<p>In the words of Drake, “Don’t do it. Please, don’t do it.”</p>
<p>The ink used by reputable tattoo shops is very different in chemical make up from the ink in a sharpie! The tattoo ink has been fda approved for bodily use, sharpie ink has not.</p>
<p>Also, TATTOOS SHOULD NEVER BE FOR OTHER PEOPLE. Tattoos that are deeply personal, such as memorial tattoos for family members, in my experience are rarely regretted. It doesn’t matter if anyone else knows that the tattoo is for your grandfather, it is a personal remembrance. It’s like keeping a photo in your wallet that you never show to anyone unless you want to.</p>
<p>I love my tattoo and what it symbolizes. My only regret is that I got it on my ankle, which is harder to cover during the summer at work. the great thing about gettin it on a foot or ankle is that you avoid the stretched ugly sagging that comes with age. </p>
<p>My MIL was a professional working woman. When she retired a few years ago, she got jungle cats tattooed on her calf. They are vibrant and beautiful. Her one regret is that she waited too long.</p>
<p>And Iron Maiden–2 weeks of sharpie hasn’t hurt anybody–most of the population would be gone by now… I didn’t say live with it forever. And we’re talking about some circles on his foot not a full body tattoo…</p>
<p>I agree about thinking what you want, and even if it is a simple tattoo, find a reputable tattooist, one who has a reputation, you will pay more, but they tend to be a lot more skilled and use better quality inks and can make even a simple one look great. </p>
<p>As far as honoring someone else, if that helps you remember them, then to me it is honoring them, because remembering someone with fondness is the biggest tribute you can give someone. </p>
<p>Tattoos are a very personal thing, and my only beef about them is that so many are badly done or stupidly chosen or done as a fad, they should be a piece of art. I see middle aged women with stupid tribal bands (the guy who did my tattoo on my ankle had a sign up, “Anyone coming in requesting a tribal band will have his A** kicked out of here”) or with a tramp stamp a 20 year old girl would get, and it looks like crap, and I would love to know what the big fad is with chinese characters on people…it should be an expression of yourself, because it is pretty permanent (though the simple tattoo the OP is talking about is probably pretty easy to remove).</p>
<p>I think what I do object to is the idea that somehow you shouldn’t get a tattoo because of ‘what it will look like’ as you gain weight, sag, etc. First of all, one way to prevent that is to take care of yourself and minimize those things, and secondly, a good tattooist will tell you with a given design what can happen and will suggest ways to make something that won’t look bad. Most Tattoos that end up looking bad are because they did a cheapie tattoo on a whim, and didn’t see someone who cared, who used crap ink and didn’t think about how it would look over time.</p>
<p>To me, I look at the Tattoo I have (that I still love 12 years later), and the ones I may get, and when I think of the future, it is that I can look back and realize that at some point in my life, I took back control of myself, and can look at that and say “it may be old and wrinkled like me, but that is because it and I experienced life, rather than tried to live it like everyone else told me to live it; if I hadn’t of done that, I would be looking back with regret at what could of been, rather then looking back and saying I did it for myself”. I put 'how will it look when I get old" along with those who seem to think that at the end of the journey we should get there all pristine, when I think we should get there all worn out and used up to our fullest, and say “that was one heck of a ride”. :)</p>
<p>Mizzbee–does your work not allow any tattoos? Or is it too hard to explain in a work situation? Big, little? A friend of mine had an “anklet” of flowers done at age 60. She wasn’t working so that wasn’t ever an issue but I honestly don’t think I would ever have noticed it if it wasn’t pointed out to me. Which is one reason why I think tattoos are just personal statements that don’t honor other people (if that was the original purpose).</p>
<p>Sharpies are going to hurt you? Then why do surgeons draw on you with sharpies pre-surgery?</p>
<p>Musicprint–why has a tattoo meant something so much to you? What does it do for you? I’ve had lots of turning points in my life but never once felt the need to engrave it on my body to remember it.</p>
<p>Let me clarify one important issue: FDA does not have much jurisdiction over tattoo inks which are considered a “cosmetic” product. There are NO clinical trials of any kind required, FDA can only step in when there is a problem.</p>
<p>[Tattoos</a> & Permanent Makeup](<a href=“http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/productinformation/ucm108530.htm]Tattoos”>http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/productinformation/ucm108530.htm)</p>
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<p>And if sharpies were so lethal as some suggest, many little league swim and soccer teams would be dead by now.</p>
<p>I know one person who has regretted it. One and only one and I know plenty in their 50s+ who have them. No one is going to see your feet. Go ahead.</p>
<p>gouf78, at my old job, I was not allowed visible tattoos when with clients. At my current position it is no visible tattoos. In the winter I wear a lot of boots with dresses. I moved from Northern California where there were many more tattoos to the Midwest so part of it is cultural.</p>
<p>gouf78, sharpie ink contains xylene which is toxic. I tend to avoid exposure to things like that. </p>
<p>sryrstress, the drawing that is done on your body by a Dr is with FDA ink, not a freaking sharpie from Staples. </p>
<p>BunsenBurner, I never said sharpie ink was lethal. I said toxic. Reading comprehension please. </p>
<p>Good grief people all I’m saying is that don’t put a poison on your body to do a temp tattoo. Just use henna. But hey if some people want to draw on themselves with xylene go for it.</p>
<p>IM, please read the FDA link. There are a few words in there about henna use in body art. Reading comprehension, please.</p>
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Maybe where you work. We would never hire anybody with a visible tattoo. We do customer service and will not risk customers not hiring us because of it. I know I wouldn’t knowingly hire someone with a tattoo to work in my home.</p>
<p>And you don’t know that it hasn’t hurt your career. Have you gotten every job you’ve ever applied for? How do you know that a tattoo wasn’t the reason?</p>
<p>I, personally, would never hire a lawyer with a visible tattoo either. </p>
<p>There has to be a better way to honor your grandfather. Sounds like an excuse to me</p>
<p>"gouf78, sharpie ink contains xylene which is toxic. I tend to avoid exposure to things like that. "</p>
<p>Only certain types of Sharpies contain xylene. Most don’t, and the solvents they contain evaporate quite quickly. A small sharpie drawing is very unlikely to cause health problems.</p>
<p>[Are</a> Sharpie Tattoos Safe?](<a href=“http://chemistry.about.com/b/2013/01/10/are-sharpie-tattoos-safe.htm]Are”>Are Sharpie Tattoos Safe? Here's What You Should Know)</p>
<p>Where I live everyone has tattoos. I work for a top 50 Fortune 500 company and so many of my co-workers have tattoos- some visible and some not. It’s not big deal here- Austin is very liberal and we don’t generally work face to face with the public. Before that I worked at UT-Austin and the policy was pretty much anything goes. It does depend on the sector you choose to work in. </p>
<p>Recently one of my favorite musicians, Neko Case, got her first tattoos earlier this year. She is in her 40s and a past Grammy nominee, her response to many people has been, “I’m not gonna get a banking job at this point.”</p>
<p>Banking job or no–if I want to draw on myself it’s gonna be in sharpie…I simply don’t want permanent reminders of how I used to be or thought was a good idea at one point from my life. I already spend too much time trying to get rid of body marks that life has already given me!</p>
<p>3bm- Well, aren’t YOU enlightened? First of all, my tattoos are covered when I interview, so, no, they haven’t cost me jobs. My age has, though! I work in-house for major corporations and have for my whole career. Every since the late 90s, tattoos have simply been a non-event in the workplace. I’m not talking full visible sleeves or things crawling up your neck, but many, many professionals have tattoos. I’m glad I don’t work with you, 3bm!</p>
<p>And Gouf78, that’s alright! No one is going to make you get a tattoo, and in that respect you shouldn’t pass judgement on someone with a small, most likely not visible tattoo that is in remembrance of their beloved grandparent.
It would be different if it were a huge, uncoverable tattoo that was possibly offensive, misspelled, or just poorly done ;)</p>
<p>Here we go again… :rolleyes:</p>