About three years ago, senior Lindsay Davis decided to get a tattoo. She didn't do it because she wanted to make a statement. She wanted to express herself.
"Art is self-expression and tattooing is just one form," said Davis. "I took my own creative talents and put them into an art form. Because I created my own design, it's a part of me. I don't regret it at all."
Davis didn't just head down to the nearest back-alley tattooist, however. She called different parlors around the Flathead, but ended up driving to Spokane with her parents to have the tattoo done by a professional makeup tattooist.
"You have to be very careful about who you go to and where," said Davis.
"I watched her take the needles out of a sterilized package. Besides, my sister had hers done at the same place, so I knew it was safe."
For those who are determined to get a tattoo, Davis's precautions are a good idea. By checking out tattooists and making sure that the operation will be safe and sanitary, risks can be minimized.
"Reputation is important," said Stan Strom, Helena-based program manager of the Food and Drug Administration. "If they haven't been around for more than a few years, then check their reputation in their previous location. Also talk to the person. You can tell a lot about cleanliness and sanitation just by talking to them. I recommend that kids check if the operator is a member of the Alliance of Professional Tattooitsts (APT)."
To join APT, tattooists must have operated for a minimum of three years in an established location. They are required to take a nine-hour-long safety seminar. Professional tattooists benefit from the reputation of the organization.
Those getting tattoos who don't take precautions risk severe health problems.
"The risks are hepatitis B or AIDS," said Flathead County health officer Mitzy Schwab. "If you are experimenting, you are at risk because of the transmission of blood."
Tattooing is still not regulated, but it's on its way.
"We have a set of standards that are in the process of being adopted," said Strom. Tattoo parlors would have to be licensed and inspected. It should go into effect sometime next year."
Regardless of mandated rules, Some tattooists have already taken regulations into their own hands.
"We won't tattoo anyone under 18 who doesn't bring their parents with them," said Billy Whitefeather, the owner of White Horse Custom Tattoos in Columbia Falls, adding: "There is a right way to do it, and a wrong way. We make sure our customers know that we do it the right way."
Said Strom: "Without standards in effect, the best bet for experimenting teenagers is to use their best judgment."