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Tramp, I've definitely seen that reaction a lot. And there have truly been a number of unhealthy attempts at alternative tattoo inks. A local studio was manufacturing its own UV pigments about 12 years ago or so, but stopped due to health concerns. They're the ones that did my white ink tattoos. I've also heard anecdotal stories of ravers tattooing themselves with flourescent paint. Bad Idea.
Anyway, when this new ink came out I really examined it. I've got a fair formal background in chemistry so I was at least somewhat aware of what I was reading. Finally decided that it all looked kosher to me and used myself as a guinea pig first. I'm very comfortable with its safety.
As for attitude, that's a different story. It's true that there have been some definite bad choices in body modifications, but then again, years ago people were sticking bones into themselves and rubbing woad into cuts. Experimentation is where all of this comes from anyway, and there are new mods being experimented with and developed all the time. A lot of people in the subculture I think go too far in trying to over-legitimize something that is quite edgy anyway, and I think that attitude reflects it. I can say that of the people I've experienced first-hand arguing against UV ink, not a single one of them would have been able to articulate a biological reason against it.
Also, the arguments tend to be the same that can be made against standard inks as well. I have hyper-sensitive skin. I can only wear jewelry made of silver or stainless, I'm limited on makeup, soaps, etc, and have to sew cloth over the metal studs on the inside of any jeans I buy so I don't have huge yucky, oozy lesions which develop very quickly. I've had allergic reactions to several of the inks used in my tattoos - long term itching, irritation, etc. I also have clients who sometimes reject the cosmetic pigments I use. Interestingly, I had no problems with the UV ink. This doesn't mean that I think it's safer than regular ink, but it illustrates how each body is different.
So. In short, I have a mixed reaction to the large number of people issuing warnings. On the one hand I respect their concerns about the health of their clients and attitudes toward tattooing, but I'm convinced it's a reaction based on ignorance of properties of the pigment, as well as a large degree of neophobia.
Oh, and I'm not double-jointed! I just put my elbow in front of me and looked down my shoulder - stiff neck every so often, but not bad. The one on the outside of my ankle was harder even though I had both hands - I had a sore knee for a week! |
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