Angelina Jolie’s kids want tattoos — what is the right age to get them?

Children want to be like their parents. But are they at the right age for it?

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: December 11, 2014 1:18 pm

Los Angeles, December 11: Haven’t we always heard that children learn more from looking at their parents? Then why is it a surprise for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt when their children want to get inked? It is known that Angelina Jolie has about 17 tattoos all over her body and Brad Pitt, 12. This is reason enough for their children to seek permission from their parents to get inked. However, Jolie and Pitt are a little apprehensive about it. Jolie has said that her husband was left feeling uneasy when their daughters, Vivienne, Shiloh, and Zahara (who are all below 10 years of age) asked if they could get inked themselves, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

What is the right age to get a tattoo?

There are certain laws in the United States and other countries that dictate the age when one is legally admissible to get inked. In most cases, one can have a tattoo done after age of 18 strictly with parental consent. Going by the rules, Jolie-Pitt’s children do not qualify for a tattoo yet. However, in India there are no such laws.

How is a tattoo done?

Getting a tattoo is fun and fashionable; however the process involves certain risks. A permanent tattoo, especially, is made by inserting pigments through needle pricks into the upper layer of the skin. The tattoo-maker users a hand-held machine that pierces the skin repeatedly with needles inserting tiny droplets of ink. The painful part is the process doesn’t involve any anesthetics and could cause pain till it lasts. At times it might cause bleeding too.

Can getting tattoos at an early age cause any problem?

No matter at what age a tattoo is done you still have chances of suffering from potential risks due to the artificial pigmentation. The risks are more severe for people who opt for permanent tattoos. Here are few of them:

Allergies: Did you know that you could suffer from skin allergies years after getting a tattoo? Yes, that’s true. The tattoo dyes – red, blue, green – can cause rashes and itching at the tattoo site. This is a reason why people with sensitive skin should refrain from getting a tattoo done.

Infections: It is quite possible to suffer from redness, swelling, pus like secretions coming out from the tattoo site after you get inked. Apart from this, there could be granular spots present around the tattoo due to an infection. In extreme cases, the area where the tattoo is done can appear to be elevated due to tissue scarring during piercing.

Illness: So you think, you can’t fall sick after getting a tattoo, right? Reality is you can. Especially, if the needle used to create the tattoo is contaminated with infected blood. You can then get infected with blood-borne diseases like hepatitis C, B or tetanus.

Can allergies and infections due to tattoos be reversed?

In most cases medication and treatment can help to some extent. Sometimes removal of the tattoo, which is again a painful procedure, is advised for some.

So should Jolie-Pitt allow their children to have tattoos?

As adults, sometimes it is good to take risks for aesthetic purposes. However, when you take the decision on your children’s behalf it’s a tough call.

With inputs from IANS

Image source: Getty Images

Published: December 11, 2014 12:07 pm | Updated:December 11, 2014 1:18 pm

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