How would you react if your teenager asked you for permission to get a tattoo? For 78% of parents who responded to an sUniversity of Michigan wave*, the answer is clear: no. Only 1 in 10 parents think that the tattoo could be a good thing, as a reward or to mark a special occasion for example. By comparison, 32% of parents in the survey had a tattoo.
Parents have particular concerns about their child’s health and social life. Indeed, half of the participants are concerned about the risks of infections, healing problems or disease transmission (through dirty needles) such as HIV Or hepatitis. On the other hand, they are also afraid that this tattoo will hinder their professional career (50%), and that their child will regret it in the future (68%).
Talk to your doctor
“Many parents agree that a tattoo is a form of self-expression (63%), but they worry that their teen doesn’t consider the potential health risks enough, how this tattoo might influence their professional life or even how he will age and the possibilities that he regrets it, “said in a statement survey co-director and pediatrician Gary Freed. This is why the vast majority of respondents support the law requiring parental consent for minors who would like to get tattooed.
“In addition to doing their own research and having conversations at home, parents can encourage their teens to talk to their doctor if they want a tattoo,” says the pediatrician. “Although medical complications are not common, it is important that young people understand and consider all the potential risks associated with body modifications such as tattoos.”
*National Child Health Survey from CS Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan of 1,018 parents with at least one child ages 13-18
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