Entering the 21st century the appearance of body modifications have increased substantially. Once only done to signify yourself as part of a gang or for traditional and religious purposes, it now reaches a broader audience. A college study done at Bradley University had discovered that up to 60% of women and 45% of men have either a piercing or a tattoo, and the numbers are only increasing.

So what makes having a tattoo or piercing so appealing to some and revolting to others? Today people get tattoos as a way to control their identity and body image. Senior Zoie Erken says,“I’ve always been passionate about art so the thought of having something of the sorts on my body was part of my decision even though it was random and spur of the moment.”

Not all tattoos turn out the way you expect. Words can get misspelled, numbers could be in the wrong order, and your artist could flat out just be bad.

While there is no real way to completely avoid tattoo mistakes there are some ways to prevent them. First, do your research. While spur of the moment tattoos can be exciting it’s important to find an artist you feel confident in marking you forever.

The best places to get tattoos and piercings are ones that use autoclave and stainless steel on all of their tools. Autoclave is the process of heating the tools so hot that it cleans off all bacteria that may not be able to come off with a simple washing.

Next, double and even triple check that all spellings are correct and in the right order. Just because you trust your artist, doesn’t mean they can’t make mistakes.

While there’s always a chance of a mistake being made that shouldn’t discourage you from being yourself and getting a tattoo or piercing.

Maddy Burkett (‘17) says, “I’m really passionate about art and having art on my body is an honor in a way. It really makes me happy and makes me feel confident.”