Body Art: Is it Really Harmful?

Body Art has been a hot button health issue for centuries. There have been many debates over the health, cleanliness, and meaning behind tattoos and the piercing of odd body parts like the lebrea, nose, and eyebrow.

The current generation of 20 something's are creating a culture all of their own. We tend to be fearless, engaging in boundary pushing and very dangerous behaviors. We also break societal boundaries and misconceptions. Could this be a bad thing or a positive change? Tattoos and body piercing go hand in hand with these behaviors. We like to portray that we are impervious to any and all deadly behaviors, all in the name of looking "cool". This mental state is encouraged with dare devil sports and while over coming fears is important, these behaviors can be deadly! I would like to peer into the health risks of these behaviors. Lets start out with a little history and anthropology lesson first. We will discover that body art has deep roots in other cultures and also has a magical background!

Over the course of history, many cultures have used tattoos, body piercing, and a myriad of other strange procedures to convey their unique beliefs through the individuals in their tribes. Some of these modifications have been thought, by the wearers, to contain magical spells of protection against their rivals. The most interesting culture that I researched was the Samoan people. The men receive tattoos from their waist to their knees. These intricate tattoos are created by a small comb, dipped into an ash paste, and then tapped into the skin. Women received similar tattoos, but they tended to reflect their spouses accomplishments in battle and for the tribe.

There are several other techniques of body "art" that reflect more modern cultures.. One such culture is the Padaung people of Thailand. They elongate the necks of women by placing rings at the rate of one every two years starting from the age of 5. The effect of this is an optical illusion. This process actually deforms the collarbone and depresses the ribs, causing pain and breathing issues.

When considering body modification, one doesn't think about the psychological effects. It is one thing to get modifications to reflect the history of your culture, but a different matter to mutilate your body for aesthetic reasons. When you modify your body, it becomes permanent. You cannot change it once you go through the process and you subject yourself to a variety of infections like HIV and Hepatitis. The inks used in tattoos often contain heavy metals that are extremely toxic to the human system. Symptoms from the use of these toxic dyes can include anaphylaxis and fatal blood poisoning. Tattoo dye may also have adverse affects like granulomas, should the wearer get an MRI, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Getting body modifications can be dangerous and have unintended long-term effects, but you should consider your own personal feelings as well. When making your decision, remember: EDUCATE EDUCATE EDUCATE!! Know your facts forward, backward, and sideways before walking through those parlor doors.