A tattoo provides a great way of expressing ideals and beliefs. But do you know that not every tattoo is vegan? If you are a vegan, you might want to know about the connection between veganism and tattoos before you get one.
The Meaning of Veganism
Veganism refers to a way of living that excludes as practicable and as far as possible all types of cruelty to and exploitation of animals for clothing, food and other purposes. To some extent, veganism promotes the use and development of animal-free alternatives for their benefits to animals, humans and the environment. Ideally, this philosophy is not just about foods and diets because vegans avoid all forms of animal exploitation for different purposes.
Compassion is the major reason for choosing a vegan lifestyle for most people. From clothing and accessories to bathroom items, there are many animal products in many places that you may expect. Veganism covers a broad spectrum of dietary and lifestyle choices as well as the motivations to adopt this lifestyle.
The Meaning of Tattoos
Tattoos talk. Instead of having a universal or literal meaning, a tattoo communicates a complicated and personal message. For instance, a magnificent underwater world panorama is unlikely to just declare that the bearer loves trout. Nevertheless, some tattoos shout particular meanings. Generally, a tattoo symbolizes a story that waits to be told. Thus, when you meet a person whose body is covered with tattoos, an ideal way of starting a relationship with them is asking them what their stories are all about.
Basically, while some tattoos have personal meanings to the wearers, others have general meanings. Therefore, don’t just assume that because a tattoo seems simple has a definite meaning. Instead, ask the bearer its meaning.
Connection Between Veganism and Tattoos
A vegan lifestyle entails applying veganism ethics in every aspect of life. This includes avoiding garments that are derived from animal products like wool, silk and leather. Vegans also avoid absorbing hormones from meat and dairy products. However, many vegans get tattoos as a way of celebrating their beliefs. This has led to the emergence of vegan-related tattoos which take different forms. A vegan-related tattoo can be a simple script or a complex tattoo that deals with an animal rights’ subject.
For this reasons, when getting a tattoo some people ask whether the tattoo they are about to have is vegan. In most cases, the answer is usually no. This is because the tattoo ink is mostly not vegan. It has a glycerin as the liquid that suspends the pigment. Glycerin is an oily liquid that comes from animal oils and fats. Although glycerin can come from vegetable sources, most suppliers fail to specify its origin because there are laws that require them to list all ingredients of the ink.
This means that tattoo artists cannot tell what exactly their tattoo ink is made of. Tattoo ink can also have another non-vegan product commonly known as the black pigment. This is made of bone black. Bone black is made by burning down animal bones to charcoal.
The Challenges Vegans Have With Tattoos
Clearly, it is not easy for a vegan to avoid non-vegan products when getting a tattoo. What’s more, most aftercare products for tattoos are non-vegan. For instance, the majority of these products, such as hand lotions and moisturizers have beeswax and lanolin which is non-vegan. Nevertheless, vegans continue to march on with more of them getting amazing vegan-related tattoos.
Healthy Life With Tattoos
When leaving a tattoo studio, the tattoo is clearly an open wound. Therefore, you should take precautions to prevent infections on the wound. Major metropolitan areas have tattoo studios with vegan tattoo artists or studios that are all-vegan. Your tattooist will advise you on how to take proper care of the tattoo to prevent infections. Follow their advice carefully.
It is also important that you avoid skin abrasions and cuts. Pat the tattooed area after washing it with soap using a clean, dry towel. Use new gloves to apply ointment on the tattoo after washing it. Your tattooist or pharmacist can recommend the most appropriate ointment to apply. Avoid touching the tattooed area, soaking it in water or wearing dirty or tight clothing. Also avoid exposing your tattoo to direct sunlight.
Warning Signs
Consult a doctor if: The tattooed area fails to heal. The skin becomes itchy, sore, red or irritated. You experience swelling or pain. You experience continued bleeding on the site of the tattoo. You have other concerns regarding the procedure.
Generally, you can have a tattoo that adheres to veganism ethics if you take time to conduct extensive research before getting it. You can also enjoy healthy living with a tattoo if you follow advice from your tattooist and take proper care of your tattoo.
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Guest post by John Crosby for http://flowertattooideas.com/
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