Tattoos have become increasingly popular in recent years and the holiday or backpacking trip is seen by many students as the perfect opportunity to justify the expenditure and ensure the tattoo remains ‘meaningful’ for life. However, important things should be considered before going under the needle. Firstly, there are the obvious health concerns: while instances of HIV and Hepatitis B being spread in tattoo parlours through unclean or reused equipment may be rare in the UK, in many countries further afield, the stringent hygiene rules and frequent inspections required here by law are somewhat less eagerly upheld. Earlier this year, an Australian tourist was reported to have contracted HIV after getting a tattoo on the popular island of Bali, Indonesia. Ensuring the equipment is clean and new is vital and the needle should come from an unopened packet. More serious health risks aside, there is the crucial, party-pooping risk of regret. Many people simply seem to forget the permanence of tattoos. If you change your mind, getting rid of it requires expensive and painful procedures like laser removal with risks of scarring. Prices range from £50 - £300 a session and with multiple sessions required that amounts to a sizeable chunk of your student loan.
The Student's Alistair Grant warns you to think twice before you get that holiday tattoos over summer in What were you inking?.