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Tattoo History |
The Science BitEarly tattooing techniques varied between cultures. South American tribes scratched or pricked the skin; the Inuit punctured the skin and passed a needle covered in soot through; the Maoris pierced the skin with a tool used for cutting bone; traditional Japanese tattoos are still applied by manually puncturing the skin. You'll probably be pleased to read that modern Western tattooing techniques have moved on radically thanks to O'Reilly's electrically powered tattoo machine. Tattoo Machine The tattoo machine is a three part device; the base which looks a little like the handle of a gun, hence the machine sometimes being described as a tattoo gun; the mechanism housed within the base; and the tube that holds the ink with the needles fitted below. The machine vibrates vertically and the needles puncture the first two layers of the skin [the epidermis] but not the more stable third layer [the dermis]. The ink from the tube is forced through the epidermis as the needle pierces it. There, it mingles with the cells of the dermis. Even when the epidermis heals, the colour remains beneath. The different lines that are used to build up the tattoo are made by varying the number of needles used in the machine. Lines are produced by needles in a circular pattern while shading needles are usually straight. Tattoo Ink Tattoo ink isn't really ink at all; it's a combination of pigments suspended in a carrier solution. That's a technicality but I wanted to say a little about the ink that will be used when you get your tattoo. Worryingly, there is no way to know exactly what is in the ink. Manufacturers keep their ingredients a closely guarded secret. Some tattooists mix their own inks but they tend to keep the exact ingredients to themselves too. Most pigments are metal salts, though there are some vegetable-based pigments. Given that the actual ingredients in most tattoo inks are unknown even to the tattooist, it's difficult to predict if you could have an allergic reaction to the ink. Reactions are rare but it is something to consider if you have especially sensitive skin. Allergic reactions aren't that common but they can happen. Red and yellow pigments (not just red and yellow ink but inks containing these colours) are generally considered the most likely to cause a reaction. The reaction -- usually itchy, raised skin -- may take a while to show up; it can take as long as a week for your skin to react to the ink. If you think there's a possibility that you're allergic to the inks say so up front. Tell the tattooist and ask for a spot test. This involves putting drops of each colour that would be used in your tattoo on to the skin. If you do have a reaction, it'll be obvious enough to tell without being bad enough to do serious harm. Go to Getting Inked |
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