Tattoos and ear piercings are some of the most popular and oldest body decorations that go back to ancient times. Ear piercing involves making a hole in the earlobe so that you can insert jewelry, while tattoos are designs on the skin which are made with needle and colored ink.
An earlobe piercing is a simple and fast procedure which is usually done with a needle or a piercing gun. Piercing other parts of the human body pretty much works the same way. Holes from ear piercing usually close up if you no longer wear jewelry.
On the other hand, a tattoo is a form of body art which is usually done with a special electric gun and is permanent. The tattoo artist draws an outline of the tattoo on the skin and the gun makes punctures in the skin with a needle that has ink on it. The ink from the needle goes into the second layer of the skin (dermis) and the tattoo stays there forever. The permanent tattoo can be removed, but tattoo removal is an extremely long, painful, and expensive procedure.
However, before making the decision to modify your body, it’s very important to understand the health risks and side effects associated with these two procedures.
Health risks of piercings
Ear piercings are extremely popular so people tend to forget that any type of piercing carries inherent health risks and dangers. While earlobe piercings have been common for women, men and children for decades, piercings of the ear cartilage have not been popular until recently. Ear cartilage piercings include the tragus, conch, helix, daith, and industrial.
These types of ear piercings carry a risk of infection that is highest during warm weather. The risk of infection can be reduced by proper after-care of the new piercing, but it also depends on which part of the ear you choose to have pierced. Piercings in the earlobe have a low risk of infection, while piercings of the upper cartilage are more prone to infection.
Other health risks associated with ear piercings include swelling around the piercing site, allergic reactions, and snagging. If the skin around the piercing gets an itchy rash, you may be allergic to the material of the jewelry which is used to pierce your ear.
Health risks of tattoos
Tattooing can also be dangerous if practiced under unsanitary conditions. Some of the most common health risks associated with tattooing include infections such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, tetanus, and HIV which occur due to reused needles or unhygienic conditions. Other side effects of tattoos include scarring, allergic reactions to temporary or permanent tattoo dyes, and burning and swelling of the tattooed area due to metal components in tattoo inks. Sometimes, large or small bumps (known as granulomas) form on the skin in order to encapsulate any foreign substances such as tattoo ink particles.
Do you need to hide your piercings and tattoos for interviews?
The practice of tattooing is very old and dates back centuries. In fact, the earliest evidence for this practice have been found in 4,000-year old Egyptian mummies and 5,000-year old frozen corpses. Tribal cultures have been using tattoos to mark major life milestones, while Mojave Indians have tattooed their chins to assure safe passage into the afterlife.Tattooing has become extremely popular in the early 1990s as a common form of self-expression and studies have shown that 23% of Americans had at least one tattoo. Another research has shown that about half of the people in their 20s have either a tattoo or body piercing and the number grows daily. And yet, there are so many workplaces and companies in the world that include a ban on piercings and body art in their dress codes.
Even though more and more people from different backgrounds, are getting tattooed or pierced, body modification still isn’t well received. While ear piercings are socially acceptable almost everywhere in the world, other types of body piercings or tattoos aren’t. So, if you have a job interview or a meeting with a client you probably want your interviewer to remember how smart and passionate you are, and not to remember your tattoos or piercings. Do what you can to minimize the appearance of facial piercings and wear a long sleeved shirt, blazer or opaque tights to hide your tattoos.