Should I start investing in tattoo-removal companies?
What the hell is up with this recent trend in tattoos?!? This isn’t just a U.S. thing, I see just as many in Finland. Yeah, tattoos have been around forever, but the last few years I’ve seen an increase.
Am I the only one who thinks they’re ugly as sin? And I don’t just mean some of them, I mean ALL of them. I don’t care how many colors you used, or how talented the artist is, or where on your body you put it – they’re all nasty.
I’m probably sounding sexist here but they look extra skanky on the females. The men can kinda get away with it cause our bodies are full of hair and other gruesome stuff, but the female body is one of the most beautiful things on this earth, and I can’t understand why they’d want to permanently tarnish it, and I can’t understand why dudes would find that even remotely attractive.
Not to long ago, I had blonde hair and ear piercings, but I removed them and you couldn’t tell they were there. Even pierced tounges, noses, eyebrows, and purple hair I could understand. But these tattoos are permanent – okay, well I’ve seen those expensive botched tattoo removal surgeries, they look just as bad as the original tattoo.
So what am I missing? Am I getting too old at age 26 (although I’ve NEVER liked tattoos)? I saw this lardbutt on the beach yesterday with her two kids and big blue tattoos on her stomach and back, and I just had to write this post, she looked pathetic. Fellas, when a girl has some shit tattooed right above her ass crack, is that a turn on? And ladies, when a guy has some ridiculous thing on his arm, that looks like a giant birthmark unless you’re three inches away from it…are you more attracted to this person? And how are these tattoos gonna look when these people turn 40? Should I start investing in tattoo-removal companies?
Dunno, but some of those tattooists should stick to just pictures and forget the texts… http://www.hanzismatter.com
Comment by Hank W. — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 8:17 am
Dunno, but some of those tattooists should stick to just pictures and forget the texts… http://www.hanzismatter.com -Hank W.
I like the Britney Spears chinese character tattoo story: She intended ‘mysterious’, it actually says ’strange’.
Comment by Anonymous — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 9:40 am
Am I the only one who thinks they’re ugly as sin? And I don’t just mean some of them, I mean ALL of them. I don’t care how many colors you used, or how talented the artist is, or where on your body you put it – they’re all nasty.
Most tattoos that I’ve seen look, in my opinion, silly and gaudy; however, my beautiful ex-roomate had charcoal-colored line drawing tattoos that, done in Paris, were quite elegant and attractive.
Honestly, I think it depends on the artists. It seems like many tattoo artists draw cartoonishly, and that is why so many tattoos look so cheesy. Also, I think traditional Japanese and Maori tattoos are beautiful.
I’m probably sounding sexist here but they look extra skanky on the females.
Yes, you do. But it doesn’t really matter: I’m sure those women don’t care what you think.
Comment by Anonymous — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 9:54 am
In my opinion, all meat should be inspected and if aproved duely marked.
Comment by Petteri — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 10:00 am
I agree. Everyone and their dog has got a tattoo, and the tattoos are mostly terrible.
Comment by Vaeinaemoeinen — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 11:45 am
“In my opinion, all meat should be inspected and if aproved duely marked.”
Hmmm, one bachelor party ended up with the groom-to-be waking up naked in a sleeper train at Rovaniemi station, without any clothes with him and his body marked all over with those slaughterhouse approval stamps. (The colour in those stamps is made of blueberry.)
On the subject, I’m with the captain, who said that he quit taking tattoos, after every geek started have them. Wait another 20 years and you have to wear a suit and tie to look radical enough to participate in a demonstration against nuclear power, U.S. invasion of X or rampant capitalism.
Comment by Antti (the redneck one) — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 11:53 am
When you buy tobacco you see text “this will kill you”.
Why does the law not say “You can not receive local anaesthesia while giving birth if you have lower back tattoo”. How many young girls actually know that they are going to experience painfull births?
Comment by Finn — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 1:19 pm
On the subject of tattoos: there is nothing more hilarious and tasteless than a teenage girl with a Playboy bunny tattooed on her waist.
Comment by Tuomo — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 1:50 pm
“(The colour in those stamps is made of blueberry.)”
OT, but Finnish “blueberries” are bilberries. Blueberries are quite tasteless, unlike bilberries.
Comment by Anonymous — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 2:03 pm
Tattoos usually strike me as scars at first when I see them from a distance. I usually think the individual has badly injured there arm and still has a nasty scar left over – it’s only when I get closer and see the ’scar’ up close that I realize it was put there intentionally.
I like the ideal of clothing. I don’t like piercings but, I can see how that fits into the ideal of clothing – where your body remains the same but you can put things on and take things off. You can’t really take a tattoo off.
Comment by giustino — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 2:33 pm
Young women (20+) have their tattoo on their lower back/upper ass area. Interesting to watch in certain situations…
Comment by jormanen — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 2:56 pm
I only approve of tattoos on ex-girlfriends.
Comment by Fred Fry — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 4:10 pm
“Why does the law not say “You can not receive local anaesthesia while giving birth if you have lower back tattooâ€Â. How many young girls actually know that they are going to experience painfull births?”
You can have local (paracervical/pudendal) anaesthesia even with a tattoo. But a spinal/epidural block is out of the question.
Comment by m — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 5:40 pm
Personally, I have hear so many stories of failed spinal injections that I would never let anyone stuck anything there, even if it would dull world of pain. If there are lesser opinions available, I would take those, but never, EVER spinal injections of any kind.
About tattoos; like all things, they can be botchered. The problem with the current trend is that the people who are getting them are so damn young, they dont know what they are doing, or realize that they have to live with them the rest of their lives.
Well done tattoo is a beaty to look at, either on man or woman. A friend of mine (male) has a short english poem tattooed to his upper arm: its drawn so that its inside very simple picture. It looks really good there, and will do so even when he is 75 (he is now about 22).
Point is; they can look really good, if taken with care and thought, but most cant think more than five years forward and cant think what the tattoos look like in older body.
I foresee that tattoos will become more and more common. But I am asking for greater creativity on part of the tattooers. They have few designs, that mostly revolve around their own interests and those that have become traditions and part of popular culture. As tattoo is a declaration of independence and uniqueness, it seems to quite perverted to choose it from catalogue, instead of brainstorming it yourself and drawing few sketches, and asking the tattooer to use them as template (which she or he can do, as they have quite steady hand). The end result is, hopefully, unique and timeless tattoos you can still proudly show to your kids and grand kids, and to strangers at beach when you are in your 80s.
Comment by Justen — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 8:10 pm
Yeah I wouldn’t let an intern take a spinal tab from me either.
Comment by m — Sat, Jun 10th, 2006 @ 8:50 pm
I could swear that’s Paris Hilton’s ugly tattoo. I like ritual tattoos. Very sacred to the one who gets it. But others are just tacky and ugly.
Comment by Mo — Sun, Jun 11th, 2006 @ 12:05 am
I’m sort of 50/50 on tattoos. I think all the tribal etc. crap is really butt ugly on pretty much most people (though I know exceptions, but it has alot to do with personality as well), but tattoos that have a bit more thought in them and have usually been taken to remind about some crucial crossroads in life are something I can understand. I would definetly know what kind of tattoos I’d take if I’d ever take one and it would have little to do with aesthetics or would someone perceive them as ‘cool looking’.
But all those small blotches and pierced hearts etc. in one’s ass cheek or whatever are just so wrong IMO. Weird thing is that I’ve actually sketched out a few tattoos for people and it has usually been their first tattoo and they always ask for something really complex with colour and all. I know that some tattoo artist have a tendency to fuck up if they have a bad day, especially with colour inks and I’ve always had to ask twice “are you really really sure you want this in colour and as your first tattoo?”. Besides, All the stuff I’ve done conceptually have been pretty inane, you got your regular angel-coming-down-from-sky-smiting-wicked-people-with-a-long-sword -kind of stuff which has absolutely no meaning behind it whatsoever. Or at least, it always seemed like it
Oh well, as long as the owner’s happy i guess?
Comment by Reko — Sun, Jun 11th, 2006 @ 1:00 am
Ive never liked tatoos myself and I cant picture myself being stuck with some drawing on my body until I die. I can understand that some tatoos are very nice looking and artistic but I just dont find it sexy. Some small tatoos can look nice on some girls but I cant really say its a turn on.
Comment by Sam — Sun, Jun 11th, 2006 @ 7:42 am
IMHO, cheap and an easy way to look different. Instead of changing life, habits or creating something better in the life, simply put a tatoo and that’s all you are different:)
Comment by Belino — Sun, Jun 11th, 2006 @ 3:24 pm
No, you’re not the only one who thinks tattoos are ugly and a stupid idea.
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Jun 11th, 2006 @ 3:24 pm
The colored tattoos are the worst you can imagine. You know, the colors do faint with time, and that aint pretty sight.. So either you fix the tattoo over and over again to keep the colors as they were meant to, or remove the whole nonsense.
Tattoo is never pretty, id compare it to self made scar.
Comment by Anonymous II — Sun, Jun 11th, 2006 @ 4:32 pm
While I have nothing against tattoos as such, this particular one in the picture (on Martina Aitolehti) gave me some good laughs when I first saw it in the magazines a year or so ago XD
How can people be so stupid not to check the language is right before having it tattooed on them?!?! “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”, Martina!
(BTW, after the story with a picture of the tattoo was published, the magazine got a few hundred responses from readers and Martina now has an even uglier tattoo as the text is covered with a ribbon/band of some sort…)
Comment by phobic — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 6:50 am
What is this. Old people talking?
Never mind. I don’t like women with big tattoos or with a lot of tattos. It makes them look funny. Not sexy at anyway. A small tattoo at a back of a neck or down at ankle is ok but big tattoos are a no-no. Guys with a lot of tattoos look funny too.
I have one tribal at my arm and I’m considering to get another one to the other arm. How does it look when I’m 40 or 60? Who cares? People are piercing, burning marks on them, cutting fingers/toes off of them. Few tattoos are nothing if compared. When you are 60 what do you think people do to them selves? Maybe some underskin holograms or technical implants.
Comment by Janos Riippa — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 9:39 am
@post 23,
of course a few tattoos are nothing compared to a do-it-yourself bisection of your genitalia (think split weenie). But that’s just saying dumb isn’t as bad as seriously weird.
Comment by prince of dorkness — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 10:07 am
I dislike most tattoos and piercings, though I think Maori tattoos are cool, and earrings are fine.
I can appreciate the tattoo art itself, but I just happen to find it a big turn-off to see any of it permanently on somebody’s skin. I find pure skin beautiful, and it’s a shame when someone makes a mess of it.
Comment by Stello — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 1:30 pm
One former member of our hockey team had “AB Rh+” tatooed on his chest. Hopefully it will not be needed.
Comment by Rapa — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 1:44 pm
^ Tattooing your blood type. Nice. I saw a movie, where this guy had lost his short term memory and tattooed everything important to his body himself (it was kind of disgusting).
Comment by Mo — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 2:11 pm
@27 and whoever’s interested
That movie was probably Memento: http://imdb.com/title/tt0209144/
A great movie in my opinion
Comment by rePt — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 4:42 pm
I’m with Reko (#17) about being 50/50 on tattoos… I don’t think I would ever get one myself. My dad nearly flipped when my sister got a tattoo and belly button ring in the same year.
… But I do have to say I like the small maple leaf tattos that the Canadian national swim team have adopted as “part of their uniform” for as long as I can remember. It’s so subtle, yet patriotic – kinda cool to me…
Comment by Carmen — Mon, Jun 12th, 2006 @ 10:24 pm
Tattoos and piercings seem to be incredibly common in Finland. Both are examples of mutilation and self-harm. Is Finnish society healthy?
Comment by Finnish honesty — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 9:30 am
Finnish Honesty:
This why you don’t any credibility.
Brits are full of tattoos and piercings. It’s their new spoiled generation that acts like pigs in europe. What a rotten kingdom.
Comment by Anonymous — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 9:57 am
In the beginning, I thought Finnish honesty just had some strange views, but during the last two weeks I have become ever more sure hes just a troll who can actually write..
Comment by Justen — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 10:21 am
Over the past 2 years I have become convinced that Finns cannot cope with a foreigner who dares to expose cherished Finnish myths.
Come off it!
Finnish kids are full of tattoos and piercings. Is it linked to this Finnish obsession with Heavy metal, Death metal, Black clothes etc.
The music played on radio stations is totally different. In the UK you are more likely to hear R n’B and other forms of dance music. Tattoos and especially piercings are not normally associated with this sort of music. However, they do seem to be associated with this “dark” satanic music that the Finnish youth seems to universally adore. Why do Finnish kids like this type of music anyway?
I feel uneasy every time I see Finnish kids with painful looking piercings through the lower lip, eye brow, nose etc etc.
In the UK you might see the odd pierced belly button, but that tends to be it.
Comment by Finnish honesty — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 11:01 am
#23: When you are 60 what do you think people do to them selves? Maybe some underskin holograms or technical implants.
Howabout blacklight tatoos?
http://www.tattooartists.org/Gal3975_UV_Blacklight_Ink.asp
#33: In the UK you might see the odd pierced belly button, but that tends to be it.
I’m from the UK (colony of Scotland), and I’d have to disagree with that. From my own experience, the frequency and size of tatoos in UK is not much different than in Finland.
And as for British music tastes, there seems to be plenty of support for metal music. 12 points for Lordi, hmm? ^_^
Oh yeah, own opinion on tatoos: none. I couldn’t care less what people choose to do to their bodies as long as it doen’t cost me anything and I’m not really bothered by them either way. But I feel the same way about smoking and piercings, so maybe I just have low standards.
-BM
Comment by Badgermushroom — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 3:46 pm
According to Finnish (dis)honesty, no matter what the phenomenon is, when it’s manifested in Finland in some form it’s somehow a sign of how everything’s so wrong in Finland. When you point this illogicality out to F(d)H you get the all too familiar knee-jerk response that you’re just not ready to face the “truth” about Finland.
Yes, really convincing indeed.
Comment by Åboy — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
@Åboy: Yea. It’s great to have someone here that keeps on reminding us of the Great Truth. It must be though on him since most readers don’t understand it but I surely appreciate the persistence.
Comment by Aijoovai — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 8:23 pm
“Finnish kids are full of tattoos and piercings. Is it linked to this Finnish obsession with Heavy metal, Death metal, Black clothes etc.”
I think you are judging the whole country on what you see in Oulu. People in the north really are into heavy metal for some reason. Kids start a “Jormua heavy” band in the garage to make some noise, but here they also seem to continue well into the their 30’s. Even some boring and respectable colleagues spend their freetime howling and growling in a heavy band. Probably it is the same charm of extremes, that makes the lestadianism popular up here.
Comment by Antti (the redneck one) — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 8:34 pm
Hmmm, on the other hand, the cousins in the south are doing this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2roPaSJdk0
Comment by Antti (the redneck one) — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 8:47 pm
Even in Helsinki you can walk into a CD store and you can absolutely guarantee that you’ll be able to find “Wasp” Gary Moore” “METALLICA”
However, if you want anything by Bob Marley and you’ll be out of luck
Fiins like metal. End of story
Comment by Finnish honesty — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 9:15 pm
Even in Helsinki you can walk into a CD store and you can absolutely guarantee that you’ll be able to find “Wasp†Gary Moore†“METALLICAâ€Â
You consider Gary Moore to be heavy metal? Really?
However, if you want anything by Bob Marley and you’ll be out of luck
You really should get out of the house more. Or visit more than two music stores.
Finns do like metal, Finland is one of the biggest producers of heavy metal music. What is wrong with that?
Besides, many of the world’s most popular metal bands are from the UK, like Iron Maiden.
Comment by Anzi — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 9:24 pm
seems like FS forgot to take his medicine
Comment by Anonymous — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 9:37 pm
Dear Finnish Honesty,
Yes, we like our metal, tattoos, and piercings. That’s because we Finns are satanic. And we want nothing to do with that R&B and Marley crap either. That’s because we are very racist, too. Now, we have opened our eyes and admitted our faults. You win. Now it’s time for you to go and close your little Buffalo Soldier eyes. I think it’s way past your bed time. I’m sure the nurse will come soon to tuck you in and give you that nice little intravenous ticket back to la la land. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!
Comment by The Dude — Tue, Jun 13th, 2006 @ 11:49 pm
About tattoos: Generally they are not esthetic improvements on anyone. Usually smooth skin, healthy tissue and muscles under them look good. That means: No need for tattoos. Tattoos are mostly comparable to visible injuries. However I have seen few artistic exceptions. At a local public sauna I saw a young lady who had on her lower back a tattoo that looked like one particular album cover of the cello music group Apocalyptica. Piercings are removable, so they are mostly ugly, except some small earrings, but not permanent.
Comment by Nikolas — Wed, Jun 14th, 2006 @ 12:02 am
Comment by Blah — Wed, Jun 14th, 2006 @ 12:03 am
Ok, that last sentence was not 100% logical, but you get the point.
Comment by Nikolas — Wed, Jun 14th, 2006 @ 12:04 am
I read in Metro today that SDP party secretary is going to take a German flag tattoo if Germany wins the world cup.
Comment by Helsinkian — Wed, Jun 14th, 2006 @ 9:58 am
The German flag tattoo story has reached as far as News24 in South Africa:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Soccer/News/0,,2-2035-2036_1950884,00.html
Comment by Helsinkian — Wed, Jun 14th, 2006 @ 8:17 pm
For every cool tattoo ( http://fantasygoat.livejournal.com/64261.html ) there are a gazillion not so aesthetically pleasing ones ( http://fantasygoat.livejournal.com/61790.html ).
Comment by Ti — Wed, Jun 14th, 2006 @ 10:54 pm
Yes, Finnish kids are obsessed with two musical genres: metal and hippety hop. Of course, I would expect Finnish dishonesty to dismiss this detail, since the popularity of hippety hop doesn’t quite fit in with his general “message”.
Personally, I am such a terrible Finnish racist that I don’t really care for most hippety hop music. Then again, I very much like those artists who rappers like to sample (and some base their entire careers upon).
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Sat, Jun 17th, 2006 @ 9:56 pm
ok seriously why the hell does it matter to any of you people??
i am 22 years old i have 7 tattoos and i’m a registered nurse.
just because someone has tattoos doesn’t make them a bad person.
i cannot stand when people judge me for my tattoos and i absolutely hate it when parents are like i would never let my kid get a tattoo.
to be honest with you people i was 16 when i got my first tattoo and my mother took me.
people automatically think that because someone has a tattoo that they do drugs and are some kind of rebel against society.
news flash this is 2009 people and its a free fucking country.
if you don’t like tattoos don’t get one and don’t look at it.
problem solved.
stop stereotyping and let people do what they want…its not bothering anyone.
Comment by Nikki — Fri, Jun 5th, 2009 @ 4:41 am
I have quite a few tattoos but most of them revolve around my heritage… im full blooded german and have so era tattoos like the maltese cross and the iron eagle on my back all of which have great detail and look really well done unlike some of these crappy tattoo artists that think the “cartoon” thing looks good… i also agree that not everyone should get a tattoo unless they know exactly what they want and know what it will look like later on in life. i put great thought into all of my tattoos… i love going under the needle it relaxes me and makes me forget about all my problems its really more of a therapudic situation for me.
Comment by Fuzzy — Wed, Oct 21st, 2009 @ 8:00 am