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Tattoos are currently more popular than ever and with the instant availability of DIY tattoo kits in numerous stores and online, it is even possible to tattoo DIY style.  Whilst no official figures exist for the numbers of people who are taking tattooing into their own hands – literally – tattoo artists have reported an increase in recent months of people asking for help to cover or change their botched tattoo designs.  Professional tattooists and hepatitis support groups are now encouraging people to look into the risks before they go ahead with DIY tattoos. Cheap and Cheerful DIY tattoo kits can be bought online from tattoo shops and more worryingly eBay for as little as $20 but many people who buy the tattooing kits are unaware of the risks that come with these kits, most notably the risk of HIV and blood poisoning.  It is also more likely that DIY tattoos will lead to an infection as most people who are choosing to tattoo themselves are unaware of the way to take care of a new inking in the way that a professional tattoo artist is.  With so much information available online, there is no way of guaranteeing that the advice you are reading is correct.  However, with the DIY tattoo kits being available at a fraction of the price of a professional inking it is a trend that is set to continue unless it is banned. What’s the Law? The law varies from country to country however you may want to think again before you start using a DIY tattoo kit on friends.  The law in most countries states that it is completely legal to use a DIY tattoo kit to tattoo yourself; however it is illegal to tattoo anyone else unless you are supervised and in a licensed premises.  There are also health and safety guidelines which must be followed if you tattoo anyone else which includes that both the tattooist and the person being inked must both be over 18 and that sterile equipment must be used to prevent the risk of disease of infection.  Of course, from a non-legal point of view, there will be consequences for people who tattoo a friend if the tattoo goes wrong or if the person who has received the inking doesn’t like it. What do You Think? Although health support groups are trying to warn people about the risk of DIY tattoo kits, many people are speaking out about the benefits.  When done safely and correctly, the only person you are effectively harming is yourself if something goes wrong.  As an individual you are completely within your rights to DIY tattoo although you should be aware of the risks and the consequences should something go wrong.  Many people are also speaking out about the artistic freedom that comes with a DIY tattoo kit.  Others have spoken out about the pain threshold being lower and others have said that they feel completely confident in their designs, which is not how they feel when their designs are inked by a professional. Whichever side of the fence you are on, we highly advise being aware of the risks.  The extra money that it costs to pay a professional tattoo artist is worth the price in our eyes.

The full story can be read/found on Body Art Fun