Tattooing In Modern Society

Tattoos have experienced a resurgence in popularity in many parts of the world, particularly in North and South America, Japan, and Europe. This rise in the number of tattoo enthusiasts has seen an influx of new artists into the industry, and these days many of them have professional training in fine arts, body care or technology. Coupled with advancements in tattoo pigments and the ongoing refinement of the equipment used for tattooing, this has advanced the whole tattooing industry in terms of both quality and security. Common among modern tattoos are lower back tattoo designs. Many females choose “softer” tattoo motives such as angel wing tattoos. Men are mostly into more elaborate designs, maybe something like cross tattoos.

In June 2006 the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology published the results of a telephone survey which took place in 2004. According to this survey, as many as 36% of 18-29 year old Americans had tattoos (30-40 yrs: 24%, 41-51 yrs: 15%). In September 2006, the Pew Research Center conducted a telephone survey which found that 36% of Americans ages 18-25, 40% of those 26-40 and 10% of those 41-64 had a tattoo. Another survey from January 2008 (Harris Interactive) stated that 14% of all US adults had a tattoo, compared to 16% when they conducted a similar survey in 2003.

It is still common among criminal gangs and prisoners to use distinctive tattoos to indicate facts about their criminal behavior, prison sentences, and gang memberships. Tear tattoo, for example, can be symbolic of murder, where one tear symbolizes the loss of a friend. Also, the United States military have an equally well established and longstanding history of tattooing to indicate military units, battles, kills, etc., a practice that encompasses also older Americans. This practice is also prevalent among the Brish Armed Forces.

Although tattooing among these type of subcultures (military and criminals) have historical background and is somewhat removed from the current wave of popularity, tattoos are still associated with criminality. Even though the wider popularity in the general population brings with it a more of acceptance, they still carry a heavy stigma among certain social groups.

The fact that more “regular people”, especially more women than before are getting tattoos , is transforming the previously negative connotations of tattoos. However, a study of “at-risk” (as defined by school absenteeism and truancy) adolescent girls showed a positive correlation between body-modification and negative feelings towards the body and self-esteem; however, also illustrating a strong motive for body-modification as the search for “self and attempts to attain mastery and control over the body in an age of increasing alienation.”

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