The reasons that can lead a person to get a tattoo can be very varied , in the same way as the reasons that sometimes lead us to regret it. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that it is a habit that will not go out of style over the years, which is why science has long decided to join them, both studying their advantages (that, although you may not believe it, the have) as using them as the basis for new inventions.
There is, therefore, a lot of science behind the art of tattooing , but let’s see what it consists of.
The science of the art of tattooing
Does the name Thomas Alva Edison sound familiar to you? Surely it is because he is one of the most prolific inventors in history, but what you may not know is that among his many patents is that of a machine that, despite having been designed for office workers, It ended up becoming the famous and feared needle of tattoo artists.
But this is not the only scientific detail that hides behind the art of tattooing, because to do so it is necessary to have basic knowledge about the physiology of the skin, since it tends to be renewed from time to time, being able to take the drawing with it in case if not done correctly.
In order to prevent this from happening, tattooists introduce the ink into the dermis, a layer that, being deeper than the epidermis, is protected from flaking and deterioration caused by external agents, such as sunlight.
This does not save the pigments from attack by the immune system, which interprets the tattoo as the wound that it is and sends a regiment of white blood cells there. Fortunately, although these “soldiers” will degrade some of the stained tissue, the pigment molecules are too large to be fully removed, leaving the tattoo in place, affected by little more than mild inflammation.
Tattooing, a habit that seems to be good for your health
Although there are still some people who continue to associate tattoos with tough and rogue guys, the truth is that it is an increasingly common practice , which can be observed in men and women of any age.
In fact, many scientific studies have helped to demonstrate the benefits it brings to our health, both physically and psychologically.
A clear example is that of a recent study carried out by scientists at the University of Alabama, which demonstrated the beneficial effects on the immune system of tattooing. And, as we have already seen, the first time we tattoo, our defenses are on guard against the ink that invades the body, but if we do it again later, they will be reinforced, as if it were a vaccine.
On the other hand, there is also a study from the University of Texas in which the correlation between the number of tattoos and the level of self-esteem of women is evaluated and, although it may seem that it has nothing to do with it, the truth is that the association turned out to be quite clear.
Therefore, if on your last drunken night you got a tattoo that you regret, do not fear, your health may thank you, even if your dignity thinks otherwise.
Is it true that tattooing is addictive?
Drunk or not, those of you who have a tattoo know that once you get one, you will be corroded by the desire to get tattooed again soon and thus, little by little, there comes a time when it becomes a true addiction.
In principle, since it is not something as dangerous as other objects of addiction, going very regularly to our trusted tattoo artist does not have to be a cause for concern, although when it becomes an insistent habit, it interferes with normal development of our lives, yes we should worry. But what is the reason for this uncontrollable urge?
Beyond the personal connotations of each one, in the same way that it occurs with other addictions, the fault that some people get hooked on tattoos is the release of substances such as endorphins, which are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus as a natural response to the logical pain of having our skin pierced by a needle.
The problem is that this acts on the reward systems of the brain , producing a feeling of pleasure that is becoming more and more necessary and leading to an addiction similar to that of other compounds, such as morphine.
You don’t have to be an addict to regret it
Sometimes we don’t need to feel an uncontrollable urge to get tattoos that we will end up regretting. Unspeakable quirks of youth, names of former partners and a long etcetera are etched on the skin of thousands of people who would love to go back in time to eliminate the moment when it occurred to them to do it.
And since the issue of time travel still has a few issues to polish to be carried out, the startup Ephemeral has presented this year an ink designed to be eliminated after a year , because the pigment molecules, much Smaller than conventional ones, they can be easily captured by the cells of the immune system, which will end up giving a good account of them.
If after a year you are sure that you did the right thing, you can always resort to the tattoos of a lifetime, but we must recognize that having a chance to repent is great luck. Of course, if you still end up doing something that you end up being ashamed of, science is not responsible; that is already up to you.
