on DU campus is that tattoos are one ‘‘cool stuff'' worth flaunting.

   ‘‘It's like hundreds of tiny injections piercing my skin at the same time,'' says Mayank Matta, a first year college student, as an artist runs the tattoo machine over his forearm to carve out his name. But ‘‘it's worth the pain,'' he quickly adds.

   ‘‘The demand for tattoos has definitely gone up. The colleges are about to open and a lot of teenagers who are either going to join college or heading back to their classes after the summer break, are approaching us to get a tattoo,'' says Lokesh Verma, tattoo artist and owner of Devil'z Tattooz in Vasant Vihar.

   Tattoo artists say a majority of their clientele comprises teenage girls. The most common motifs among women are butterflies, tribal designs, flowers and angels. Some even get their names drawn in different scripts. Lower back, arms, back shoulder and ankles are the common parts where girls want to wear the tattoo. Piercing too is quite popular with teenage girls and the most common body parts where they seeks piercing are eyebrows, lower lip and belly button.

   As more and more youngsters go for tattoos, doctors advise precaution. They say that if not done properly, a tattoo can lead to allergic reaction and in some cases leave a permanent scar. Similarly, piercing too can leave a permanent mark. ‘‘A freshly drawn tattoo is like a wound. And if it is not protected properly, it could get infected. Bacterial infection is very common and if ignored it can get serious and result in pus formation,'' says Dr Sachin Dhawan, Artemis Healthcare Institute.

   One has to be careful with the tattoo, especially in the first two weeks. It should be protected from water, soap, sunlight and should be kept clean till it heals. Equally important is the choice of parlour or studio as chances of contracting infections like HIV, tuberculosis and tetanus are very high while getting a tattoo made.
   Most teenagers are aware of these complications and don't mind shelling out extra money to get it done at a recognized parlour. 18-year-old Anisha, a BBA student, paid nearly Rs 4,000 to her name written in Arabic on her shoulder. ‘‘I think it looks really cool. It is worth spending more money. At least I'm assured that the kit used during the process was fresh,'' says Anisha.

   Doctors also warn about the dyes, chemicals and equipment used in making tattoos. ‘‘It is very important that the dyes are of good quality. Most of the dyes contain iron salt. To get different colours, copper sulphate is also used. If the dye is of poor quality, then one can have reaction to these salts. Moreover, people with sensitive skin can develop a complication called foreign body granulomas. This condition may lead to formation of lumps around the tattoo pigments. Such lumps can only be removed surgically,'' said Dr Neena Khanna, professor of dermatology, AIIMS.

   As for newer trends in tattoo patterns are concerned, artists say, people are yet to open up and go for bigger and themebased tattoos. Mike Cowasji, a well-known tattoo artist and owner of Mike Bodyart Studio, says: ‘‘Not many people want to get big tattoos. It is picking up, but those who want to get it done don't have money. A full back tattoo will cost between Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000. It all depends on the design. But mostly people come for small tattoos.''

 Tattoo artists say most teenagers get tattoos to flaunt it and not because they feel strongly about something. ‘‘Tattoos can be a way of expressing your thoughts. It's a form of art that can reflect your personality,'' says Ankur Dhingra, tattoo artist and owner of Tattoowalla.