The process of tattooing involves the insertion of pigment (via tattoo ink) into the skin’s *dermis. Traditionally, tattooing often involved rubbing pigment into cuts. However, modern tattooing almost always requires the use of a **tattoo machine* and often additional procedures and accessories to reduce the risk to human health¹.
Here’s a more detailed explanation of the process:
1. *Pigment Insertion*:
Tattooing begins with the placement of pigment into the skin’s dermis. The dermis is the layer of tissue underlying the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin). The pigment is introduced through tiny punctures in the skin.
2. *Healing Process*:
After initial injection, the pigment disperses throughout a homogenized damaged layer down through the epidermis and upper dermis. In both layers, the presence of foreign material activates the immune system’s phagocytes, which engulf the pigment particles. As healing proceeds, the damaged epidermis flakes away (eliminating surface pigment). Deeper in the skin, granulation tissue forms, which later converts to connective tissue through collagen growth.
3. *Stability and Migration*:
The upper dermis eventually mends, trapping pigment within fibrillates. Over time (decades), the pigment tends to migrate deeper into the dermis, leading to the degraded detail often seen in old tattoos¹.
Traditional tattooing methods vary across cultures:
– *Hand-Tapped Traditional Tattoos*:
Some tribal cultures create tattoos by cutting designs into the skin and rubbing ink or other agents into the resulting wound. This practice may be an adjunct to scarification.
– *Japanese Tebori*:
Traditional Japanese tattoos (irezumi) are still “hand-poked.” The ink is inserted beneath the skin using non-electrical, hand-made tools with needles made from sharpened bamboo or steel.
– *Hawaiian Hand-Tapped Tattoos*:
Hawaiian hand-tapped tattoos are experiencing a renaissance. They involve lengthy protocols and prayers, making them a sacred rite rather than just an application of artwork¹².
Tattoos have a rich history and serve various purposes—decorative, symbolic, pictorial, and functional. Whether for artistic expression or personal meaning, tattoos continue to be an enduring form of body modification².
