Tattoos Pros and Cons List

Tattoos have become increasingly popular, to the point where everyone either has this common form of body art or knows someone who does. While there are many different opinions on both sides of the equation, the time has come to take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of tattoos.

List of Pros of Tattoos

1. Self Expression
Tattoos are one of the last true forms of self expression that we have left in a society that is becoming more and more homogenized by the day. For many, a tattoo is an opportunity to express themselves in a new and interesting way, to make a statement that has never been made before.

2. Opportunities For Individualism
If you can dream it, then it can become a tattoo. There is essentially no limit to the number of ideas that you can come up with for a tattoo and there are tattoo artists in every city and town in America who are ready, willing and able to make your dreams become a reality. No matter what you wish to inscribe your skin, there are boundless opportunities to express how you truly feel about any number of topics.

3. Creation of Employment
The tattoo subculture used to exist on the fringes of society, with very few people openly displaying their body art. With more and more people embracing tattoos, they have become more mainstream. In turn, this leads to additional employment opportunities, as tattoos shops start to become a mainstay in the vast majority of cities.

List of Cons of Tattoos

1. Removal Is Difficult
Should a person decide that they would prefer to remove their tattoos, their options are typically limited. While tattoo removal is slowly becoming more feasible, it remains an expensive procedure. Even those who can afford to have their tattoos removed with lasers have spoken out about the painfulness of the procedure, with many claiming the pain of removal is worse than the pain of the initial application.

2. Impedes Employment
Employers are beginning to relax their policies as they relate to the body art of employees, but this does not mean that tattoos are ignored across the board. Depending upon what it is you wish to do for a living, tattoos that are strategically placed where they can be seen may keep you from obtaining the job you want. Those who choose to tattoo their neck and face will certainly struggle to find gainful employment.

3. Not As Individualistic Anymore
Tattoos used to be something that only a select few people obtained and for many, they were something that signified a certain type of cool. Now, with soccer moms, squeaky clean pop stars and middle aged men all hopping onto the bandwagon, tattoos have certainly lost a certain amount of pop culture cachet.