A Tattoo?! Are You Crazy?! One certainly does not need to be a sociopath in order to get tattoos, nor does the appearance of a tattoo mean that a person is one. However, numerous studies have shown that most sociopaths do indeed have tattoos as being one of their strongest common factors. In addition, a well-known crime writer stated in an interview that every single one of the many serial killers he had spoken with had had multiple tattoos. For many people, tattoos hold no negative connotation; for those who already have serious personality defects, tattoos are often a very visible symbol of it. For those in the latter category, everything about tattoos has an entirely different purpose and meaning than it does to the majority-- why they feel the need to get them, and what they represent. Psychologists tend to refer to tattoos as "body modification;” and most have both very strong opinions and knowledge about how tattoos are connected to those who are in the minority. On the most clearly defined side, psychologists state that for those who already exhibit signs of personality defects, tattoos are but an extension of their anti-social personalities. It is said that these types of individuals who engage in drug use, promiscuity, and violence, merely make tattoos a part of that particular lifestyle. Psychologists state that these traits, coupled with tattoos, are linked to sub clinical psychopathy. In clearer terms, for this segment of the population, getting tattoos is yet another means of "thumbing one's nose" at society, and of displaying one's sense of self-importance. As one of the foundations of sociopathy is to refuse to adhere to what is generally considered to be acceptable behaviour. given that tattoos still have some degree of negativity associated with them, they are of special allure to those who already have serious personality problems. For these people, acquiring tattoos is primarily an aggressive means of defying what is conventional. In using tattoos in this manner, one also presents a "tough" image. The problem with this is when one uses what to most people is relatively harmless to portray a sense of toughness; it is rare that the individual in question will stop at artwork. For one who connects tattoos with toughness, aggression in his behaviour is also a very real possibility. While this fact is relevant to sociopaths in general, and cannot afford to be overlooked, it takes on an even darker side for those who commit serious violent crimes. In research regarding serial killers, a much worse connection comes up about tattoos. Continuing with the factors already evident in sociopaths, there are the additional factors of causing bodily harm and of refusing to let go. In plainer terms, these types of individuals gain tattoos-- often by their own attempts-- both as a means of expressing hatred and as a means of permanently holding on to the objects of their hatred. On a slightly lesser but still important scale, as most of the individuals who fall into the categories of sociopaths and violent criminals were subjected to severe abuse in childhood, it is relevant to note that it is not unusual at all for them to display, in their adult life, tattoos with the name or some representative symbol of their abusive parent. When facts like this are taken into consideration, even if much of the population isn't aware of it, it's no wonder tattoos have such a negative reputation. While it is true that most people choose to get tattoos for no negative reason and no underlying motives whatsoever. |
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First You Want It, Then You Don't - Tattoo Removal A tattoo is meant to be permanent. Unfortunately, what a person might want today may not be what he or she wants two or twenty years from now. Both the procedure of and cost of getting a tattoo are relatively minor in comparison to having it removed at a later date. It may be wise to consider these facts before visiting your local tattoo artist with design and cash in hand. Two of the most commonly used methods for getting rid of an unwanted tattoo are also two of the most unsatisfactory. The first method involves removing a piece of skin from a less-noticeable part of your body, and grafting it on top of the tattoo. This odd form of "plastic surgery" covers up the tattoo, but generally leaves scar tissue, as the skin is not in its normal state. Another popular method is to simply go to a tattoo artist and have another design tattooed on top of the unwanted one. With this method, the black outline from the original tattoo will be noticeable through the new one; the larger the original, and the more black ink it has, the more difficult it will be to cover it. A surgical method which is equally if not more unsatisfactory is called dermabrasion. In layman's terms, you can think of it as going at your skin with sandpaper. Even when this method is performed by a licensed physician, you will likely decide that the resulting scar is worse than the original tattoo. The reason for the scarring is that removing a tattoo by this method means going through the tattoo and the underlying skin. The scarring left by this method will leave that portion of your skin a much lighter colour and a different texture than the surrounding skin. Of all tattoo removal methods currently in practice, dermabrasion is the method which will leave the most noticeable scarring. Excision rarely presents a satisfactory alternative, either. As its name implies, the excision method of tattoo removal consists of having the tattoo surgically cut out of the skin, and the surrounding skin then sewed back together. The scar may not be as noticeable as one from the dermabrasion method, but the rather gruesome excision procedure itself more than makes up the difference in terms of a procedure which you will probably not like going through. A variety of creams are sold for tattoo removal. Tattoo artists state that they are a waste of money and time, as they do not work. Whatever new concoction is sold under the guise of being a sure method of getting rid of a tattoo, a potential customer should keep in mind that since the tattoo is not simply on the top of the skin but deep into its layers, over-the-counter creams sold for this purpose will do little if any good. The chemical peel method which uses trichloroacetic acid produces some degree of results, as it actually removes the layers of the skin. Currently, the use of lasers is one of the most common methods of tattoo removal. It is not as simple as it may sound, however. First, depending on size and details of the artwork, removal by laser can take up to ten sessions in order to achieve a degree of results. One source states that each session can cost $250 to $850. It is said that the laser removal method can be quite painful. The most recent tattoo removal method is Intense Pulsated Light Therapy. Although it is considered to be less painful, and produces better results than removal by laser, it is also much more expensive. The most common sense way of looking at the subject is that if you're planning to get a tattoo, you should plan on keeping it. None of the methods currently available for tattoo removal are guaranteed to produce satisfactory results, and those that show any amount of success in the final results are quite expensive. |
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Contents A Tattoo - Are You Crazy |
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