“It’s less taboo to have a tattoo [now]…I think it used to be [the] people who got tattoos were the ones who people thought were bad people or not suitable for society,” said senior Alli Selander, who recently got her first tattoo.

Tattoos do seem to be a growing trend. 21% of Americans have tattoos, 36% of which are between the ages of 18 and 25. Among those numbers, there are quite a few South students.

“Now tattoos are generally not as frowned upon, and people are growing to see that it’s not awful, it’s art. It’s an expression of who you are….I think it’s a growing trend because people feel that expressing themselves is really important now” reflected sophomore Dezzy Boswell. Junior Stephon Scott added, “It’s kind of the culture, its the new thing that’s coming around.”

With the increase in popularity comes a new take on the practice. Today, there is a stronger cultural expectation that a tattoo has a meaning behind it. This statement rang true with all of the students interviewed.

For senior Willie Washington, his tattoo of a microphone holds a lot of meaning. “Since its over my heart it symbolizes that music is everything to me and it’s what pumps through my veins.”

Several students have tattoos representing their astrological signs. Selander has a pisces fish, Scott has a scorpion to represent scorpio, and one of Boswell’s tattoos is a Libra symbol.

Although picking out a meaningful tattoo design can be painstaking, the process of getting tattooed is rather simple. The tattoo gun is a hand held machine that moves an ink tip up and down up to 3,000 times per minute injecting ink 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the skin.

According to tattoo artist Nic Skrade, a co-owner of Uptown Tattoo, designs can cost anywhere from eighty dollars to more than one thousand. Additionally, they can take anywhere from a few minutes to several sessions.

Time and money aren’t the only obstacles stopping most South students from hitting the tattoo parlors. In Minnesota it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to get a tattoo, even with parental permission. While it seems that when many South students turn 18, they run directly to the tattoo shop, many students acquire tattoos before they are 18.

Washington, Scott and Boswell all received their first tattoos before they turned 18. “I have a guy that lives around South High. He lives a couple blocks down and he’s like a professional,” recounted Scott. “He has his own tattoo gun and its at his house…All of the needles were clean and new. All of the ink was fresh and everything. It was legit.”

Boswell and her father own a tattoo gun, and tattoo themselves. “We have all professional equipment, we’re not licensed.” Boswell’s father did two of her tattoos, while the other two she did on herself.

“I thought the experience would be interesting. I’m an impatient person I don’t want to wait and I figure if I have the supplies and I can do it for free, why not?” Boswell added.

Getting a tattoo from an unlicensed artist can have risks. Skrade warned, “There are many dangers to getting tattooed by someone who is untrained. Not only is there a good chance the tattoo will suck, but you could end up with a disease that will change your life for the worse.”

Even getting a tattoo done by a licensed artist has its risks. The Mayo Clinic lists possible issues with tattoo ink on its website, including allergic reactions, skin infection and other skin problems.

In addition, no tattoo inks are approved by the FDA. “‘Our hope is to get a better understanding of the body’s response to tattoos and their impact on human health, and to identify products at greatest risk,’ said Linda Katz, M.D., M.P.H., Director of FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.” This statement was listed on the FDA’s website explaining the lack of approval.

Not only is it of the utmost importance to go to a tattoo shop with proper regulations and licensing, but it’s imperative that you are positive you have picked a design you like.

The most common tattoo removal method is laser treatment. It’s often more painful than getting a tattoo, expensive, takes several sessions and can leave visible marks. Tattoos should be treated as permanent.

Skrade recommended, “Do your research, find a reputable shop/artist, think long and deep about what you want and then make an appointment. Having a little time to wait is good to mull over your idea and make sure it is right for you.”