Ask the Expert: Homemade tattoos

Local young people are increasingly doing their own tattoos, saying they can’t afford a professional tattoo artist. Isn’t this harmful?

Self-tattooing is almost a form of self-harm. It causes long-term scarring and skin damage. It has the potential to cause blood poisoning, skin infections and viruses.

Homemade tattoos are historically associated with bored prison inmates or sailors who had nothing better to do than inflict permanent and often childlike drawings onto themselves. I would encourage the young people to consider the fact that having a self-made tattoo might not be that cool.

Perhaps in the pursuit of professional tattoos, they can at least be confident that they will avoid illness. They can also be assured that any regret they have about getting a tattoo in 20 years time would not be as enormous as it would be with something that has wobbly lines and poor colouring.