Prison Tattoos: What's the Solution?
If you read about the history of tattoos last week, you know that in ancient times, tattoos were often used as a way to permanently mark prisoners. That isn't the only connection that prison has with tattoos, however.
In addition to tattoos being used as a punishment, many times, those who committed crimes would willingly give themselves and each other tattoos. When applied to the face, these markings acted as a warning to others or, in some cases, as a way for prisoners to prove to their fellow inmates that they were tough and able to withstand the pain.
Today, prison tattoos are still popular for various reasons. They may have different meanings to the people who have them. Let's learn more about the types of tattoos that some people get in prison as well as how to remove an unwanted tattoo.
The Significance of Prison Tattoos
As with people who are not in prison, those who are incarcerated choose to get tattoos for many different reasons. Some, of course, simply enjoy the art and don't want to let being in prison interfere with their choice to display designs on their bodies.
For others, it might be a way to exert autonomy over their bodies. When someone is in prison, they don't have the luxury of choosing what or when to eat, what to wear, and how they spend their time, for the most part. Getting a new tattoo reminds the person that they are still an individual and that they can still make decisions about their own body.
In some cases, people get tattoos while in prison to signify that they belong to a gang or group. It might be a gang they joined before they were incarcerated, or they might have joined the group after they arrived at the prison.
The Materials Used in Prison Tattoos
As you can imagine, prisons do not have sterile tattoo guns and commercial tattoo pigments available for the taking, so those who want tattoos have to find their own ways of marking the skin.
Most will use soot that is left after burning various substances. Whether those substances are safe to be injected into the skin is generally unproven and unknown. Prisoners have also been known to use India ink, which is an ink used for drawing and not meant to be used on or in the body.
A large danger when it comes to prison tattoos is the transmission of disease. The tattoo artists in a prison do not have access to clean needles, autoclaves, and other tools necessary to ensure that the procedure is taking place in a sterile environment. If needles and tools are used among different people, it's possible to spread diseases like hepatitis and HIV.
Skin infections are also a concern, and these can become dangerous if left unchecked. Since it is against the rules of all prisons to get a new tattoo while incarcerated, those who get skin infections are understandably reluctant to bring it to the attention of a guard or nurse. This can lead to scarring and other issues.
Removing Prison Tattoos
In some cases, those who have gone through the experience of being in prison might want to have their tattoos removed. Since the materials used might not be safe to push further into the body, laser tattoo removal is not recommended, as that will disintegrate the materials and cause the organs to have to process them.
Excretion is a better and safer way to remove these tattoos. Tattoo Out works by causing the skin to excrete the material out of the body rather than pushing it further into the body. It works with just one application, and it can remove tattoos made from various substances. If you want to have your prison tattoo removed, join our waiting list so you can be updated on our launch and other news related to this revolutionary tattoo removal product.