The last thing we want is for these pictures to discourage you from getting inked. We hope they will simply act as a friendly reminder to do your research (and provide an innocent laugh or two). Whatever pushes you toward the needle, it's a good enough reason. After all, it's your body. You set the rules.
However, judging from his experience, Adam Grant thinks people usually focus on meaning when they get their first tattoo, but last-minute impulse decisions for a friend or new partner are a strong contender.
"Don't get me wrong, [those are] perfectly valid," Grant told Bored Panda. "It doesn't matter what you get as a first tattoo as long as you are conscious of the potential consequences of things like judgemental perspectives of others, [work] rules and requirements, or even your own change of heart down the line."
"If you are ok with the risks involved in getting a tattoo then go for it!"
It's normal to be worried even after you do all the homework. It's a totally new experience! Professional tattoo artists, Adam Grant included, have no problem with it.
"The whole process is new to [first-timers] and of course, it can be alien and concerning," he said. "Especially with the anticipation of the pain that might be and the comments of others who have or have never had tattoos."
"I can handle nervous customers as it's natural and understandable. Patience is key in tattooing. What I have little care for are customers who are rude and unnecessarily demanding. Respect is a two-way street and kindness costs nothing," Grant explained.
The numbers say that more and more people are walking into tattoo shops. A Harris poll of 2,225 United States respondents performed in 2015 found that 29% of Americans had at least one design on their skin, an increase from 14% in 2008 and 21% in 2012.
Tattoos were slightly more common among United States women (31%) than men (27%). Younger respondents were more likely to have tattoos, with nearly half (47%) of those 18-35 years old reporting that they had one.
Looking more globally at industrialized Western societies, French dermatologist Nicolas Kluger, M.D., Ph.D., published a review of epidemiologic studies performed in the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, and South America, reporting that the prevalence of tattooing is around 10%-20%.
Interestingly, Kluger also noted that the prevalence of tattoos among United States Navy personnel in World War II was 65%, while the modern prevalence of tattoos among those in the military is cited as ranging widely from 10%-44%.
However, despite its popularity, the tattoo world still has misconceptions, and the hottest one in Adam Grant’s professional circle now seems to be temporary designs.
"I’ve been getting an increase in customers requesting temporary ink tattoos,” he noted. “It appears this has been advertised on social media as a common possibility. As far as I’m aware, there are no disappearing ink tattoos that fade in a short amount of time.”
“There are henna ink tattoos, but that’s a different practice, and I strongly advise visiting henna professionals for that because there are henna inks out there that are potentially dangerous to human skin,” he added.
