35 Interesting Facts About Tattoos That You Need To Know Right Now!

Tattoo history is riddled with evidence that shows people's fascination with them.

The word tattoo comes from the Polynesian word 'ta' which means to strike. This is quite appropriate since the initial method of tattooing involved striking the skin.

People tend to get tattoos for all sorts of reasons, but above all, it is a means of self-expression. For some tribes of the world, tattoos even have cultural significance.

On the other hand, the Bible condemns tattoos. Hence, whether or not you should go ahead and get a tattoo is a matter of personal choice! Keep reading to know some things that first-timers should not miss out on!

History Of Tattoos

Tattoos have been a matter of discussion for several years. While some cultures uphold them and say that tattoos are great, still others tend to believe that they are disrespectful towards the natural form of the human body.

In spite of the many theories and takes on tattoos, the art has managed to survive for several centuries and chances are that people will adore the tattooing process even further in the coming years.

• Tattoo culture is very prevalent in places such as the United States of America as well as Italy, which is a testament to the fact that this art form will survive for years.
• At the same time, there are some countries in the world that condemn tattoos to the point that they are banned.
• The tattooing industry, however, seems to be doing just fine in spite of the bans and superstitions surrounding them.
• After all, tattoos are just a form of self-expression and show creativity, which cannot be denied to any human being.
• While our opinions on tattoos may differ, there are some facts about this art form which is sure to fascinate you either way!
• Tattoos are a form of body modification.
• This art form involves the insertion of needles into human skin.
• The needles in a tattoo machine or tattoo gun are installed with a tube that supplies ink.
• The ink is injected just below the surface of the skin, which allows it to remain there permanently.
• Tattoos are understood to be a form of self-expression and tend to have very specific and personal meanings to some people.
• On the other hand, some popular tattoos have very generalized meanings and can be understood rather easily.
• Tattoo history is littered with several instances wherein people have tried to demean the art form.
• The Greek and Roman empires have even tried to use tattoos as a form of punishment for their slaves and criminals.
• Emperors are even known to have used tattoos as a means to discipline their rogue court members.
• This shows that tattoo ink did not have the same significance in all parts of the world.
• Some indigenous communities such as the Maori tribe of New Zealand consider tattoos to be very sacred.
• We can only marvel at the difference in opinions between people of different parts of the world.
• Chinese cultures have condemned tattoos for the longest time.
• Confucius even went on to say that tattoos were disrespectful towards the human body.
• He said that getting tattoos was like disrespecting the gift that the human body is by morphing it.
• On the other hand, people like Thomas Edison, who the human race owes a lot to, were one of the first people to get tattooed after the invention of the first tattoo gun!
• Even royalty has had a very interesting relationship with tattoos.
• When tattoos were first popularized, they were hideously expensive and hence, could only be afforded by a chosen few.
• This essentially meant that only the rich people, such as royalty, would be able to afford them.
• Tattoos, therefore, enjoyed a very auspicious status for some amount of time.
• However, as tattoo shops began to open up in every nook and corner, their prices came down.
• This led to more people getting tattoos. Hence, the art was no longer limited to a chosen few.
• Eventually, the royalty very conveniently started condemning the practice and began looking down upon the people who had tattoos!
• A modern tattoo gun consists of four primary components.
• As is obvious, there is a needle, which can pierce through skin thousands of times within a single minute.
• The needle is connected to a tube that is filled with tattoo ink.
• This tattoo ink travels through the needle and is deposited into the skin to form beautiful shapes and patterns, or to write verses.
• There is an electric motor that helps in propelling the needle so that it can pierce the skin repeatedly.
• Lastly, there is a foot pedal that controls the working of the motor.
• An electric tattoo machine, in the present day and age, can cost several hundred dollars.
• A survey shows that a larger percentage of women in the United States of America have at least one tattoo, as compared to men.
• Interestingly, women in the U.S. are also more likely to get their tattoos removed!
• Even though tattoos are very popular in America, people in Italy are more likely to get tattooed.
• In fact, surveys show that nearly half of the Italian population has at least one tattoo to boast of!
• Gregory Paul McLaren, from Scotland, is the most tattooed man on earth!
• However, this is not the name that he chooses to be known by.
• He identifies with the name Lucky Diamond Rich and is known to have 99% of his body covered in tattoos!
• Understandably, the most tattooed person on Earth has now run out of space and is getting lighter-colored tattoos over his dark-colored ones and vice versa. We can only imagine what it is like to be him!
• Getting a tattoo feels like having a needle pierce through your body again and again. However, the sensation is different for different people. While some people may think that getting tattoos is no big deal, still others with low pain tolerance may run out of the shop with the first sting!
• Tommy Lee from Mötley Crüe was the first person to get tattooed in the air!
• Several presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, are rumored to have had tattoos.
• As absurd as it sounds, some cultures would actually mix tattoo ink with urine to gain antiseptic qualities.
• It is not uncommon to mix tattoo ink with vodka in order to help with sterilization.
• The oldest record of a tattooed person comes from the Ice Age!

Types Of Tattoos

Tattoos can be differentiated into many types depending on the type of tattoo machine used as well as the design. Here are a few types of tattoos that you can choose from!

• Minimalist tattoos have become very popular in recent years. Such tattoos are largely symbolic and mostly small. They often have intricate line-work, which can be very time-consuming.
• The idea here would be to make sure that the tattoo conveys a deep meaning through minimal lines and efforts.
• Examples of minimalist tattoos would include a semi-colon or a fire symbol!
• Negative space tattoos have also become very popular due to the amount of creativity that they involve.
• In such tattoos, the human skin is used as an outline. What we are essentially trying to say is that instead of drawing outlines with ink, the outlines are formed by the skin itself. These can be very time-consuming but equally beautiful!
• Hand-poked tattoos are rare because of the method that they use.
• As the name suggests, such tattoos are engraved on the skin manually instead of with the use of an electric tattoo machine.
• Understandably, the process is long and sometimes slightly more painful to some.
• Hand-poked tattoos also tend to be delicate and less intricate due to the physical exertion that they cause!
• It is also very common to have words and phrases tattooed across one's body.
• If there is a quote that you like or some words that you want to engrave into your skin, this type of tattoo will offer innumerable options such as fonts and colors to choose from.
• It is also common to have lines written in specific handwriting that means a lot to the individual!
• Face tattoos may sound painful and we are sure they are as well.
• However, they have become very popular over the past few years.
• With famous artists such as Lil Peep and Post Malone, the idea of taking tattoos to the face and making a bigger statement has been normalized largely.
• Line art tattoos are also very famous.
• As the name suggests, the entire tattoo is completed in a single line without any breaks.
• Such designs are very pretty and satisfying to look at!
• Watercolor tattoos are also very intriguing!
• Imagine having your body become the canvas for a very beautifully blended watercolor painting! It is truly incredible that a tattoo artist can achieve such precision with a simple machine.
• Abstract tattoos are for people who want to make sure that the meanings of their tattoos are well disguised.
• It adds to the charm of the tattoo and also makes sure that you turn heads!
• Abstract tattoos also tend to become conversational pieces, which is never a bad thing!
• UV tattoos have also gained popularity recently.
• A UV tattooed person would essentially have a certain design shining out in the dark, which we think is quite unique!

Significance Of Tattoos

While people in the present day and age argue over whether or not tattoos deserve to exist, this art form has been thriving for centuries!

• Some indigenous cultures uphold tattoos as a part of their rituals.
• For the Maori tribe of New Zealand, a specific tattoo design indicates that the person has gone through a rite of passage. Albeit, this type of tattoo is quite different from the popular ones that we see around.
• Tattoos date back to a minimum of 5,000 years ago!
• Mummies have been found that show tattoos.
• Carbon dating has revealed that mummies of women that lived no less than 3000 years ago had tattoos on their bodies!

Points To Keep In Mind Before And After Getting Tattoos

• One of the things that you should definitely keep in mind before deciding to get a tattoo is that it does sting quite a bit.
• Some people explain that getting tattooed feels like a hot needle is being scratched along your skin, which is quite accurate.
• Another explanation would suggest that tattoos feel like getting scratched by a cat for a surprisingly long time!
• If you are a vegan, you may want to ask your tattoo artist for vegan ink options and explore a few shops before making your decision!
• Tattoos can easily be removed, although it can be quite expensive.
• If you have a tattoo in black ink, it is likely that you will have an easier time having it removed.
• This is because, during the laser therapy that removes tattoos, the black ink absorbs the laser waves rather easily. This creates heat, which dissolves the pigment in the tattoo ink.
• The same cannot be said about tattoos that are made in other colors, since different colors absorb the laser waves at different levels!
• A tattoo machine can pierce your skin as many as 3000 times, depending on the complexity of your tattoo design!
• Tattoos will typically heal within two to three weeks.
• A temporary tattoo can be removed with olive oil or baby oil on a paper towel, and baby wipes.