A tattoo is one of those things people should think hard about before taking the leap. They're not easy to get rid of if things go wrong.
Many of us have probably considered getting a tattoo at some stage. The legitimate reasons for doing so can be many - to commemorate a special person you've lost, to "note" an accomplishment or your loyalty to a cause, for cultural reasons or just because you find them visually appealing.
But as today's front page story shows, self-imposed age restrictions which many reputable tattoo studios stick to have prompted teenagers to opt for cheap, backyard tattoos.
The risks they are taking with their health by doing so is huge although it's unlikely that's something they think about at the time.
Skin infections or blood-borne infections such as HIV, hepatitis and tetanus can be caused by unhygienic practices or cheap ink. Those are big risks to be taking for the sake of some body ink because you can't wait until you're older and can afford to go to a kosher tattoo artist.
As one tattoo artist points out in our article, you wouldn't go to a "dentist" operating out of a kitchen, so why a "backyard scratcher" as these other tattooists are known. They wouldn't be operating out of their homes if they were kosher.
It seems the cheap tattoo gear and ink are easy to come by, thanks largely to the internet, and perhaps it's time to clean up this industry through legislation and make it harder for backyard tattooists to set themselves up.
