Just about everything in our lives has been revolutionized and improved thanks to developments in technology. It is often used to make things easier and quicker and even more importantly, better. The interesting thing is that despite the fact the art form of tattooing dates back a few thousand, not hundreds, of years, and many of the techniques used in the earliest days are still used, technology is still improving things.
In the following post, we are going to discuss some of the subtle and more outlandish ways technology has played a part in improving and enhancing the tattooing experience for the tattooist and the customer.
Battery Powered Tattoo Guns
For a long time, if you wanted to tattoo, you had to get a lot of bulky equipment and you would need to feed the gun and needle through to a power unit that plugged into the mains socket at your home, or tattoo parlor. Nowadays though, just as everything is going wireless and therefore not tethered or held back by wires and cables, there are battery-powered tattoo machines. As well as being more portable, they obviously offer a lot of benefits during use because they are easier to wield, maneuver, and control.
Cartridge Based Tattoo Systems
Given the health risks that came with older versions of the technology and equipment used to tattoo, it was only a matter of time before more sterile and safer systems were developed. Cartridge systems for needles are not exactly new but given that there was actually a time when artists used the same needle more than once, it’s good to know that things did change.
There are obviously clear health benefits to only having needle cartridges, it also makes the resulting tattoos that little bit better, because you are always using a fresh and sharp needle. In the past, there was always the chance that the needles would dull in time and repeated use, which would result in less sharp and clear tattoos.
One of the best ways to ensure you have the best equipment if you want to start giving people ink is to consider one of the many custom tattoo machines available. That way you can pick and choose the materials and components.
Soundwave Tattoos – Tattoos That Speak To You
One of the less subtle ways that technology has improved or at the very least created an enhancement for the traditional tattoo is through soundwaves. That’s right, you read that correctly, some tattoos are known as soundwave tattoos that basically when you look at the art with your phone it plays audio of some kind.
A program and app are used, not across the board yet and only by specific tattoo artists. The fascinating process involves downloading the special app and uploading a chosen audio file that the company behind the app and program then converts into a stencil that the tattoo artist can use. Once the tattoo has been completed and the audio file is registered with the company, the special app will play the audio file.
It’s quite a lot like QR codes that we are all familiar with these days. Perhaps the biggest downside to this intriguing tattoo technology is that at the moment it is likely to be expensive to keep the audio file active through the app.
Technology and Tattoo Removals
On the other side of the spectrum, technology has also helped improve the tattoo removal process. Before it was a very messy and complicated procedure and caused scarring and blisters. Laser tattoo removal is becoming the go-to choice of practitioners and customers alike. It requires half as many sessions of dermabrasions and chemical peels. An incredibly strong laser is used to break down the pigment colors, so they are in smaller particles so that when white blood cells come along, they are cleared away.