I recently participated in a survey about tattoos for women, and was more than a little surprised to find that there is still a double standard when it comes to this subject, and that the people who object the loudest are men who often have their own tattoos.
The questions asked was "What did we think about tattoos for women, where should the tattoo be placed and what size should we get?
This was a survey in which both males and females, ranging in ages from sixteen to sixty participated with a very wide range of opinions.
Many of the women who submitted an answer, were more interested in the idea of tattoos as a way of self expression, or as a reminder of something wonderful which had happened in their lives, and many are in favor of small personal tattoos like butterflies flowers,or hearts.
The most popular places for a tattoo was the small of the back, the nape of the neck, the shoulder and the ankle.
At the same time women were much more tolerant toward other women who had large, and even in some cases ugly tattoos, saying it was "all just a matter of personal choice"
The women who have tattoos were mostly happy and relaxed about them with few women regretting the decision to get inked.
Men, on the other hand, were very black or white about tattoos for women
If you are a woman with a tattoo, you are either 'hot" or you are a "tramp" The guys with a tattoo or tattoos of their own were the most vocal, admitting that it is OK for them to have a tattoo but not for women, especially their own women.
So it seem that double standards are still alive and well.
As one woman put it "who cares what men think, if you want a tattoo, go do it"
Another said "if you love your tattoo, be proud, don,t hide it, show it off?"
More information about tattoos for women
Lizzie
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Tattoos for Women
Not for the first time, tattoos for women are being questioned by the medical fraternity. As the popularity of back tattoos increases, so does the concern of the medical professionals, who are worried about the safety of administering an epidural to an expectant mother.
The tattoo industry is booming, particularly tattoos for women, with one of the most popular areas to get a tattoo being the lower back.
The question is: does having a tattoo on the lower back really create a problem.
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday examined concerns that administering an epidural through a tattoo might pose health risks to the pregnant woman. According to the Journal, there has been an increase in recent years in women's lower-back tattoos, which often cover the surface near the vertebrae where the epidural needles are inserted. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2006 reported that nearly 25% of U.S. residents ages 18 to 50 are tattooed, and 20% of tattooed women in the age group have lower-back tattoos. Epidurals are used in almost 65% of the four million births reported in the U.S. annually, the Journal reports.
A 2002 study published in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia questioned whether complications such as inflammation or nerve damage might occur if the epidural needle pulled skin into the cavity.
A recommendation was made that anesthesiologists avoid the tattoo when administering an epidural or they can create a nick in the skin before injecting the needle, this procedure could reduce the likelihood of skin being pulled down with the injection. Douglas suggested that doctors tell women that while there is no proof that complications will occur there is always the potential for complications
William Camann, chief of obstetric anesthesia at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said women with lower-back tattoos should not be concerned about the epidural as long as the ink has dried fully and the wound is healed. He said at that point the dye is set and even the microscopic amount of skin that might be drawn into the body should pose no risk. FDA said tattoo inks and pigments are regulated by the agency, but due to other health priorities, the agency has not approved any specific inks. Two FDA-sponsored studies are ongoing to assess possible adverse side effects to the ink and methods to test it for toxicity, the Journal reports (Zimmerman, Wall Street Journal, 9/18).
Krzysztof Kuczkowski, chief of obstetric anesthesia at the University of California San Diego Medical Center cites the example of the example of her 34-year-old patient with tattoos covering her mid-lumbar area who received an epidural, Dr. Kuczkowski gave her views saying that tattoos are the worst culprits. The patient experienced unusual burning, tenderness and swelling where the epidural catheter had been placed.
An epidural is a pain killing injection, given to expectant mothers during labor to reduce the pain
The different views expressed still raise more questions than answers, with mothers to be panicking whilst trying to get the right answers.
Whilst tattoos for women continue to increase in popularity, and until the FDA studies are completed, the controversy surrounding tattoos and epidural will persist.
Lizzie
Tattoos for Women
The tattoo industry is booming, particularly tattoos for women, with one of the most popular areas to get a tattoo being the lower back.
The question is: does having a tattoo on the lower back really create a problem.
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday examined concerns that administering an epidural through a tattoo might pose health risks to the pregnant woman. According to the Journal, there has been an increase in recent years in women's lower-back tattoos, which often cover the surface near the vertebrae where the epidural needles are inserted. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2006 reported that nearly 25% of U.S. residents ages 18 to 50 are tattooed, and 20% of tattooed women in the age group have lower-back tattoos. Epidurals are used in almost 65% of the four million births reported in the U.S. annually, the Journal reports.
A 2002 study published in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia questioned whether complications such as inflammation or nerve damage might occur if the epidural needle pulled skin into the cavity.
A recommendation was made that anesthesiologists avoid the tattoo when administering an epidural or they can create a nick in the skin before injecting the needle, this procedure could reduce the likelihood of skin being pulled down with the injection. Douglas suggested that doctors tell women that while there is no proof that complications will occur there is always the potential for complications
William Camann, chief of obstetric anesthesia at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said women with lower-back tattoos should not be concerned about the epidural as long as the ink has dried fully and the wound is healed. He said at that point the dye is set and even the microscopic amount of skin that might be drawn into the body should pose no risk. FDA said tattoo inks and pigments are regulated by the agency, but due to other health priorities, the agency has not approved any specific inks. Two FDA-sponsored studies are ongoing to assess possible adverse side effects to the ink and methods to test it for toxicity, the Journal reports (Zimmerman, Wall Street Journal, 9/18).
Krzysztof Kuczkowski, chief of obstetric anesthesia at the University of California San Diego Medical Center cites the example of the example of her 34-year-old patient with tattoos covering her mid-lumbar area who received an epidural, Dr. Kuczkowski gave her views saying that tattoos are the worst culprits. The patient experienced unusual burning, tenderness and swelling where the epidural catheter had been placed.
An epidural is a pain killing injection, given to expectant mothers during labor to reduce the pain
The different views expressed still raise more questions than answers, with mothers to be panicking whilst trying to get the right answers.
Whilst tattoos for women continue to increase in popularity, and until the FDA studies are completed, the controversy surrounding tattoos and epidural will persist.
Lizzie
Tattoos for Women
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