Posted: Tattoo Removal
Facial Tattoos
In the Maori culture of New Zealand, a culture well known for its focus on facial tattoos, the head was considered the most important part of the body, with the face embellished by incredibly elaborate tattoos or “moko”, which were regarded as marks of high status. Those tattoos were unique to each individual, so much so that they contained specific information about their status, rank, ancestry and abilities. Because of this, the tattoos were accurately described as a form of ID card, passport or a kind of bar code for the face. Tattoos of warriors were given at various stages of life, thus being a rite of passage of sorts. They were also regarded as enhancing their features and making them more attractive to the opposite sex.
The Maori women also tattooed their faces, though the markings tended to be concentrated around the nose and lips. At one point Christian missionaries tried to stop the procedure but the women argued that the tattoos around their mouths and chins prevented the skin from becoming wrinkled and kept them young. Obviously the missionaries backed down as the practice was apparently continued as recently as the 1970’s.
Extensive facial and body tattoos were used among Native Americans, such as the Cree. There is also evidence for facial tattooing found among mummified bodies of a group of six Greenland Inuit women around A.D. 1475. 1000 years earlier, a tattooed female mummy was found on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea. However, her tattoos of dots, lines and hearts were confined to the arms and hands.
Facial Tattoo Removal
Tattoos are designed to be permanent and having a tattoo in such a visible place as your face can lead to embarrassment, loss of job opportunities, etc. Unlike the Maori culture where facial tattoos are not only the norm but culturally encouraged for the reasons mentioned above. Our culture accepts tattoos for primarily decorative purposes only and even that can be frowned upon. To tattoo one’s face in our Western culture can cause a variety of problems for an individual, the least of which is tattoo removal. Having a tattoo inked on your face may not be the wisest decision you will ever make. Many tattoo artists in today’s culture simply refuse a customer’s request for a facial tattoo.
It is estimated that close to half of those who get tattoos today live to regret their original decision and seek a tattoo removal. Can you imagine the regret that may come from having permanent ink injected deep into your facial skin? Getting a tattoo removal can be expensive and can be painful. Imagine having to put tattoo removal cream on your face, or laser tattoo removal. How about having your face sanded, layer by layer? Can you imagine the cost of tattoo removal and the time and care that would be needed? How about blistering or even lasting scars? Tattoo artist are simply using their wisdom when they refuse to tattoo a customer’s face because of the regret that may come and the difficulty of tattoo removal.