But if history serves as any model, this latter should not be so surprising. An ancient art form harking back at least to the Golden Age of Egypt and probably further, tattooing has figured largely in the ceremonies and traditions of countless cultures. In Borneo, women bore markings to indicate their marriageable skill; in western Asia, the Ainu peoples used body art to indicate social status and then introduced the practice to the Japanese who used it in their religious and ceremonial rites. And even today, Hindu brides, in a prenuptial ceremony called the Mehndi, will have their hands and feet painted with intricate, tattoo-like designs that last one to three weeks.

Clearly, it was only a matter of time before American brides and grooms took a good look around them, globally and historically speaking, and started getting tattooed to commemorate the big day. “It’s something that symbolizes your togetherness,” says Stacey Sharp tattoo artist of Alternative Ink in Ronkonkoma. From the soon-to-be married couple who chose winged wolves (the virile male for him, the smaller female with cubs for her) to the anniversary couple who opted for champagne glasses and roses, Sharp has seen her share of loving couples willing to suffer for their love.

Or just plain suffer. These tend to be the couples that insist upon having the name of their loved one engraved forever on their skin. “It’s like a jinx,” says Sharp. “It’ll only be a matter of time before they’re back asking to have it covered up.” John Onysko tattoo artist at Cort’s Royal Ink in Patchogue agrees. “I’ve done so many name cover-ups, I can’t count them all.” According to Onysko, about seven out of every ten couples who make such errors in optimism will return to eat crow, or at least have one tattooed atop the name that now spells sour grapes. Such errors, usually but not always, seem to be a product of youth. Older couples, in Onysko’s experience, return far less for the cover-up.

Cover-ups become a moot point, however, if the couple chooses its tattoo with more care. Onysko, for instance, suggests the wedding date (less obvious than names) or even portraits of each other. These latter he calls “definitely cool” since they look exactly like a photograph and require true talent on the part of the tattoo artist. Still, one has to wonder how a portrait of the partner-to-be would be any wiser a choice than the name.

For Sharp, the answer is simple: Keep the I-Do Tattoo to symbols, whether it be his-and-her wolves, champagne glasses, or Celtic Runes. And avoid, like the plague, portraits and names. “After all,” says Sharp, “You know who you’re with.” Furthermore, both Sharp and Onysko suggest that the couple do a little research before heading to a studio. Anything they can offer the artist beyond a blank stare and a shrug could go a long way toward gaining them a romantic tattoo they can live with. “The customer we hate to see is the one who wants you to pick out the tattoo,” says Onysko.

Sharp, who has ten years of experience as a tattoo artist, seems to view client uncertainty with more tolerance: “Some people are very specific about what they want, while you have to lead others in a certain direction, and sometimes it’s because they are open and see tattooing as a form of personal expression.” Clients like this may be happier avoiding studios that traffic in stock pictures. Says Sharp, “You can walk into some tattoo studios where there will be nothing on the walls but fine art.” It is here, she explains, that true art is practiced, “just on a different type of canvas.”

Whichever type studio the couple opts for, however, one thing is certain: It best be clean, a fact which may not always be so obvious. Sharp suggests that a prospective client watch the artist at work to see how she works with the latex gloves (no cross-contamination) and how she handles the needles (they should be removed from sterilized packaging in front of the customer and disposed of properly). Clients should also ask to see the autoclave (the sterilization machine as well as recent records proving that it is in working order). And, finally, clients should be certain they are going under a licensed tattoo artist’s needle. Says Sharp, “You need to remember that you are definitely making a commitment.” When it comes to the I-Do Tattoo, no truer words have been spoken.

In life, circumstances are always changing. What we think is good today may be a wrong for tomorrow. This is especially true when it comes to major decisions like getting a tattoo. However, in recent times, the available options for removing a tattoo are growing, and so are advancement in the methods used.

• Changing body types – Your weight is no longer what it used to be. You have either lost a lot or gained a lot. It can also be that you have been working out and put on a lot of muscle. On the other hand, perhaps you have just simply gotten older and your skin has loosened, wrinkled and/or sagged.

• Breakups – We all know someone, or a friend of a friend who tattooed “Jessica” on his shoulder only break up with her a month later.

• Changing views – Maybe you were a rebellious teen making a fearless statement on a positive issue, but since then you’re older and have changed some of your views. That symbol you tattooed on you arm is no longer an issue.

• Bad tattoo design – Hopefully you are not one of the unlucky ones and the tattoo artist messed your tattoo up and left you with an unappealing design.

• Job or “society” issues – If you have a large or easily visible tattoo, certain jobs or even certain individuals may look down on you and deny you certain opportunities.

Should you find yourself in any of the above situations, don’t panic; there are various options you can look into for tattoo removal. Let’s begin with the cheapest methods then discuss some of the more costly procedures.

• Creams – When looking to remove a tattoo, you will hear about tattoo removal creams that are on the market today. While the cost of these creams are relatively low (about a hundred bucks), compared to other methods, you will probably get what you pay for. Some people claim that the creams worked for them. Others say the cream faded their tattoo over time and others say they saw no effect. If you’re willing to roll the dice, tattoo removal creams may be worth looking into. Just keep in mind that results can vary.

• Cover-ups – A tattoo cover-up involves getting a new, fresh tattoo over your old tattoo. This is not always possible, and is not always done well. For example, you cannot expect to cover up a thick, black tattoo with light ink, or get rid of a large, intricate design, without getting a large, block-like design over it. Some tattoo artists are very good at doing cover-ups. However, you should consult a highly regarded artist to see if he thinks it would be successful. Here, the cost of tattoo removal (via cover-up) is just the cost of the new tattoo itself.

Apart from those two options for tattoo removal there are several types of medical procedures.

• Salabrasion – Salabrasion is a rather old technique that actually involves sanding off your tattoo covered skin. Anesthetic is administered to the area and then salt water is applied while your skin is vigorously rubbed. Yes, this is as painful as it sounds and is likely to cause scarring.

• Dermabrasion – With dermabrasion you are again basically sanding off your skin. Anesthetic is also used in this type of tattoo removal. Following that, a solution is applied (or simple ice packs are applied) to the tattooed skin that freezes the area. A hand-held rotary instrument is then used to scrape away the top layers of skin on the area. Due to the nature of the procedure there will likely be bleeding as well as scarring.

• Excision – Excision is a procedure where the tattooed skin is cut off. This is easiest with small tattoos however it is a tattoo removal procedure that can be used for even larger tattoos. With larger tattoos, you may undergo several the procedure several times. First cutting away the center of the tattoo and then following up with the outer portions later. After cutting away the skin and the tattoo, your skin is brought back together; in some cases with large tattoos a skin graft is used to cover the removed area. Local anesthetics are also used in this tattoo removal procedure.

The most common form of tattoo removal today is the use of a laser to remove the tattoo. A focused laser is used to break apart the tattoo ink under the surface of your skin. The rest of your skin remains unharmed and there will not be scarring. Different wavelengths are used for different ink colors which means the more colorful your tattoo, the more complex and costly your laser tattoo removal will be.

While laser tattoo removal is very successful (although not always completely), the cost of tattoo removal from laser procedures can be quite expensive and time consuming. For a small, single-color tattoo, the cost of tattoo removal may be one hundred to several hundred dollars.

For larger, thicker, more intricate and more colorful tattoos, you may have to have up to 10 sessions to get your tattoo completely removed. Sessions can range in cost anywhere from $100 to over $1,000, most likely falling in the $400-$500 range. With laser tattoo removal a numbing agent can be used beforehand if necessary, although most say it is a rather painless tattoo removal procedure. One downside to laser tattoo removal is obviously the cost of tattoo removal itself, as well as how long the complete process can take. Individual sessions need to be spaced out to allow proper time to heal.

As you can see there are various methods for getting your tattoo removed. You can find a method to suit your budget and tolerance to discomfort and pain. Just remember to do your research an make an informed decision.

It is no longer just for male but women of all walks of life embrace it more and more, especially the artists and actresses. Pin up girl tattoos, girl back tattoos, sexy girl tattoos, biker girl tattoos are just some of the kind of tattoos available for women. It is a fashion statement that appears on female’s shoulders, stomach, neck, back, legs and ankles, also found on more private body parts. The trend is growing at a fast rate.

Why women do tattoo themselves? It is a need to express their personality and embellish a body part and most women would tell you that it is an art.

What does tattooing consist of? What is the technique used? What are the health precautions to take?

Tattooing is a technique ancestral used thousands of years ago. In those days getting tattoos meant being part of a tribe, or religion, like pirates with their skeleton image tattoo.

Tattoos are made of ink that resides under the skin; tattoos don’t get old because of the placement of the pigments between the derma and the epidermis.

Tattoos are made with a dermograph, a tool that vibrates on needles filled with ink colors, these needles puncture the skin at a dept of 1 to 2 millimeter. The puncture skin can get infected if a lack of hygiene is present. Tattoos parlors must maintain a high standard of hygiene, all tools must be sterilized, the working hands must be also well cleaned with antiseptic substances, and the shop must be disinfected every day. Every shop must possess an autoclave, autoclave sterilizes materials with pressurized steam at an extremely high temperatures. All needles are new and disposed of after use.

Following the procedure, a covering is applied on the tattoo, you can remove the covering after 2 – 4 hours, and you can wash your tattoo gently with a very mild soap and water. Never scrub your tattoo, you should buy Neosporin, bacitracin if you prefer, and apply one of these creams to your tattoo 1 or 2 times per day for at least 3 to 5 days.

Tattoos are not recommended for:

Pregnant women, people with AIDS, also people with ink allergies.

The price of a tattoo varies depending on the size, number of colors and so on, look at spending between $200.00 and $300.00 for an average small tattoo.

FHM-US Magazine published their annual list of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2002 as voted on by their readers. The poll offers a fascinating insight into the popularity of tattoos among female celebrities.