There’s a huge range of possibilities for how you express yourself with your body: clothes, makeup, piercing, tattooing and — most extreme — surgery. Some of these changes are temporary, others are permanent. It’s important to think about your motivation, options, choices and the consequences of body art. Talk to people and seek out information. Never make decisions quickly!
It’s exciting to exert control over what people see when they look at you, but you can’t always control how people will respond. Some people will have negative responses, and you have to decide if the risks are worth the fun.
Try to imagine yourself ten or 20 years in the future. You might be a free-spirited student now, and a web of vines on your wrist might look lovely. However, what might you do for a living 20 years from now? Could you work in a place in which you’re required to cover up your tattoo with long sleeves every day?
There are health risks, too. Consider these factors when you think about body art.
