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Body Art has been
a hot button health issue for centuries. There have been many
debates over the health, cleanliness, and meaning behind tattoos
and the piercing of odd body parts like the lebrea, nose, and
eyebrow.
The
current generation of 20 something's are creating a culture all
of their own. We tend to be fearless, engaging in boundary pushing
and very dangerous behaviors. We also break societal boundaries
and misconceptions. Could this be a bad thing or a positive change?
Tattoos and body piercing go hand in hand with these behaviors.
We like to portray that we are impervious to any and all deadly
behaviors, all in the name of looking "cool". This
mental state is encouraged with dare devil sports and while over
coming fears is important, these behaviors can be deadly! I would
like to peer into the health risks of these behaviors. Lets start
out with a little history and anthropology lesson first. We will
discover that body art has deep roots in other cultures and also
has a magical background! |
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Over the course of history, many
cultures have used tattoos, body piercing, and a myriad of other
strange procedures to convey their unique beliefs through the
individuals in their tribes. Some of these modifications have
been thought, by the wearers, to contain magical spells of protection
against their rivals. The most interesting culture that I researched
was the Samoan people. The men receive tattoos from their waist
to their knees. These intricate tattoos are created by a small
comb, dipped into an ash paste, and then tapped into the skin.
Women received similar tattoos, but they tended to reflect their
spouses accomplishments in battle and for the tribe.
There are several other techniques of body "art"
that reflect more modern cultures.. One such culture is the Padaung
people of Thailand. They elongate the necks of women by placing
rings at the rate of one every two years starting from the age
of 5. The effect of this is an optical illusion. This process
actually deforms the collarbone and depresses the ribs, causing
pain and breathing issues.
When
considering body modification, one doesn't think about the psychological
effects. It is one thing to get modifications to reflect the
history of your culture, but a different matter to mutilate your
body for aesthetic reasons. When you modify your body, it becomes
permanent. You cannot change it once you go through the process
and you subject yourself to a variety of infections like HIV
and Hepatitis. The inks used in tattoos often contain heavy metals
that are extremely toxic to the human system. Symptoms from the
use of these toxic dyes can include anaphylaxis and fatal blood
poisoning. Tattoo dye may also have adverse affects like granulomas,
should the wearer get an MRI, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
Getting body modifications can
be dangerous and have unintended long-term effects, but you should
consider your own personal feelings as well. When making your
decision, remember: EDUCATE EDUCATE EDUCATE!! Know your facts
forward, backward, and sideways before walking through those
parlor doors. |
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