The Evolution of Tattoos

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The Evolution of Tattoos
May 7, 2012
Reported by: Raquel Hellman
KIMT3

You probably know someone who has one, or maybe you even have one yourself.
The numbers show that millions of Americans have at least one tattoo.

But this isn't anything new. Tattoos date back to 3300 BCE. Anthropologists say a mummy believed to have lived during that time was found to have nearly 60 small tattoos. Researchers believe they were used for medical purposes.

Then in 2800 BCE, the Ancient Egyptians popularized tattooing as an art form.

In more recent history, the first electric tattoo machine was patented in 1891. By the late 1920's, American circuses employed more than 300 people with full body tattoos.

And the history doesn't stop there. In the mid 1900's, tattoos took on the role of being a symbol of certain American cultures. They became popular with sailors and World War II veterans.

They're now more common than ever. You may even be familiar with some reality shows that are centered around tattoo shops.

And the trends are changing. While tattoos were historically more common with men, today, nearly half of people with ink are women.

From tattoo rookies…

"Yeah it's my first one," said Lexy Nelson.

To seasoned veterans...

"I have four tattoos," said Liberty Warren.

Mecca Tattoo in Mankato is a hot spot for those in search of some body art. Many come specifically to get inked by the shop's owner, award winning tattoo artist Megan Hoogland.

Megan got her start in the biz at a time when there were very few female tattoo artists. She worked to make a name for herself in an industry dominated by men.

"It was really, really hard at first because most people thought I was like the receptionist or the girlfriend and didn't really take me seriously," said Megan.

Now, more than 15 years later, Megan said there are more women working as tattoo artists.

And it seems there are also more women on the receiving end of the needle. On this particular day, nearly all of the people visiting Mecca Tattoo are females.
Megan said this is a sign of changing times.

"It's not taboo anymore. Everybody has one, everyone's talking about it," Megan said.

"My mother said 'If you love me you won't get a tattoo.' And I said 'I love you, but I'm getting a tattoo'," said Jenn Melby.

While some parents, like Jenn's mom, may still cringe at the thought of their child getting artwork permanently engraved on their body, others, like Diane Nelson are more open minded about the idea.

Diane accompanied her daughter, Lexy, as she got her first tattoo.

"She wanted it for a long time. And I wanted her to really think about it and be sure. And you know, it's fine with me, I realized it's something that she really wanted to do," said Diane.

While tattoos may be becoming more accepted in society, the workplace is a potentially different story.

"That tattoo creeping up the neckline over the collar, and it makes a difference and they say no, you know, because of that," said Amy Ites.

Amy is a Career Services Advisor at Rasmussen College. She said there's no easy answer to the question of whether tattoos are okay at work.

"I've found that it really varies depending on the environment. It's really all over the board," said Amy.

"I have my own business, I'm my own boss. I don't have to worry about tattoos," said Jenn.

Places like manufacturing companies or factories, where workers stay primarily behind the scenes, appear to have the most relaxed policies on tattoos.

"They can put me out in the orchard, nobody has to see me," said Liberty.

But what about jobs where employees are more visible and interact with the general public, such as a bank.

"For our organization, the tattoos should be covered during working hours," said Dan McGuire, Vice President of Human Resources at First Citizens National Bank.

He believes it all comes down to creating a more comfortable environment for everyone.

"Tattoos, body art, whatever you want to call it has evolved quite a bit. But not all of our customers would maybe react to it the same way, and you have to decide what's right for the culture of your organization," said Dan.

He said that's something everyone should keep in mind before going under the needle.

"Are they in a career or are they still making those career decisions and what they're going into as far as what does that industry accept," Dan said.

Amy echoes that advice, and says a little ink can make a big difference.

"You don't want somebody to tell you that you can't have this job because you have a tattoo. Does it happen? Yes. Unfortunately, it can happen," said Amy.

Despite those warnings, more people than ever are getting tattoos. And everybody has their own reason.

"Do a little self expression, you can use it as a memorial," said Liberty.

"I struggled with depression and stuff so I wanted an uplifting tattoo," said Lexy.

"I don't really have a reason, it just looks really cool," said Holly Johnson.

And it seems that one is never enough.

"I for sure want a few more," said Lexy.

"They're addicting, I don't know why they're addicting," Holly said.

No matter what the reason, the decision to get a tattoo is a personal choice.

"I do this for me. This is a way for me to express myself. My canvass is my skin," Jenn.

"I have a tattoo right here, and everybody is always like 'Think about your wedding day, everyone's going to see it.' And I feel like I'm still going to like it on my wedding day. It's just who I am," said Holly.

Megan said it's an art form that's just as permanent as the ink she etches into people's skin.

"Everyone thought it was going to drop off, but that was like 6, 7 years ago. And it's just getting bigger and bigger," Megan said.

There's also a darker trend that may be fueling the rise in body art.

Local mental health professionals said that people are using tattoos as a more socially acceptable substitute for self mutilation.

That's when people deliberately harm their own bodies, by cutting or burning themselves. It's often used a coping method for dealing with emotional pain.

"Generally in our society, people are uncomfortable seeing cut marks, so what I've seen is that a lot of people that I work with have started doing tattoos and piercings to get the same effect or benefit," said Dr. Ellie Wiemerslage, a clinical psychologist at Mayo Health System in Albert Lea.

While more and more people are getting tattoos, more people are also wanting to get rid of their ink.

The tattoo removal industry is on the rise. A poll shows that 17 percent of Americans with tattoos have considered getting them removed.