Flash Your Tattoo » Piercing

Tattoos and Drinking

Tattoosue — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:07:25 +0000

France has come out with a study that says that people with tattoos tend to drink more than people without them. Previous studies have claimed that people with body art tend to have unprotected sex and engage in other risky behaviors, oh my! I didn’t put much emphasis on previous studies and this latest one – is even easier to scoff at.

France conducted its study by stopping a total of 3,000 people exiting bars on a weekend. The participants would take a breathalyzer test and the conclusion was that people that had tattoos were more intoxicated than the people without. Is this really considered a “study”?

How about all of the tattooed people that never go to bars? It seems like the results from this study leads to stereotyping. The researchers even went so far as to suggest that parents, doctors, and teachers should consider piercings and tattoos as potential sign of drinking and risky behavior. Bullshit.

My social circle consists mostly of individuals who are middle aged who are done with their drinking days. But most of these friends and acquaintances have tattoos. Most of them multiple since they’ve had years to collect them.

Additional craziness – other “studies” have claimed that people with only one tattoo drink on the same scale as people without tattoos, but people with 7 or more tattoos are more likely to have the riskier behaviors.

Tattoos are too mainstream these days to think any of these studies actually prove anything.

Share this:

Kids and Tattoos

Tattoosue — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:28:37 +0000

There’s quite a range of laws regarding tattoos when you look state by state. Usually states will govern what requirements are needed to be a licensed artist and to operate a shop. Most states also lay out the law regarding the customer’s minimum age. Well, silly me, I assumed most states had (what I consider as) reasonable laws in regard to that number. The seventeen or eighteen year old range.
But some states have surprisingly loose and liberal laws and regulations regarding minimum age requirements. I heard of someone here in New Mexico who gave permission and accompanied her 12 years old for her first tattoo. (Cause you don’t have to meet any requirements to be a parent.) Colorado doesn’t have ANY laws regulating minimum age for tattoo shops. Florida requires a notarized consent from a legal guardian. For Delaware and Hawaii – all you need is written consent. Like a teen wouldn’t whip up a counterfeit note to get a tattoo? The rationale for such laws is actually in place to discourage kids from going to unlicensed artists where they may be putting their health in danger.
You might think shop owners would prefer the states with more lenient laws but the truth is many draw the line at inking a minor. Many believe you can’t leave it to a kid to make such an important decision and I agree. Piercings are a different story. I agreed to let both my daughters get tongue rings on their 16th birthdays. But piercings are easy to “undo”. And the “undo” doesn’t cost a dime.

Share this:

Little Girls Visiting the Tattoo and Piercing Shop

Tattoosue — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:51:37 +0000

We have another sign that the tattoo industry is becoming more legit and acceptable. Now that shops are popping up in nice neighborhoods, people are becoming more open minded in their attitude towards the business.

Little Girl Getting Ears Pierced

More mothers are avoiding the mall kiosk. They’re taking their young daughters to tattoo and piercing shops to get their ears pierced instead! Mothers believe the tattoo shops are cleaner and they get more individual attention. People are reporting positive experiences which are leading to more people favoring the tattoo shops over the mall.

The stigma and stereotype associated with tattoo parlors is finally fading into history. It may have been true at one time that a tattoo shop was the cleanest place around. Think about it. They didn’t even use rubber gloves until a couple decades ago! That seems shocking now.

Now we’re smarter about sterilization and almost every state regulates the industry. The competition is fierce too – why visit a dirty shop when most cities are filled with talented artists working in comfortable and clean shops? Now it sounds like the general public is smartening up and the stereotypes are becoming history.

Share this:

Shop Owner has an Odd Collection

Tattoosue — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:24:19 +0000

If you’re a fan of Paul Booth chances are you’ll like Ryan Gillikin. Gillikin was recently featured on Weird News because of the oddities he collects and displays in his tattoo shop. Gillikin and his wife have owned the shop, Almighty Studios, for ten years and both are fans of body modification. Gillikin has horns and a surgically bifurcated (split) tongue which helps add to the atmosphere he’s going for with his collection.

Some of the items Ryan has on display in his shop include a pickled hand, an original piece of artwork by John Wayne Gacy, and a mummified cat. Creepy, dark stuff.

Part of his collection will be featured on the show “Oddities” which is shown on the Science Channel. It’s about a ventriloquist’s dummy that is thought to be possessed. Dummies, dolls, and clowns – they all freak me out.

Share this:

Mexican Vampire Woman on Display at Ripley

Tattoosue — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 22:24:25 +0000

Although I found this article published in a couple places on the web, I really wasn’t clear on why Ripley wants the Mexican Vampire Woman’s cast in their museum. I heard in the video that she was the most “unusual woman” so we’ll go with that.

Her name is Maria Jose Cristerna but she’s better known as the Mexican Vampire woman. It’s the combination of her completely tattooed body along with the many skin and dental implants the woman has. Including vampire fangs. Her tattoos tell the story of her life and the hardships she went through as a battered housewife. Now she’s using the publicity she attracts to raise money for a battered woman’s shelter located in Mexico.

Ripley’s says it will eventually have life sized wax statues of Maria throughout the world. Her tattoos will be hand painted on each statue.

Share this:

Rescue Ink- Looking Out for the Animals

Tattoosue — Sat, 28 May 2011 12:51:02 +0000

This story combines two of my favorite topics – tattoos and dogs. This is about a big burly bunch of ex cons, covered with tattoo work, which have made a difference in the city of New York. They rescue defenseless animals from abusive homes and miserable conditions. These ex-cons are making up for their past lives by doing a great service on behalf of abused animals. They formed Rescue Ink in 2008 and then in 2009 National Geographic turned their cause into a reality show.

This week they are traveling to my home town, Albany, to support New York’s Buster’s Law. There is a proposal this week to strengthen the existing law by advocating stronger consequences for animal abuse. Something they are all for. They can help the cause by rescuing these animals but if the scumbags that are guilty of this abuse just get a slap on the wrist then they’ll continue to abuse animals. At least if we can throw their ass in jail, they may think twice.

They are the perfect choice when the situation calls for getting tough and making their point to the owners of the animals.

Show some support – visit their Facebook page to read more about them.

Share this:

No related posts.

Meet Vampire Woman

Tattoosue — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:50:24 +0000

This is a picture of a very interesting woman. Not just because of her extreme body modification either. Most of the extremists I’ve read about or have seen in person, travel the convention circuit and they can actually survive doing various related shows and appearances. They create a career with their unique look.

This woman is a Mexican tattoo artist by the name of Maria Jose Cristerna. Nicknamed – Vampire Woman. She has also been a lawyer in a previous career. She comes from a family with serious religious beliefs and she went to religious schools.

She came from a very abusive background and relates her transformation with her liberation from her past.

Cristerna, mom to 4 kids, has tattooed nearly 100 percent of her body, has dental implants to look like vampire fangs, has multiple piercings, and titanium implants on her forehead and temple area. Maria says besides the physical alterations, her life is normal.

Hopefully, one of the major tattoo magazines will get a story on the woman – I’d like to hear more.

Share this:

John Lynch aka Prince Albert

Tattoosue — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:44:32 +0000

John Lynch, also known as Prince “John” Albert”, is quite a unique character whose story is just as interesting as his visible appearance. He is known for having the most piercings of anyone in the UK where he resides. You may recognize him from tattoo and piercing sites, tattoo conventions, and magazines. I’ve seen his picture in the media but never thought much about the man behind the metal. Until I read an interesting interview with him.

He worked in the banking industry for over 30 years and didn’t start getting tattoos and piercings until after he left this long running career. He was married for over 20 years and has a daughter and two grandchildren. He eventually admitted he was gay and left his marriage. He went from a banking career to managing a gay porn book shop. You might say this was the turning point of John’s life as well as a major career change.

Now John is almost 80 years old and still loves his freakiness. He enjoys the people he meets who are curious about his appearance and he has no problem with people taking his picture. And as if his many piercings, facial tattoos and face paint weren’t enough to catch your eye, John is known for wearing mini-skirts. He also sports transdermal implant horns on his head.

John’s advice to young people is to never get tattoo or piercings that would interfere with their employment prospects. He followed his own advice and seems to have made up for lost time.

Share this:

Tattoos Not So Taboo

Tattoosue — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:51:43 +0000

Yes, another big breakthrough in the degree of understanding from “the mainstream”. A new law that wasn’t highly publicized but yet went into effect in January. It put an end to the 12 month waiting period that people were forced to comply with after getting some ink work done. The powers that be have come to their senses and realize the majority of shops and tattoo artists are responsible professional artisans and people are no longer going down to the local sleazy parlor to get a tattoo from a used, disease ridden needle. Blood donation centers are trying to get this change in attitude and regulations out to the public so that people will donate that much sooner. You are not able to donate the day following receiving a tattoo or piercing. No waiting. Visit this site to read the entire article on the subject.

Share this:

Organic Jewelry

Tattoosue — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:38:28 +0000

Tawapa is an online store that sells hand crafted jewelry using materials such as wood and water buffalo horn…sea shell, and various minerals. They designed for the non-stretched ear as well as ears with a more drastic body modification size. The designs are unique with some having an almost tribal type of design. The name of the store came from a Native American tribe at one time located in northern New Mexico.

If you are looking for another unique idea for jewelry and have a love for a particular tattoo you are sporting, this company creates custom jewelry designed to match your tattoo. A matching set of adornment to the work of art you have on your skin.

Body Jewelry

Share this: