Tattoo Who? How One Urgent Care Center Is Helping Community Members Get a Fresh Start

The term youthful indiscretion is sometimes used to give a pass on poor choices many of us make as we grow into responsible adults. Some of those choices are easier to move on from than others, however. Take tattoos, for example. Whether it’s the name of that first “forever” love that the new girlfriend doesn’t like looking at or something more consequential—like gang- or drug-related symbols and images—decisions that seemed sound at the time can wind up getting in the way of future progress in life. An urgent care operator in Medford, OR is helping at-risk youth in its communities to get a second chance that might otherwise be unavailable to them, though, by offering to remove tattoos at no cost to the patient. Valley Immediate Care established Ink Out to help kids overcome the disabling effect offensive tattoos can have on job searches, reconnecting with estranged family, or even “erasing” visible reminders of abusive relationships. According to Valley’s website, the program has helped 140 youth in the community so far. Tattoos and other forms of body art can also have a deleterious effect on a patient’s health, of course, especially if the “artist” is not up on safety and hygiene practices. JUCM covered this in an article entitled Tattoos and Piercings: What the Urgent Care Provider Needs to Know. Read it here.