Thursday, June 2, 2005 10:16 AM CDT
Stamp of approval: Tattoos still most popular with young people
By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
As the pulsing needle riveted his left arm with orange pigment, Scott Bahrns didn't wince.
It may have helped having his hand on the thigh of his ex-girlfriend.
Perhaps he's just tough.
Or maybe the 21-year-old from Effingham was so excited to get the sun-shaped tattoo he'd thought about for so long, he didn't feel much pain.
"It stings, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be," Bahrns said Tuesday from a chair at Living Color Tattoo in Mattoon.
Nationwide, tattoos are more common than ever, with young people like Bahrns leading the trend. But these days, the seemingly rebellious youth are actually putting some thought into the permanent skin decorations, report local tattoo artists.
Bahrns waited for a year before proceeding with his selection "to make sure I still liked it," he said.
According to a poll by market research firm Harris Interactive, 16 percent of all American adults have at least one tattoo.
And those ages 25 to 29 comprised the highest percentage of the adorned, at 36 percent. Twenty-eight percent of 30- to 39-year-olds have tattoos as well, according to the Harris poll.
Meanwhile, a Mayo Clinic survey found that 23 percent of college and university students have tattoos.
These results do not surprise Dave Baldwin, a certified master tattooist who has operated Living Color Tattoo since 1984.
"Tattooing is more popular than it's ever been," he said. "There are people from all walks of life. But most of them do tend to be more in their 20s."
In particular, Sisco's "Thong Song" ("Let me see that thoooong") could just as easily have been titled the "Tattoo Song," as many college-age and 20-something women have opted to get tattoos on their lower backs (and backsides).
"That's one of the number-one spots for females," said Baldwin.
The Harris poll showed 42 percent of women feel sexier because of their tattoos, while only 25 percent of tattooed men think this way.
Baldwin attributed the overall rise in popularity to the influence of tattooed celebrities and athletes, as well as general word-of-mouth.
Additionally, the fear of contracting diseases has diminished because tattoo artists have dramatically increased their knowledge of health and safety, according to Baldwin.
"Responsible members (of the industry) have elevated it out of that back-alley kind of stigma," he said.
Other factors include improvements in tattoo technology, such as better pigments, as well as technique, given that many tattooists now have degrees in the fine arts, Baldwin said.
He got his first tattoo at the age of 19.
"I went more as moral support with another guy," said Baldwin, 45. "While he was still considering it, I wound up getting in the chair. It was very spur-of-the-moment.
"(Young people) seem to be putting more thought into their design choice now. And even if they're not, I certainly encourage them to."
While younger adults are considering their tattoo choices more carefully, employers are actually relaxing their attitudes about hiring people with body decorations, according to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
"Some employers are already having trouble finding skilled workers," said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer. "They are not going to let some body art get in the way of hiring the best qualified candidates.
"Plus, a growing number of employers recognize the benefits of diversity in all its forms, and are encouraging the unique attributes that make people stand out from the crowd."
Not that applicants should necessarily flaunt their tattoos, Challenger noted.
"As a job seeker, you have to judge whether the employer you are interviewing with is going to be accepting of your body art. If that is not the case, and that is where you really want to work, then you will have to make an effort to conceal your tattoos."
Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.
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