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PARENTS VOICE CONCERN ON TEENAGE TATTOOING By Michelle Migliazza Parents concerned with the ongoing popularity of tattooing finally got their chance to speak up recently at a local "Parents Who Care" conference in Stamford, CT. "Parents Who Care" is an organization founded by Elise and Daniel Johnson in 1993, two parents from Stamford, CT, who decided to create a place for parents and children to address a diverse amount of issues. The meetings are held on a monthly basis and are open to the public. Elise Johnson, a 42 year old mother of three teenage girls, said that the idea to have a meeting on teenage trends was brought about by her youngest daughter who approached her mother about getting a tattoo. "My daughter insisted that she wanted to get a tattoo. She said that tattoos have become a form of expression, as opposed to years ago when tattoos were looked at as rebellious," said Johnson. "I wanted to find out what other parents thought on this issue to hopefully find some happy medium on the topic." Some teenagers at the meeting said tattoos are accepted more today because the media gives tattooing positive attention. Kimberly Kline, an 18-year old student from a local high school said that she got a 3-inch rainbow colored butterfly tattooed on the center of her lower back because she saw a similar tattoo on Drew Barrymore. "I think now that parents and kids are seeing tattoos on respectable people on television and in the media, and not just on rock stars," Kline said. "They are starting to look at tattoos as more acceptable." Surprisingly, most parents at the meeting agreed with Kline. However, they did voice other concerns such as the health hazards and costs involved in this process. Tom Fatone, a 42-year old postal worker and father of three teenage boys, said that his main concern with his sons getting tattooed was the cleanliness of the tattoo shop. "I want to make sure that the equipment is sterilized so there is no chance of any disease being spread. In my opinion, the risks involved in getting a tattoo are too high," said Fatone. Sophie Mullins, a 52-year old retired nurse from the area, said that health hazards should always be looked into when acquiring about a tattoo. "Tattoo shops should be clean. The artists must sterilize their equipment, wear gloves and use new needles and tubes for each client. Artist should also have a certification license that they receive from their state," said Mullins. Mullins said that these factors should all be addressed by the parents of teenagers who are getting tattooed or pierced. Mullins also mentioned the fact that tattoos are for life. She said that parents and teenagers should take into consideration the fact that laser removal is the only way to remove a tattoo, but they are high in price. "Laser removal can cost anywhere from $1,500 to thousands depending on the size of the tattoo." said Mullins. Mullins answered questions that parents had on whether or not their child is eligible to get a tattoo. "People with sexually transmitted diseases, poor blood clotting and those who suffer from high-risk anemia, should not get tattoos because any bleeding during the tattooing may infect the artist or cause the customer to lose a lot of blood," said Mullins. To end the meeting, Lauren Johnson, the 17-year old daughter of the president of PWC said that despite the precautions that people take when getting or removing a tattoo, there are still many reasons why tattooing is becoming an admired art form. "Twenty years back there was very little literature on tattooing. Books and magazines concerning the history of tattooing were almost non-existent," Johnson said. "Now, tattoos are advertised through books, magazines, videos and television shows, that are giving tattoos some positive exposure."