me want tattoo underage

ineedanswer

im asking because it seems like some of the ppl in this forum have quite a bit of experience. Im thinkin of getting a tattoo done but im only 16.. (although i could prob pass for 18) iv put a lot of thought into what i want but is there any way i would be able to get it done well, and the way I want it if i dont have permission from a guardian ? some parlour in dublin or galway ?

Will

No where that is in any way decent will tattoo you when 16. I wanted ink from a young age, i waited until i was 21 and am thanking my lucky stars i did otherwise i'd have ended up with the stupidest things on me. your tastes and preferences will change over time. What's another 2 years when you are gonna have it for the rest of your life?

bodice ripper

from the last time some one asked....

bodice ripper wrote: »

getting tattooed under 18 is just plain dumb.

1) you simply have no grasp of who you are, and so incapable of knowing what you really want in the long run.

2) because you are not 18, your choice of artist is limited by who is willing to tattoo children. not an ideal situation

3) because you are still in puberty, your body and skin will continue to change at a quick rate. this can cause tattoos to warp, move and in my experience - they seem to fade rather quickly in the first few years (this is merely an observation)

your parent's consent is irrelevant. you cannot make an informed discision for you and they cannot either - becuase they aren't you.

do the adult thing, and wait.

Maximillion Power

Just to put things in perspective I am the other side of the story to Will, I was 16 I didnt wait I really regretted the work I got done and spent a small fortune in the last 2 years getting a piece of it covered and a piece of it redone a number of times. I wish I had waited because I now have a number of Tattoo's that I love because I picked them as an adult (I am now 25). Your opinions will change so much from 16 to your early 20's. Your quality expectation will not be as high and a tattoo is for life. I like what I got mine reworked into but I still wish I had left a blank canvas to work with when I was say 21/22. So get material, get ideas, but dont get inked yet

January

Maximillion Power wrote: »

Just to put things in perspective I am the other side of the story to Will, I was 16 I didnt wait I really regretted the work I got done and spent a small fortune in the last 2 years getting a piece of it covered and a piece of it redone a number of times. I wish I had waited because I now have a number of Tattoo's that I love because I picked them as an adult (I am now 25). Your opinions will change so much from 16 to your early 20's. Your quality expectation will not be as high and a tattoo is for life. I like what I got mine reworked into but I still wish I had left a blank canvas to work with when I was say 21/22. So get material, get ideas, but dont get inked yet

Heck I even regret one of the tattoo's I got at 18!

Wait a while OP, it'll be worth it in the end.

Maximillion Power

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Heck I even regret one of the tattoo's I got at 18!

Wait a while OP, it'll be worth it in the end.

It was more the line work in my case, the more I stared at the crookedness it would drive me demented, it was quite obvious that I had been a youth who was conned out of my few quid by somebody who didnt care much for his craft. more fool me :rolleyes:
So I would urge anybody thinking of jumping on the tattoo highway and getting inked underage to wait, pay for the work you are getting done by a reputable artist when you are at the very least 18. A cheap tattoo aint good and a good tattoo aint cheap, start saving :cool:

Kersmash

Just don't do it. wait till you're 18.

squishykins

It's a very special case when you get it at that age and don't regret it...I got mine done when I was 15, in a reputable place who I won't name cuz they thought I was 18, but it's very low key, I thought about it for about a year and I got it in memory of my granddad, so obviously I didn't regret it...I think there's a pic of it in the introduction thread...

micayla

I wanted a tattoo when I was in my early teens, I got my first one last week and I'm 25. Had I gotten a tattoo back then I know I'd have regretted it. You're 16, a tattoo is forever so waiting a couple of years isn't all bad. It'll allow you to really think about what design you want and where. And like everyone else had said, at 18 you'll have your choice of fantastic artists. It may seem like everyone is being anal about underage tattoos but honestly, you'll be happier if you wait

Sprrratt

If you want to get inked nobody can tell you otherwise only advice. It is not illegal to get tattooed under the age of 18 here. It is however, sort of unwritten artists code to not tattoo somebody until they are fully matured both mentally and physically.

I myself am 16 and I have 3 tattoos already. My first was at 14. I regret my first yeah, but in a months time I am going to be having a forearm sleeve done whilst correcting my first tattoo in the process.

Now before anyone says you are stupid, you're a kid, you will regret this sooner or later. I disagree. Who is anyone to say I am not fully matured or have had enough life experience to make a decision confidently and say "I want that, I wont regret it".

I'm 16 and I have 3 tattoo's yeah so what? You didnt expect that? Well im also full time employed for almost a year now.

My only advice is if you do decide to get a tattoo and are refused. Dont attempt to get it done by a friend or in someones house. Get it done by a professional who will tattoo you. There are plenty artists in Dublin who share the same views as me.

Good luck anyway

EmmaMarie_X

ineedanswer wrote: »

im asking because it seems like some of the ppl in this forum have quite a bit of experience. Im thinkin of getting a tattoo done but im only 16.. (although i could prob pass for 18) iv put a lot of thought into what i want but is there any way i would be able to get it done well, and the way I want it if i dont have permission from a guardian ? some parlour in dublin or galway ?

I no a guy in Galway,hes very good and he done my tattos when i was 16...dont want to say to much over this though as hes a word of mouth kind of guy.

Pierced Off

EmmaMarie_X wrote: »

I no a guy in Galway,hes very good and he done my tattos when i was 16...dont want to say to much over this though as hes a word of mouth kind of guy.

For "word of mouth kind of guy" read "scratcher, who works out of his kitchen and tattoos children". If you cut your leg would you let someone stitch you up on their kitchen table? Then why the hell do so many of you think it's cool to have someone break your skin multiple times with a sharp needle in the same surroundings?

Sprrratt

Pierced Off wrote: »

For "word of mouth kind of guy" read "scratcher, who works out of his kitchen and tattoos children". If you cut your leg would you let someone stitch you up on their kitchen table? Then why the hell do so many of you think it's cool to have someone break your skin multiple times with a sharp needle in the same surroundings?

Well you could pretty much tell if hes a clean artist or not. The artist should open a sterilized needle for every client. Also he/she should have cleaning solution wiped over a couple of times and small bit of vaseline on the skin to stop bleeding. Its hardly open heart surgery now is it.

Sick of all this clean boll*cks. Tattoos have been around for thousands of years.

EmmaMarie_X

Pierced Off wrote: »

For "word of mouth kind of guy" read "scratcher, who works out of his kitchen and tattoos children". If you cut your leg would you let someone stitch you up on their kitchen table? Then why the hell do so many of you think it's cool to have someone break your skin multiple times with a sharp needle in the same surroundings?

he done my 2 brilliantly and at least 5 of my friends and you could see he was really clean and that he was proud of his work...hes done a better job than a lot of expensive fellas in tattoo parlours have

Pierced Off

What sort of autoclave was he using to steralise his grips? How did he dispose of bio-hazard waste(Bloody tissues to the uninitiated) and what about used needles? And thats just for starters.

EmmaMarie_X

Pierced Off wrote: »

What sort of autoclave was he using to steralise his grips? How did he dispose of bio-hazard waste(Bloody tissues to the uninitiated) and what about used needles? And thats just for starters.

He had a benchtop auto clave that he had from when he had his own tattoo parlour...he also had red and yellow sharp containers and other plastic containers for the tissues ...And its not really up to you to sound so pretentious..im sure you dont really know what your on about anway

Hellrazer

Sprrratt wrote: »

Well you could pretty much tell if hes a clean artist or not.

How??Because he wipes the table down with bleach?Because he wears cool looking latex gloves??

Thats bollox--You need training in cross contamination and blood borne pathogens before you break someones skin.Its not a case of looking clean its a case of being actually clean.

The artist should open a sterilized needle for every client.

Thats whats called common procedure.

Also he/she should have cleaning solution wiped over a couple of times and small bit of vaseline on the skin to stop bleeding.

You cannot sterilise skin.What you are doing is minimising what "might" get into an open wound.

Its hardly open heart surgery now is it.

Maybe not but you can still get an infection that would be as dangerous as if you were getting open heart surgery ie Mrsa,Staph etc.

Sick of all this clean boll*cks.

Thats your opinion.Mine is that anyone who breaks the skin should be clean and trained the right way to minimise me getting any disease.

Tattoos have been around for thousands of years.

But we didnt have resistant strains of diseases back then.As well as that people didnt live for 80-100 years so any of these diseases that might have been around probably didnt kill them but old age did.Some strains of hep might not kill you for 20+ years.Likewise with Mrsa--you can be a carrier for years but not actually die from it until it gets into an open wound like a piercing or tattoo. Aids might not kill you for 30 years.

You need to cop on a bit with your "sick of this clean bollocks"
Thats what gives the industry a bad name.

Hellrazer

EmmaMarie_X wrote: »

..im sure you dont really know what your on about anway

Actually youre wrong there--Pierced off is a trained professional.

Sprrratt

I guess im just an easy going person. I have no intention of going to any place that isnt reputable in the area. I still hold the opinion that people shouldnt be scared ****less going into a shop. Its bad enough already.

bodice ripper

I amn't listing the reasons this is STUPID AS ALL HELL again since not one argument has been put forward that undermined my original list.

I think this thread is an ad for why you shouldn't tattoo children, as the various people who are for it refuse to acknowledge that there are dangers involved in tattooing. well done.

bodice ripper

no wait, there was another list from before...

bodice ripper wrote: »

1. Tattooing carries a risk of infection, potentially serious. If the person doing the tattoo does not carry out the correct hygiene procedures, there is the potential to spread hepatitis. Deciding to get tattooed is a decision that should not be undertaken by children.

2. In addition to infection that is the fault of the person tattooing, poor aftercare could possibly lead to infection running from minor to major. Children are not to be trusted to undertake this responsibilty. Further even a fairly minor infection could seriously damage the end result.

3. There is a small chance of an allergic reaction, which in extreme cases can lead to serious scarring. Children are not capable of making an informed decision on whether they are willing to take that risk.

4. Tattoos placed on body parts which are still growing have been known to move and or warp.

5. Children cannot make informed choices on permanent changes to their appearance. They cannot make informed decisions that will effect their job options/choice of partner etc. Neither can your parents, as they don't know what sort of person their children will grow up to be.

Sprrratt

These days a 16 year old isnt always physically a child. Mentally its another story but completely their choice to get tattooed.

bodice ripper

Sprrratt wrote: »

Mentally its another story but completely their choice to get tattooed.

read my post. children cannot make desicions on pontentially risky procedures - and as if to prove my point we have children advocating getting tattooed in houses.


anyone tattooing children out of their gaff deserves what ever happens to them, with any luck it will be a van full of furious relatives...

Aishae

you cant be too careful about being sure of hygiene - an infection can be a potentially life threatening thing and if you have a flippant attitude to the dangers including this, then you might need your head testing. a tattoo is more than just a nice piece of art on your arm/back etc. its willingly letting yourself be wounded (yes wounded - a new tattoo is a wound as the skin is broken - and so many times) and signing up for the responsibilty of aftercare - which can take quite some time - to achieve the end result of a nice piece of art.
im one of those who waited till i was in my early 20's - i did that as my tastes kept changing (i wasnt gonna be into star trek forever) and i couldnt settle on something that had nothing to do with the current trends and everything to do with me and who i am, so now ive two that reflect me.
i dont think you defo have to be 20 but you need to approach EVERY aspect - not just the design - seriously and thoughtfully

Sprrratt

bodice ripper wrote: »

read my post. children cannot make desicions on pontentially risky procedures - and as if to prove my point we have children advocating getting tattooed in houses.


anyone tattooing children out of their gaff deserves what ever happens to them, with any luck it will be a van full of furious relatives...

Of course, I would never condone that. Read up my posts and you'll see I advise not to ever go near a mate or some house to get tattooed. Go to a professional shop to get it done. There are so many around you dont have an excuse.

I believe anybody age 15 and up should be mentally mature enough to make a decision regarding their skin. Instead of telling people of that age that they are incapable of making that decision we should be teaching them how to make the right decision.

Aishae

Sprrratt wrote: »

I believe anybody age 15 and up should be mentally mature enough to make a decision regarding their skin. Instead of telling people of that age that they are incapable of making that decision we should be teaching them how to make the right decision.

crikey - i know so many aged 14-15 and i wouldnt trust them to know what theyll want in ten years (i.e a tattoo they got tomorrow) - half of them cant seem to say anything except 'im so bored' - thats simplifying it a bit but its usually what they say. i do know some who seem very mature for their age yes.

but we have to have the age limit somewhere - if we lowered it to 15 then 14 year olds would say lower it to 14 and so on. a similar dilemma to the 'should we reduce the age of consent or voting?' dilemmas

bodice ripper

Sprrratt wrote: »

Of course, I would never condone that. Read up my posts and you'll see I advise not to ever go near a mate or some house to get tattooed. Go to a professional shop to get it done. There are so many around you dont have an excuse.

I believe anybody age 15 and up should be mentally mature enough to make a decision regarding their skin. Instead of telling people of that age that they are incapable of making that decision we should be teaching them how to make the right decision.

believe what you like. I work in this industry - I see what these children bring in to get tattooed when we turn them down. I can assure you these things are very different from what adults get.


edit: and like I said, children should NOT be making choices about getting procedures that could lead to major infection - even if you think that is no big deal (as a child I mean...)

Sprrratt

bodice ripper wrote: »

believe what you like. I work in this industry - I see what these children bring in to get tattooed when we turn them down. I can assure you these things are very different from what adults get.

Good for you.

bodice ripper

Sprrratt wrote: »

Good for you.

you won't respond to any point I make, you are just jamming you fingers in your ears. I doubt you are mature enough to choose your own underwear.

Sprrratt

bodice ripper wrote: »

you won't respond to any point I make, you are just jamming you fingers in your ears. I doubt you are mature enough to choose your own underwear.

I wont get into a debate with somebody who wont open their mind open for a second.

bodice ripper

Sprrratt wrote: »

I wont get into a debate with somebody who wont open their mind open for a second.

open my mind? I am a tattoo artist, AND i was 16. so I know both sides of this quite well. you on the other hand only seem to know "I want it, and I should get whatever I want".

these are FACTS, not opinions:

*you can get infectious diseases from tattooing
*you can make tattoo choices which can and will adversely effect your life
*when you tattoo an area that continues to grow, tattoos frequently warp and change shape

Hellrazer

Sprrratt wrote: »

I believe anybody age 15 and up should be mentally mature enough to make a decision regarding their skin.

Are you nuts?At 15 I couldnt decide what I wanted for breakfast never mind make a decision that was further than a few hours in the future.

Instead of telling people of that age that they are incapable of making that decision we should be teaching them how to make the right decision.

You really dont get it do you?

A 15 year old is still a child and CANNOT make a decision like this.Its not about teaching them to make the right decision--At 15 this decision is not theirs to make.If my 14 year old was to ask me for a tattoo at 15 she`d be told where to go.

carlarua

Any reputable tattoo studio wouldn't touch any under 18's with a barge pole, never mind a needle. A lot of them ask for a passport or student card as proof of age.
There is a reason why hygiene is such a big issue with tattoo studios. And of course, all the other above mentioned reasons of warping and changing your mind at a later stage as well.

If my 15 year old would come home with a tattoo, I'd sue the bejaysus out of whoever inked her. Considering I have a good few tatttoos and piercings myself - all gotten after I was 20 - that's saying something.

Legally, you are still not an adult. Things like medical decisions would be up to your parents until the age of 18. So why go ahead with this ?

I've an uncle who had a tattoo done - in a backstreet parlor - of what was supposed to be a panther. I wish I could show it to you, because it doesn't look like anything it was meant to be, and he's stuck with it on a very visible place since he's 17.
If you want to spend the money on something, why not spend it in a studio where no one does anything illegal, who stick to the hygiene rules and explain after care to you, and get quality for your dosh

Pierced Off

EmmaMarie_X wrote: »

its not really up to you to sound so pretentious..im sure you dont really know what your on about anway

Sorry if I sounded pretentious. As for not knowing what I'm on about....
I'm a qualified paramedic, I have instructed at one of the UK's busiest Body Piercing training centres and I currently own and run a Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio in Dublin. All in all I reckon I've a fair idea what I'm on about.
I can understand the burning desire to get a tattoo but all any of us professionals want is for you to think about who's tattooing you and where it's been done. Without wishing to rehash old arguments without proper regulations in this country we will always have scratchers. There is a reason why people work out of their bedrooms and not in studios and it's usually because they're not good enough to get a position in a proper studio.

Star Lord

I'm getting very tempted to close this thread, or issue infractions to people for being downright disrespectful of others in this forum, but with the desire to educate rather than punish for this, I'll keep this open for now.

My opinion:

What some of the younger/underage people here don't appreciate or take on board, is that most of us here had also wanted tattoos when we were underage, and most of us listened to reason and waited till we were old enough to get one legitimately in a studio that took all the necessary precautions. We KNOW how you feel. We wanted the tattoos too, and felt that we were never going to change our minds on what we like! I'm now 31, and if I had gotten then what I wanted to get, where I wanted to get it, I know I'd have regretted it within a few years. And that it'd never have looked great to begin with either!

Instead, I waited. I looked up different designs, different styles, different artists. I printed off designs that I liked, and kept them for ages. Most I went off, some I didn't. I kept doing this, replacing the ones that I didn't like until I had one that I wasn't going off. I REALLY took my time over it, my first tattoo wasn't till I was 26, because my mind kept changing, or I was not completely sure! Now I have three tattoos that I love.

Long story short, wait, use the time to be sure of what you want, and get it done by whoever you think is best for the job. That way you'll most likely never regret any ink that you get done.

hask1965

why dont you try a stick on tatto for a while and see if you really want one if ya do wait untill your 18 at least you can not just rub it out if ya dont like it and its there for good

Sparkles:)

Sprrratt wrote: »

Well you could pretty much tell if hes a clean artist or not. The artist should open a sterilized needle for every client. Also he/she should have cleaning solution wiped over a couple of times and small bit of vaseline on the skin to stop bleeding. Its hardly open heart surgery now is it.

Sick of all this clean boll*cks. Tattoos have been around for thousands of years.

so have infections, complications and nasty scaring... also i think i'll stick to the "clean boll*cks" as you put it... ya know hiv/aids not around thousands of years? evolving infections...

thought your first post was kinda mature... imho that ruined you...

IMO a 16 year old that is really responsible enough to get a tattoo at 16 is the person that will wait until they're older, thats kinda my opinion of myself... same drawing since i was 14 got it for my 21st birthday...

think i want pierced off to tattoo me at some stage in my life!

Steff

This is an example of a tattoo done underage. She's 13 years of age and the tattooist (I would name and shame, but I don't know who it is) did it anyway, with the parent's consent.
Notice how the stave only has 4 lines and the treble clef is at the end.
Now, I know this is more an example of a bad design and urresponsible artist than anything, but I can't help but think had she put a few more months thought into this (I put a good two years minimum into my own) she would have at least realised that what she was getting done was... Well, ridiculous.

hask1965

there is no legal age in ireland to have a tatto but most shops say no if you are younger than 18;)

dbmauser

dont do it kid trust me,have a stupid tattoo from when i was 16 and i hate it,cant afford laser surgery to get it off(currently saving) and iv been taking 2 years to think of one tattoo to get now but cant untill i pay to get rid of this disgusting piece off my body,just wait untill your older and get one then,im 21 and still havnt found something that i want there for the rest of my life

Star Lord

dbmauser wrote: »

dont do it kid trust me,have a stupid tattoo from when i was 16 and i hate it,cant afford laser surgery to get it off(currently saving) and iv been taking 2 years to think of one tattoo to get now but cant untill i pay to get rid of this disgusting piece off my body,just wait untill your older and get one then,im 21 and still havnt found something that i want there for the rest of my life

If it's faded in any way, maybe a cover-up piece might be a better idea if you want to get another tattoo? Could end up hiding it better than lasering it!

Killer_banana

OP, I know how frustrating it is to want a tattoo at sixteen and not being able to get it and I know you probably feel like the people on the board are treating you like an immature five year old. I know 'cause three years ago I was you. I didn't open a thread asking where to get tattooed underage but was planning on getting one, one way or the other and thought the people on here couldn't judge 'cause they didn't know me.

I ended up not getting it done because I didn't look old enough for them to believe I was eighteen and the agreement with the person who was to play my mother fell through. I do feel I was a bit more mature than some people at that age (though no where near as mature as I thought) and I still like the design I was planning on getting as my first tattoo. However the design I wanted for my first tattoo has a great deal of personal meaning. And it wasn't the only design I wanted at the time. There were about eight I had planned for later years and honestly, bar the one I already mentioned, I wouldn't get a single one of them now. Hell thinking about some of them actually makes me cringe. So yes, there's a chance you could get your tattoo and love it for the rest of your life, but there's an even higher chance you'll get it and regret it and end up paying a fortune for it to be removed in a few years.

If you are completely determined to get a tattoo now, I'll give you some advice. Get something that has a lot of personal meaning to you, something special that you honestly don't see yourself ever feeling differently about. Usually I'd then say consider this design for a few years but since you plan on getting it soon I'd say consider it for as long and hard as possible.

This is some advice I was given by a user in an off topic thread in a different forum when I recently mentioned that I'm getting my first tattoo soon and I personally think it's great advice;

Jean wrote: »

I always advise putting the picture of your first tattoo beside you bed and looking at it every single day for 6 months. If you still want it, then go for it - from then on, you'll know the feeling of 'yeah, that's IT' and how different it is to the impulsive 'yeah let's do it NOW wooooo hooooo!!'

If you really want this so much that you can't wait six months then at least put the picture beside your bed from now till the time you get it.

Anyway best of luck whatever decision you make and whenever you get your tatt I hope you love it now and forever (although I still think you really ought to wait).

blaze1

i was booked in when i was 18-19 to get 3 lions done on my calf......

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad i went to the pub that day

hask1965

whats wrong with the 3 lions no good glad ya had a pint instead every one should wait and really want one remember there not washoff ones they our there for life:D