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Tattoos are a big deal! I mean, once you get one, it’s not coming off. Making the decision to get a tattoo requires a lot of thought. There are people who will get one on a whim, but most of the people I know that have done so often regret it.

I have three tattoos, and I knew I wanted each one for well over a year before I decided to get it done. That may seem like a long time, but I don’t regret any of them. I love all of my ink!

Since I’ve been around the block a few times, I kind of know what I’m doing. If you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, you should read through these steps first.

Click through for your complete guide to getting a tattoo!

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There are a lot of ways to make guys like you: laugh at their jokes, flirt with them, be your awesome self and naturally attract a dude who’s right for you. And now with the results of a recent study, we can add one more thing onto the list… get a tattoo?

According to a new study, guys may be more attracted to girls who have tattoos. Or, at least, they find girls with tattoos to be more approachable than girls who don’t have tattoos. So could your tattoo snag you a date with the cutest guy in your school? Apparently, that’s a possibility.

Researchers did a few experiments to test out their theory. First, they found 11 college-age women who 31 guys had rated as attractive. They had those women go to a beach in France alone 20 times to lay on a towel in a red bikini. Half of the time, each woman wore a large temporary but realistic tattoo on their lower back. They found that men were more likely to approach and talk to the women when they had the tattoo on their back.

The second part of the experiment also involved a beach and women wearing temporary tattoos. While the women wearing red bikinis hung out on the beach, researchers approached 440 men in their early twenties to ask them three questions about a “random” woman on the beach (it was always the girl in the red bikini, FYI). Researchers asked the guys what they thought the likelihood was of the girl saying yes to a date with him and of having sex on the first date. They also asked the guys to rate the girl’s attractiveness. They discovered that the guys thought the women wearing tattoos were not only more likely to go out on a date with them, but also that they were more likely to have sex with him on the first date.

To sum it up quickly, these were the findings: men find women with tattoos more approachable and they also think women with tattoos are more likely to be open to going out on dates and have sex faster than women without tattoos.

I found these results pretty interesting, so I asked a few of my guy friends what they thought about girls with tattoos. While one dude said he didn’t think tattoos mattered, the rest made it clear that they thought girls with tattoos would be more, um, open to sexual experiences. 

But why?! I don’t understand how having a tattoo can lead a guy to make a snap judgement about a person’s personality. Does this maybe have anything to do with the tramp stamp attitude Caitlin wrote about last week? After all, the girls in this experiment did show off their tattoos on their lower backs.

Is this a reason to run out and get a tattoo yourself? Um, absolutely not. The only reason you should ever get a tattoo is because YOU want it, because tattoos are permanent. Also, do you really want a dude to ask you out just because he noticed your tattoo and thinks you’re more likely to sleep with him right away? Didn’t think so. 

In general, this study kind of annoyed me. I’m pretty sick of people making judgements about others just because of tattoos. I don’t have any myself, but I have friends who do and I see the way others react to their tats. It’s silly – tattoos can have deep, sentimental meaning (that doesn’t mean all of them do, but you get it). When a girl gets a tattoo, it shouldn’t be the equivalent of branding yourself with a sticker that says, “Hey, I’ll have sex with you!” You know what I mean?

Do you have tattoos? Do you notice that guys treat you differently than girls who don’t have tattoos? What do you think about this study? Tell me in the comments!

Can a tattoo be a form of domestic violence?

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Tattoos are a big decision. I mean, they’re permanent. You have to be absolutely sure you want this on your body forever. We were both 100% sure so we did it.

But I do resent the term tramp stamp because I think it’s really unfair to say that one part of the body is inherently trampier than other parts. I also have a tattoo on my foot. That doesn’t mean I have a floozie foot, right? And I have a tattoo on my wrist, but I don’t have a slutty wrist. It’s just stupid. Where you decide to get a tattoo is not a direct reflection of your sexual choices.

That said, there are some things I hate about my “tramp stamp” so click through and see what they are!

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That People Think I'm A Tramp

First of all, my sex life is my business, not anyone else's. Getting a lower back tattoo did not turn me into some kind of sex-crazed maniac. And it doesn't mean that I got a tattoo to reflect sexual behaviors.

Source: Shutterstock

That People Think It's A Target

Having a lower back tattoo does not mean I'm easy or that I'm "asking for it." NO ONE is asking for it.

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That People Think I'm Dangerous

Tattoos do not make a person dangerous or angry or violent. I'm really nice, and having a tattoo does not change that one bit.

Source: Shutterstock

That People Think I'm Angsty

I did not get a lower back tattoo in order to lash out or prove a point. I didn't do it to rebel against anything.

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That I Feel I Have To Hide It

Because there's such a stigma against lower back tattoos, I sometimes feel like I have to hide it. Obviously, I'm not walking into work with low-cut jeans and a crop top. But just in daily life, I'm always aware that people are going to see it and judge me for it.

Source: Shutterstock

That I Forget It's There

I love my tattoo, but because it's not in an easily visible place for me, I'm constantly forgetting it's there!

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That People Say I'll Regret It

Many people tell me I'm going to regret it one day. But I've had it for 9 years now, and I've never regretted it for a second.

Source: Shutterstock

 
What do you think about tattoos? Do you think they reflect your sexual choices? Do you have any? Tell us in the comments!
 

Some people are getting nipple tattoos

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Here’s hoping she got those tattoos on her own free will. Dating and domestic violence tattoos aren’t pretty. | Source: ShutterStock

Tattoos are a form of art and a form of self-expression, but for a few women in scary situations, a tattoo is actually a symbol of domestic violence. Say what?!

A new form of domestic and dating violence is emerging: Forced tattoos. Abusers will either physically force their victims to get tattoos–often of their abusers’ names. Other times abusers will drug their victims until they’re either unconscious or just not lucid enough to give actual consent to getting a tattoo. And often the tattoos themselves are as dangerous as the dating and domestic violence abuse situations that lead to them.

Most domestic violence tattoos–also called branding tattoos (think of how cattle get singed with symbols)–are usually given without actual tattoo ink, outside of tattoo parlors and sometimes even without tattoo guns, similar to prison tattoos. Some even use pencil lead, which can make you super sick.

A tattoo removal expert named Dawn Maestas went through a brutal domestic violence tattoo situation, and since then has taken to helping other victims. “This is control,” she explained of abusers forcing dating violence victims to get inked. “This is ‘you belong to me.’” She added, “I’ve had victims who have been drugged and tattooed, who have been physically held down and forced tattooed, and I get angry. I get angry because I know what these tattoos mean.”

While the scars of domestic violence may be permanent, the tattoos don’t have to be. ”The tattoos are the one thing i get to take away,” Ms. Maestas fumed. “They’re the one thing I get to take away.”

Keep this in mind if anyone ever asks you get a tattoo of any kind that you’re not into, isn’t your idea or that you don’t want. You’ve seen celebs get tattoos of people’s names and watch the relationships fail (remember how Angelina Jolie had “Billy Bob” on her bicep?), but a domestic violence tattoo is even more dangerous and risky. It’s not just the sign of a doomed relationship. It’s also a sign of a doomed spirit if you don’t get help. If you’re in a relationship and experiencing dating violence–whether or not there’s a tattoo involved–get help here.

Would you ever get a tattoo for a guy? Have you heard of dating violence tattoos before? Have you ever been pressured into getting a tattoo by anyone else? Tell us in the comments!

Is your tattoo illegal?!

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In a quest for perfect nipples, some women are getting nipple tattoos. Ouch! | Source: ShutterStock

Tattoo trends are fleeting–remember when everyone had Chinese symbols or tribal bands? But um, there’s a new tattoo trend that’s pretty baffling: nipple tattoos. We’re talking about tattoos of nipples … on your nipples.

The trend, adorably (or grossly) called “tittooing,” is for women who want “darker, more defined” and “perfect nipples.” Which is weird, because ask anyone–especially a guy–and they’ll tell you, pretty much all nipples are perfect, joyous and wonderful things to behold.

Here’s when nipple tattoos make a little bit of sense: They were originally designed for women who underwent mastectomies for breast cancer. That I can get behind. But for the rest of us? Dude, WTF?

Aside from the pain involved–these things do not tickle–nipple tattoos aren’t even permanent. These last from 12 to 18 months before they start fading and you have to get them redone or at least touched up. What’s more, it’s more painful for women who haven’t had surgery, because your nipples are more sensitive. And if you ever get pregnant? That nipple tattoo is going to last even less time or possibly distort because of the changes in your bod and your boobs.

If for some bizarre and likely misguided reason you still want to go through a nipple tattoo (or “areola restoration,” as the euphemism goes), docs are urging you to go to a medical tattooist and not the random smoky shop down the street because of the risks involved.

But girls, really: Your nipples are perfect the way they are. Seriously. Just ask your boyfriend.

Do you think nipple tattoos are worth the risk? Would you ever consider a nipple tattoo? Tell us in the comments!

Nipple tattoos are almost as crazy as this. Almost.

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OMG. No matter how this may come across, I swear I’m not trying to be judgmental or mean. But seriously, girls, this is the absolute worst tattoo I have ever seen in my life. It’s not just a bad tattoo – it’s a bad, make that terrible, decision.

Let me just put this out there: I have nothing against tattoos. While I don’t have any myself, I sort of want one sometime soon. My younger brother worked in a tattoo shop for years and is really tatted up, and I’ve never cared either away about the artwork on his body. But that doesn’t mean I’m okay with all tattoos… and I am so not okay with this one. Face tattoos? Always a bad idea. Huge face tattoos? Even worse. Tattooing the name of someone you’re dating on your bod? Horrible. And this girl somehow managed to combine all of those things.

So what the heck is going on? A Russian woman, Lesya Toumaniantz, let her new boyfriend give her a humongous face tattoo of his name – wait for it – 24 hours after they met. I… what… speechless.

Lesya says, “It’s a symbol of our eternal devotion. I’d like him to tattoo every inch of my body.” She also got the words “All For Love” inked over her eyebrow. Oof. Girl, you need a friend. Call me. Seriously, I want to give you a hug.

First of all, ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Second of all, no. I don’t think I need to tell you guys that this is a terrible idea. Let’s start with the fact that tattoos are serious business – they’re drawings on your body that are meant to be permanent. Face tattoos are even more serious, and in my book, always a no. For one thing, face tattoos seriously alter your image. I think it’s great that acceptance of tattoos and body art is growing, but let’s face it: few people are going to take you seriously when you have your BF’s name etched across your entire face in Gothic script.

Lesya and boyfriend Rouslan | Source: Facebook.com

Oh, and let’s not ignore the fact that getting a tattoo of a BF or GF’s name is almost never a good decision. I know you want to show your eternal love and devotion and all that, but there’s gotta be a better way… right? Not to be a downer, but what if these two break up? Things may be a little awkward for Lesya here. Just a little.

I mean, if you insist on getting your SO’s name tattooed on your body, at least do it in a less noticeable spot, like, say, anywhere but your face. That doesn’t seem like it’s asking too much. Also, you should probably wait more than 24 hours to decide you two are destined to be together. I mean, yeah, this particular couple met online before meeting in person, but still – 24 hours is about 20 years too soon. 

What do you think about this tattoo? Would you ever get a face tattoo? Would you ever get a tattoo of someone’s name? Tell me in the comments.

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THIS is Zayn’s new tattoo. Really, Zayn?! REALLY?! | Source: Facebook

Case in point? Zayn Malik of One Direction just got the stupidest looking tattoo ever. I don’t know Zayn or anything, but I like 1D, and I think Zayn seems cool, but clearly he must not have had any good tattoo ideas when he got his latest ink. It’s a weird, cartoony picture of a palm tree next to the word “chillin” written in bubble letters. BUBBLE LETTERS, YOU GUYS! And it says, “chillin!” Like that’s super meaningful or deep or something. ASKDJFADSFK!!!!!!

I knew a guy in high school who was really into tattoos, but then instead of taking the time to really think through tattoo ideas, he just picked one off the wall of the tattoo parlor and got the Tazmanian Devil yelling and slobbering on his arm. We were all like, “Yeah, man. That tattoo. That’s hot,” but I don’t think a single one of us really meant it. By the time we got to college, everyone was making fun of it to his face. Ouch.

I hope Zayn doesn’t suffer the same fate as my friend. And as for you, if you’re getting a tattoo? Maybe take your time to think of something a little more meaningful than “chillin!”

What do you think of Zayn’s new tattoo? What tattoo ideas have you been thinking about? Tell me in the comments!

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I am definitely not anti-tattoo. To me they’re just another form of self-expression and we shouldn’t really be judging anyone for having them. On the flip side you really need to be thinking about YOU and how a tattoo is going to serve you best in the present and future. It’s hard to know what you will regret later because you’re inevitably going to change.

A 2004 poll determined that 17% of Americans who have tattoos regret them. A friend of mine had her tattoo drawn by an artist and held onto the picture for 9 years before she decided to get it inked. That may sound like a long wait, but consider the alternatives.

I have one tattoo, an exclamation point (!) on my wrist, it’s tiny and I love it, but one day I may not. My freshman year of college, just about as soon as I turned 18, my dorm roommates and I were BEYOND BORED. So we thought, “Let’s get tattoos!” We hopped on the next train, went into the first tattoo parlor we saw, and got tattoos. My roommate asked for a quote from Bartleby The Scrivener written in print. The artist wrote it in cursive–she was so shy she couldn’t tell him that it wasn’t how she wanted it to look. She was so shy that she wouldn’t even let me ask him to change it. Now she has a crooked, tattoo in cursive that says, “I should prefer not to.” She’ll probably have it for the rest of her life.

None of us had put very much thought into what we were getting, which is why we shouldn’t have gotten those tattoos in the first place. I am still happy with mine, but that’s just luck. Once you get a bad tattoo you’re stuck with it forever unless you have it removed. Tattoo removal isn’t very fun, either.

Tattoo removal is usually done with laser removal or surgical skin grafting. Laser removal is the most common, but it can only guarantee that most of the tattoo will be removed not all of it. Laser removal can be painful (described as “being splattered with hot grease”) and irritating to the skin and has to be done in 1-10 sessions over about a two-month period. It can cost up to a $850 per session, which is a lot more than what your tattoo originally cost. There are some side effects like skin discoloration and scarring. Your tattoo may be gone, but there could be a giant scar or dark spots in its place. Skin grafting is way scarier. It’s a surgical procedure that is essentially a skin transplant where you have to find a donor with matching skin cells to replace your old skin.

None of this sounds worth getting that Zayn Malik tattoo on my butt! As someone who infamously tried to pierce her BFF’s belly button with a dull, safety pin in 10th grade, I understand the urgent need to get a tattoo or piercing. It’s really not worth doing something that is painful and permanent for the instant gratification. Give yourself some time to think about what you want. That way you’ll avoid a lot of hurt to your body and wallet. Plus, Zayn will know you REALLY mean it when you do get it.

Do you have a tattoo? Let us know in the comments!

Your tattoo may be beautiful, but make sure that it doesn’t make you sick! | Source

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that getting a tattoo can leave you susceptible to at least five different kinds of skin infections if proper precautions aren’t taken. The risks and permanence of a tattoo are why in most places shops and artists need to be licensed, but even licensed professionals can still mess up–and it may not be their faults.

How exactly can a tattoo make you sick? Aside from the occasional allergy to tattoo ink, contamination is a big risk. Tattoo artists are supposed to use sterile needle and sterile water, and most of them do. But that won’t help in cases where the actual tattoo ink is contaminated, and often the ink itself is what will make you sick–14 cases of skin infections stemming from contaminated tattoo ink were reported in New York alone this year.

How can you be sure that your tattoo is safe? Start by taking a lot of precautions before you go under the needle. First, make sure you really want a tattoo and that you have a clear vision of what you’re getting in a sketch or a stencil, because it’s permanent (and lasers are painful on your skin and your wallet!). Once you’re positive of that tattoo you want, be sure that your tattoo parlor and artist are licensed. Make certain to read over any waivers you may have to sign before you get tattooed–you might want an adult to look over them with you, too–because you may be signing away the tattoo shop’s liability should anything go wrong.

When you’re gearing up to get inked, ask your tattoo artist to show you all of the needles and ink they’re using–many tattoo artists will be happy to unwrap a new or newly sterilized needle tip and ink right in front of you. And be sure to ask that your tattoo artist use sterile water–and ask your artist how they sterilize the water. It’s super important because distilled water or water that was purified via reverse osmosis actually isn’t sterile, and they can harbor bacteria that can make you sick.

After you get your tattoo, some redness, a little itching, and often some scabbing are normal, and your tattoo artist will tell you what to expect and how to take care of your ink while it heals (often using A+D ointment or specialized tattoo balms). If you experience any other adverse reactions, see a doctor and let your tattoo artist know–because even if they took all the necessary measures to keep you safe, if their tattoo ink is contaminated, you don’t want anyone else to get sick either.

Most of the time, when performed by licensed artists in sterile shops, getting a tattoo is safe. We just want to be sure you’re totally, 100 percent covered and prepared for any potential complications so you can get right down to flaunting your new body art!

Are you thinking of getting a tattoo? Do you have a tattoo already? Do you have any other methods to make sure a tattoo won’t make you sick? Tell us in the comments!

Check These Super Bad Tattoo Fails . . . OUCH!

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We’re pretty big fans of body modifications over here at Gurl.com – as long as it’s not anything really crazy or something that will seriously hurt you, of course. Tattoos and piercings can be a form of artwork, as well as a super creative way to express yourself. If you’re into body mods, we’re pretty sure you agree.

So we want to know all about your own personal body modifications. Do you have a bunch of piercings or tattoos? Or are you waiting anxiously to be older so you can get them? Fill out the questions all about your body art… or potential body art. Just copy and paste the q’s into the comments and you’re ready to go.

1. Do you have any piercings? Where are they?

2. Do you have any tattoos?

3. Do you want another piercing? Where?

4. Do you want a tattoo? If so, what kind?

5. Which celebrity do you think has the coolest tattoos?

6. What’s your least favorite kind of piercing?

7. Do you think there’s a part of a girl’s body that should never be tattooed?

8. Do your parents approve of tattoos and piercings?

9. Have you ever gotten a secret piercing or tattoo?

10. Have you ever gotten a piercing or tattoo that you regret?

Would you ever get your tongue pierced? | Source: ShutterStock

11. How old were you when you got your first piercing?

12. How old were you when you got your first tattoo?

13. Do you like guys who have tattoos?

14. Would you ever pierce your nipple or down there area?

15. Would you date or hook up with a guy who had his penis pierced?

16. Is there a piercing do you wish you could get, but you probably never will?

17. Would you ever stretch out your ear piercings?

18. Have you ever gotten a piercing or tattoo infected?

19. Have you ever considered becoming a tattoo artist?

20. Would you ever get a significant other’s name tattooed on your bod?

Take more surveys here!

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