Australian tattoo master warns tourists against pain free general anaesthetic trend

An Australian tattoo artist has issued an urgent warning over a new trend in Bali where tourists undergo general anaesthetic to receive full-body tattoos, the Daily Mail reported. Kian Forreal, who is the owner and master artist at Authentink Studio in Sydney's Surry Hills, criticised the controversial practice and said it carries unnecessary medical risks. [1]

According to the Daily Mail, tourists are paying between 9,000 dollars and 16,000 dollars to undergo the procedure inside a licensed hospital operating room. During these sessions, up to nine tattoo artists work on a single client at the same time. [1]

The Daily Mail reported that the medicalized tattooing sessions last between 10 and 20 hours. This condenses detailed work that would typically take several months to complete into a single appointment. [1]

Forreal likened the trend to taking a helicopter to the top of Mount Everest and claiming to have climbed the mountain, telling the Daily Mail that the practice strips tattooing of its transformative nature. Historically, Australian culture has maintained a strong focus on outdoor pursuits and a shared ethos of mateship. [1][5]