Five years ago, a tattoo was the ultimate sign of rebellion. For guys, it was a talisman declaring that they were everything your mother had warned you about, and for a girl, it was a signal that she didn’t really care what her mother warned her about. Chinese symbols and butterflies flowered over the ankles and shoulder blades of the young people of India’s metros. But then something truly tragic happened: tattoos went the way of every other rebellion. Everyone had one.

“A few years ago, tattoos were a middle-class pretension to rebellion,” declares Ayan Chopra, 25, himself the proud possessor of four strategically arranged tattoos, the most visible one being the one on his forearm: two scribbles of his parents’ signatures. “People who weren’t brave enough to rebel in a concrete way against the stereotypes of the older generation would get tattoos. I got my first one, honestly, because I thought it was cool. But when I had it, and I met other people who had tattoos, I realised that the true potential of a tattoo can be to signify some of the most important things about your life.”

Moving past the fashion
Sunil Pai, also known as San, is the proprietor of San’s Tattoo Parlour in Bandra, Mumbai. San testifies to the changing tastes of Indians, saying that they have moved past tattooing as a mere “fashion statement”. “Chinese characters and skulls have gone out of fashion now,” muses the artist, whose clients include the cricketer Chris Gayle and “people” from Red Chillies Entertainment. “What are increasingly popular are flowers, angels and symbols of ethnic spirituality like gods and gurus. Tattooing is slowly coming into its own now.”

San says that even when it comes to the dated practice of writing a special someone’s name on your body, creativity is asserting itself. “People don’t want just a name; they want a presentation that can stand alone as a good design. The key difference is that the knowledge of tattooing as an art is there now; people know that a lot more can be done with it.”

According to Ritopriyo Saha, 26, the owner and artist resident at Bangalore’s Trippink studio, tattooing has moved past the ‘trend’ stage — but only marginally. “Now a lot of celebrities have tattoos. It’s become a fashion of sorts. The general trends are getting a boyfriend or girlfriend’s name or a tribal design.” Saha says that not all tattoo artists are ‘artists’. “I prefer doing custom designs, and there is more and more of a market for these.”

But on the other hand, displaying a bit too much of your identity on a customised tattoo can lead to regrets. Ankita Daftuar, 28, was 18 when in an impulsive moment she got a personalised tattoo that snaked from her wrist to her elbow. The tattoo, a colourful burst of clocks and blooming roses, is beautiful, but Daftuar wishes she hadn’t gotten it. “In a conservative country like India, people at the workplace see the tattoo and make assumptions about me before they even know me. It’s hard to make a presentation when the client’s eyes keep straying to my tattoo.”

Indians not as ‘fussy’
San says that the colours “red, black, green and blue” are the best suited for Indian skin. “It’s partly because of the weather — the heat and humidity in India aren’t kind to colours, which fade faster and might become discoloured.” He also notes that foreigners, many of whom frequent his studio in Goa, are more concerned about “hardcore perfection”. “Indians are not as fussy for the most part, they just need a tattoo; their demand is very simple.”

Saha, on the other hand, notes that Indians tend to go for smaller tattoos, and mostly in black or grey. “It’s partly due to skin tone, and most of the kids who want tattoos are college-going, and usually don’t have the money to get a colour tattoo which will be much more expensive. Bright colours look better on larger tattoos, where they can ‘pop’.”

The shining future of tattooing
What about new techniques in tattooing? Abroad, techniques such as the ‘wet’ look, creating 3-D tattoos, and building special magnum needles, are now gaining popularity as the art form refines itself. San says that some of these techniques have found their way to India as well, though the basic, painful needle procedure remains the same. “One technique which I enjoy is the shading technique. It creates a subtle image, done by using a shortened needle.”

Jayesh Narang, 24, an apprentice tattoo artist in Chennai, says that he enjoys employing a technique known as ‘luminosity’. “The effect basically creates a shine or sparkle look to the tattoo. It can be done by adding a bit of white colour to the centre of a rounded surface, thus giving the impression of both a curve and of a light source. In other cases, you may want an object to appear to be glowing, and this can be accomplished by working with ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ space, that is, colouring differently over the tattoo.”

Narang is optimistic about tattooing and its future, and disagrees vehemently with the idea that the art of tattooing has been lost to clichés. “Like any other art form, 80% of it is bulls**t. But tattooing has a long way to go, and India is a fertile ground for its growth.”

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It took Ray Bogardus multiple sessions to get a tattoo that covers his back, but that was exactly what he wanted. The Grasonville resident planned to have a cartoon-like image of a boy holding the world in his hands, but seeing all of the bad stuff that comes with it. He gave his idea to Parry Chotipradit, owner of Lucky Bird Tattoo and Piercing. After seven sessions, the end result was a shocked blonde boy holding a small earth and surrounded by the colorful forces like skeletons, potions and other representations of evil. Bogardus is already making arrangements for Chotipradit to do his next tattoo. This one will be of a pretty person and of an ugly person.

"Because everybody has a (good) side and an ugly side," Bogardus said. "(Chotipradit) has new age type of artwork with a lot of vibrant colors. You wouldn't expect to find in (another) part of the tattoo the same level of detail as in a bigger pieces."

Chotipradit has run his Annapolis shop for three years and prides himself on providing custom tattoos. He has won a series of awards - most recently two from the Tattoolapalooza in Miami - and aims to eliminate the stigma toward tattoo providers and receivers. His first major effort toward that will be the shop's inaugural art show, planned for June. At that time, invited artists will sell prints of their artwork and the proceeds will go to a charity that focuses on children. No charity has been selected yet, and the event will also feature live music.

"We are all artists. People don't realize we have to draw and design beforehand - they just see a tattoo," said Chotipradit, a 28-year-old Annapolis resident. "I'm a father and a husband. I don't drink; I don't do drugs. I'm no different than a guy who wears a suit and tie, working for the government. Except (he) might drink."

A 2009 Pew Research Center survey found about 40 percent of those surveyed said more people getting tattoos is a societal change for the worse, while 45 percent said it made no difference and 7 percent saw it as a change for the better. Older Americans were more likely to view tattooing negatively, with 64 percent of those 65 and older calling tattoos a change for the worse, according to the survey. The National Tattoo Association has seven members in Maryland, including one - Dragon Moon Tattoo Studio Inc. - in

Anne Arundel County.

Chotipradit, who is part Thai, spent much of his youth moving around the United States with his family, before moving to Calvert County, where he attended high school. He always had an interest in art and animation, but focused on being a musician. He played guitar for a band, but also designed its artwork and was getting tattoos on a regular basis.

It was suggested that he become a tattoo artist so he did his research and became a helper at a tattoo shop. He spent a year running errands, cleaning equipment and doing tasks that none of the other artists wanted to handle. But occasionally, they answered his questions or let him trace sketches.

Chotipradit's first customer was himself, which resulted in painful tattoos on his legs. Lucky Bird Tattoo & Piercing consists of three tattoo artists and one piercer. Chotipradit charges $120 an hour, but quicker tattoos can be done for $60. Chotipradit works off of a wait list, since many of his customers come to him for his colorful, animation-like style.

Each Monday, he looks at his waiting list and tries to come up with a drawing based on the customer's request. Recently, he spent a day completing a drawing for a client whose name was Ivy, and all that he knew of her was that she was a night owl. So Chotipradit took up a page in his notebook and designed a dark image of an owl flying through a forest, near a tree with ivy around it.

In another, someone requested a kraken, which is a legendary sea monster. He had to research that and after six hours came up with an image that he found acceptable. The kraken was going on the customer's ribs, an area he measures during a consultation.

Chotipradit still has his troubles, like dealing with the negative perception of tattoos and occasionally finding his tattoos reproduced elsewhere. Some of his customers, particularly those who work around food, have told him that they are required to hide their tattoos while working. One waiter had a neck tattoo, but was told to cover it with a Band-Aid. He can't do much about others reproducing his work, since doesn't have the time, energy and money to copyright each one of his tattoos.

Chotipradit promises his customers that their tattoos are original, and he'll never do the same artwork on another person. Even if he was offered $1 million, he said. "If you showed up to a party and had on the same shirt as someone else, that would be kind of embarrassing," Chotipradit said. "And that's just something you're wearing. I couldn't imagine walking in somewhere and having the same tattoo (as someone else). It's nice to know as a customer that you're getting an original piece."

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Vanessa Hudgens was busted during an interview with Jay Leno on the Tonight Show, after the talk show host asked her about a tattoo that was spotted on her foot during a Hudgens’ recent vacation in Hawaii.

Hudgens, 23, was photographed romping on the beach in a bikini, and although she has a few tattoos, this one was new. A close up photo of her foot showed writing that appeared to be inked on. The tattoo said “All You Need Is Love.” The line is from a well-known Beatles song.

Tattoos are all the rage, of course, among celebrities and musicians. Young stars are part of the trend. Aside from Hudgens, celebrities like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus have been steadily adding tattoos.

So, Jay was naturally curious to her the story behind her latest body ink. After they made small talk with guest Daniel Radcliffe, Jay held up a tabloid showing a photo Hudgens in a bikini. And, an inset photo showed the tattoo. “Now go down to the foot. What is that? You got a tattoo,” said Jay. “What does it say?”

Oh…” Vanessa sighed. “It says All You Need is Love… which is true.”

If Jay knew it was fake, he sure played it like he didn’t. “Is that painful though, a tattoo on your foot?” he asked.

Hudgens could have gone with it, but instead, she giggle and said sheepishly, It’s faaake.”

Oh… It’s fake?” Jay replied in surprise.

“I have this mad obsession with drawing on myself, like, I cannot help it. I draw all over my hands, all over my arms, obviously my foot. It’s just fun. It’s hard to commit to a tattoo, like, I have a few, so, when you write on yourself it’s not that much of a commitment,” she explained. “I did that in school, but it was mostly the answers,” said Jay, warming up to his hilarious discovery. “So you’re not sure all you need is love. You want to see and wait awhile,” he continued.

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Adolf Loos, the outspoken Austrian designer and critic, argued: ''The modern person who tattoos himself is either a criminal or a degenerate.'' Loos was writing in 1929, and one can only wonder what he would make of the vogue in the present day for tattoos that cover an arm and half a torso. He would probably see it as a symptom of a society that had fallen irreversibly into decadence.

He would find an ally in Wim Delvoye, the Belgian artist being celebrated in an exhibition at the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart. The main point of difference being that Loos was doing everything in his power to combat this tendency, while Delvoye says: ''Bring it on!''

Over the past two decades, Delvoye (b.1965) has systematically explored every social taboo, every tenet by which civilisation distinguishes itself from barbarism. He has done so in a remarkably civilised manner, drawing on the resources of science and technology, and the traditions of skilled handicrafts to create large-scale works that defy everyday logic.

Delvoye is the poster-boy artist for David Walsh, the eccentric millionaire who brought MONA into being last year, putting Hobart on the map of world art and earning the undying gratitude of Tourism Tasmania. One of the most provocative items in the first exhibition, which set out to confront and hopefully offend its audience, was Delvoye's Cloaca Professional (2010), an oversized chemistry set that mimics the human digestive system, taking in food and producing a daily deposit of excrement.

The ''poo machine'' reputedly cost Walsh a million dollars, but there has never been an Australian collector so cavalier about money. He has pulled out all stops for the Delvoye survey, which allows visitors to MONA to sample no fewer than five versions of Cloaca displayed in a large, mirror-lined room.
This is the centrepiece of the show, although there are plenty of other eye-catching installations including Tattooed Tim, a living work of art who has been conducting tours of the exhibition this past month. Tim - Tim Steiner from Zurich - is in many ways even more iconoclastic than the Cloaca works, because after being tattooed by Delvoye, he was sold to a German collector via a commercial gallery. Under the terms of the contract of sale he must appear at several art events every year, at the request of the purchaser. When he dies his skin will become the property of the collector, or presumably, of his heirs.

Tim was sold for the same price that Delvoye sells tattooed pigs' skins from a farm he keeps in China. This systematic attempt to tear down the borders between species; to trample over quasi-sacred concepts such as human dignity, and to use the art context to investigate the biological rather than the spiritual aspects of existence has propelled Delvoye to a lofty position in the hierarchies of contemporary art.

He has fashioned a career with supreme finesse. Most artists tend to embarrass themselves when they talk about their work. Many would sooner say nothing at all, partly from anxiety that what seems profound to the eye may become banal when described or explained. This is not the case with Delvoye, a born salesman who would have been successful in any profession he adopted.

In discussing his work, Delvoye is charming and persuasive to a degree that is virtually unprecedented in my experience. It's a curious contrast with his patron, David Walsh, who avoids all public statements, preferring to give us his thoughts in stream-of-consciousness raves in the catalogues he publishes.

Beyond the scats and tats, there is an intellectual agenda in Delvoye's work that pushes him from one big idea to the next. Like his Belgian predecessor, Rene Magritte, he loves to confound expectations. In a Magritte painting the sky might be bright while the earth is in darkness; an apple might fill an entire room, or a huge stone hang suspended in the air. Delvoye brings us a series of gas cylinders made from porcelain, decorated with blue Delft motifs. The decorated porcelain reappears in a set of long-handled shovels - perhaps in distant homage to Duchamp's found object sculpture, In Advance of the Broken Arm (1915).

In works that invoke both science and religion, metal crucifixions are twisted into the shape of the double helix. In another series huge pieces of industrial machinery such as a cement mixer are made out of elaborately carved teak, while a Meccano model of a Gothic cathedral is twisted into the shape of a cocoon. The elaborate patterning would have been Loos's worst nightmare, as he believed that in any society the degree of ornamentation was inversely proportional to the level of cultural sophistication.

Delvoye is aware of Loos's ideas - he is even mentioned in the catalogue - but would probably argue that proscriptions applicable to the early modern era bear no resemblance to a world that has come through the irony and hyper-ornamentation of postmodernism. Delvoye wants to break down the veneer of civilisation and take us back to fundamentals. Nothing could be more basic, more universal than shit, and this may explain the mixture of attraction and repulsion that audiences bring to the Cloaca works.

Other items in this show may have a greater propensity to offend. For example, Viae Crucis (2006), which shows X-ray images of rats acting out the Stations of the Cross; or a series called Anal kisses (2011), in which Delvoye convinced a number of his friends to smear lipstick on their sphincters and make prints on hotel notepaper. Perhaps the most revolting piece is a video called Sybille II (1999), which apparently depicts white and yellow grubs emerging, concertina-like, from the earth. It's only later one realises this is actually an extreme close-up of somebody squeezing pimples from their nose.

Despite these grotesqueries, it would be naive to see Delvoye as merely a professional provocateur, intent on giving the long-suffering bourgeoisie another smack in the chops. There is an aspect of his character that resembles an old-fashioned anarchist.

During the launch of this show he said that whenever he visited the Louvre or some other great museum, he would look at the Old Masters and only see evidence of class struggle and inequality. Not even the most hide-bound Marxists would feel relaxed about admitting as much nowadays.

He has not responded by taking up arms against capitalism, but by embracing it. Today, Delvoye is virtually a global corporate entity. His works are constructed by teams of specialists working to his specifications.

He constantly plays with logos and brands, writing his name in the manner of Walt Disney and calling his website Wim City. He has even issued share certificates for various projects. His latest grand scheme is to start a new religion, based in India. It will be designed along lines suggested by comprehensive market research, allowing adherents to get maximum satisfaction from their new faith.

None of this is especially far-fetched. Delvoye's religion could hardly be more improbable than Scientology (invented by a pulp science-fiction writer), Raelism (founded by a French motoring journalist), or the Jedi faith (based on the Star Wars movies). Even his contract with Tattooed Tim has a precedent in old Japan, where collectors might vie for the posthumous acquisition of a lavishly decorated skin. What is new is Delvoye's insistence on putting all of this within an art context.

In Wim City, everything from poo, pigs, pus, cement mixers, tattoos, share certificates and, finally, an entire religion, can be considered to be ''art''.

This is an impressive achievement - to a degree. Like the Disney Corporation, Delvoye likes his work to be well-made and entertaining. He once told an interviewer: ''Boring art doesn't have more meaning; it's just boring.''

Although I'm inclined to say ''hear, hear'', when confronted with, say, a room full of Damien Hirst spot paintings, I can't shake off the romantic idea that there is always something in a great work of art that escapes analysis - something that speaks to us on an instinctive, non-verbal level.

Call it spiritual, or simply visceral, but this element is absent from Delvoye's spectacular concoctions. While this obviously appeals to an outspoken rationalist such as David Walsh, I emerged from this show with a hollow feeling. It's intelligent, high-end entertainment, but there is no fire and ice. So go along and snicker, but don't expect to feel moved - unless it's an involuntary tremor in the stomach.

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What’s going on with tattoos? Did I miss a memo? Suddenly they’re everywhere. Everywhere I tell you. Peeking out from behind ponytails, low slung jeans, shoe string strap dresses, ankle boots…this summer, tattoos have become more popular than thongs. Except you can take thongs off. When they wear out, when it gets cold, when your toe nail polish chips. Tattoos? Not so much. These things are for life people and I’m just not convinced that you’re really thinking the forever part of the deal through.

Justin Bieber can’t have given a lot of thought to the massive Jesus tattoo he’s had inked onto his left calf. This is a young man who has zero privacy. Who’s resorted to wearing a creepy, gold face mask as a disguise in public. Yet he gets a tattoo so massive that now every time he wears shorts people will know it’s him. Smart move: tattoo the face of the most recognisable man in the world onto the leg of the second most recognisable man the world.

Somewhere along the line tattoos became body art and now they’re morphing into fashion accessories. Or at least being purchased in the same way. A cute little star here. A love heart there. I’ll take a handbag and my boyfriend's name on my wrist thanks. There seems to be a materialistic consumption around tattoos that doesn’t quite match the permanence of the purchase.

Frankly it all feels a little false.
I’m not buying the teenager with a Sanskrit chant running down her back. If I’d tattooed the meaning of life onto my body when I was sixteen it probably would have said something like “Frankie Says Relax”. Inking it in ancient Chinese characters doesn’t make it any more meaningful. It’s still a bumper sticker slogan. On your body.

You’ve probably worked out that I don’t have a tattoo. I don’t want a tattoo. I wont be letting my kids get a tattoo. It’s a personal choice and one that I don't preach. I've certainly never judged a persons right to ink or not ink but this new proliferation is making me uneasy. Maybe I’ve missed the whole point? My girlfriend thinks I have. She said: “Getting a tattoo is a very intimate and personal experience. I did it because I liked the idea of creating something sacred on my body - that couldn’t be washed away (she has a Maori tribal symbol). It's a permanent reminder about how I felt at a certain time in my life. I love my tattoo – it’s become a real part of who I am”.

They've become a real part of the style vernacular too. Every year there’s a coo, newl trend to try. Remember Pamela Anderson upper arm barbed wire, Justin Timberlake’s Celtic shoulder cross, Anglelina’s lower back tiger, Sarah Murdoch’s dolphins – celebrities have taken tattoos mainstream. We copy their hair, make-up, wardrobe and now their body art as well. In the last four weeks, I’ve seen multiple celebrity tattoos on multiple bodies. The most popular seem to be Nicole Richie’s ankle rosary, Rihanna’s stars and David Beckham’s angel. If tattoos are a form of deep self-expression then why would you want to copy someone else?

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Marc Anthony must be totally head-over-heels in love with his new flame, Shannon De Lima. So in love, that he got inked in her honour. The 43-year-old is sporting a new tattoo dedicated to the 24-year-old Venezuelan model, whom he's been dating for all of two-and-a-half-weeks, and according to TMZ, it's a Statue of Liberty design.

What’s that got to do with real love, you ask?

Well, the Statue is a symbol of freedom…so apparently it represents the fact that Shannon has 'freed' Marc from past relationships…notably that 7-year marriage to Jennifer Lopez, which ended last year and may or may not be the reason behind the singer's whirlwind hook up with a gorgeous, young model nearly 20 years his junior.

Apparently, Marc's so keen on the whole 'Statue of Liberty' thing that it's become his new nickname for Shannon.  In other Marc Anthony tattoo news, the singer has dealt J.Lo the ultimate blow by removing ink dedicated to her and covering it up with an as-yet-unknown design. We though tattoos were kind of meant to be a permanent thing…now it seems they're set to replace Facebook relationship status updates.

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The world's best body art and body painting professionals will converge on New Zealand's beautiful Lake Taupo on January 29 for the third annual International Body Painting Festival.

The unique event, which has fast become a major international draw card, will run over 4 days, focusing on body art with a heritage theme this year called, 'Become a Legend'. The festival offers workshops for artists of all ages and ability to learn how to transform the human form using face painting, special effects make up and extreme hair-do's. The result is truly breath-taking - expect to see everything from mystical creatures to monsters to a simple but beautiful butterfly parading at the Great Lake Centre.

Body artists from four countries will be attending this years' event, which also offers a range of family friendly activities to invigorate and excite the senses.

"This is a fun, family friendly event with art competitions and exhibitions, colourful stalls, face painting, glitter tattoos, music, and many more creative activities for everyone to enjoy," commented Destination Great Lake Taupo's General Manager, Scott Pearson.

"This unique festival promotes and extends the development of new art forms, inspiring young artists to look beyond traditional techniques and push the boundaries of creativity. The volcanic heritage and diverse geothermal landscape of Great Lake Taupo are the ideal back-drop to offer just this inspiration." Mr Pearson said.

The festival culminates with a showcase event at 7pm on Sunday 29th of January at the Great Lake Centre where the winning creation will be unveiled.

Programme of events

Thursday 26th and 27th January, 2012

Mask and prop making workshop using wire, latex, papier-mâché and other materials to enhance body art creations. Run by Magdalena O'Connor.

Friday 27th January, 2012

Body Art with renowned international guest artist Amber O'Brien. Covers art for all ages plus 3-D techniques for jewellery, lace and armour.

UV paint Dance Party at the Spa Hotel.

Friday 27th and Saturday 28th January, 2012

Sandi Cutts "Extreme Hair Up's" for catwalk or just that extra special night out.

Saturday 28th January, 2012

Body and face painting workshop with world award winning artist Yolanda Bartram, sharing 3-D painting techniques, integration of prosthetics and designing inspirational concepts.

Split Cake face painting workshop with Amber O'Brien for beginners through to advanced.

Sunday 29th January, 2012

New Zealand International Body Painting Competition - "Become a Legend" Showcase at the Great Lake Centre, Taupo.

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Oh, the ache of getting de-inked. “Desperate Housewives” starlet Eva Longoria reportedly is removing the “NINE” tattoo from the back of her neck, a not-so-fond farewell to the jersey number of her ex-husband, Spurs point guard Tony Parker.

And she thought divorce hurt. Even with high-tech laser treatment, tattoo removal can be a long and painful process, one that adds up to a lot of office visits and lots of ouch. “I would say it's 10 times more painful than getting the actual tattoo,” said Sylvia Babbitt, esthetician supervisor for Dermatology Associates of San Antonio.  And Hollywood suffers for its body art like the rest of us. Consider the cringe-inducing anecdote of tough guy actor Mark Wahlberg.

The “Contraband” star recently said on “Late Show with David Letterman” he's had more than 30 office visits to get his tattoos removed. He called it “the most excruciating thing I've ever experienced” and likened it to “somebody flicking hot bacon grease on you over and over and over again.”The process reportedly was so painful for screen siren Megan Fox that she had to chomp down on a mouth guard while having a Marilyn Monroe tattoo removed from her right forearm.

Another professional who performs laser tattoo removal has a less dramatic assessment.
“I think the snapping of a rubber band (on the skin) is what I probably hear more often,” said Julie Bennett, nurse director for MEDermis Laser Clinic, which offers laser tattoo removal in San Antonio as well as Austin, Dallas, Houston and, soon, Fort Worth. Bennett says that while pain tolerance varies from person to person, discomfort has more to do with a tattoo's age, type of ink and size.

The older the tattoo, the easier it is to remove, Bennett says. And black and red inks are easier to remove, while blue or green inks require a bit more treatment. When it comes to size, Bennett says a tattoo you can cover up with a business card only takes 30 seconds or less to treat, though even that will require several sessions.

TMZ reports Longoria sought the services of the laser tattoo removal clinic called Dr. Tattoff. The clinic's website notes that, on average, between five and 15 treatments are needed to remove most tattoos.
So what is the procedure like? Babbitt says she usually first numbs the area either by lidocaine injection or with cold air.

Then a laser light is directed at the tattooed area. The laser passes harmlessly through the outer layer of skin and breaks up the tattoo ink below, which then is absorbed by the body. Babbitt says most people have to wait four to eight weeks between treatments. And Bennett says those who are darker skinned may be in for a more prolonged process than someone who is fairer. Just don't expect health insurance to zap away that bicep tribal mark or ankle butterfly. Laser tattoo removal is typically an out-of-pocket expense, one Bennett says usually costs $50 to $100 per square inch.

Babbitt says stick with black ink if you want a tattoo that's easier to remove, while Bennett recommends a soluble ink that's more accommodating for laser removal. And if you must have that special someone inked on your skin, go with someone who always will be your baby. “Do not get anybody's name,” Babbitt said, “unless it's your child's.”

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My good friend (I'll call her Dee) is a voiceover actress known for her throaty interpretation of a famous cartoon she-villain. Imagine Dee's surprise a few years back when her college-aged daughter walked in the house sporting "her" character.

The colorful, curvy tattoo stretched from ankle to knee. To top it off, "Mom" was inscribed on the cartoon siren's chest. "It's my homage to you," Dee's daughter announced proudly. Dee is one cool lady. "How nice!" was all she said in reply.

Let's face it: skin decoration is nothing new, but tattoos have grown ever-more popular in recent years. In 2006, a Pew Research telephone survey found that 40percent of Americans between 26 and 40 were "inked."

Another online survey conducted in 2008 estimated that 14 percent of all adults in the U.S. had one or more tattoos. Nonetheless, I wouldn't have written this column if I hadn't read a certain email last month.

According to a Dec. 23 posting on Pro-Med, an online publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, Australian health authorities were sounding alarms about HIV transmission via tattoos. A newly infected patient was vacationing on Bali when he (or she) received the tainted body art. This was just the push I needed to review tattoo risks, and to offer a few points about their removal.

For starters, consider the many infections transmitted via unsafe blood transfusions. Dirty tattoo equipment containing hidden vestiges of blood and serum can transfer the same agents. Topping the list of baddies are hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV. Sterile needles, autoclaving, and hygienic techniques are a must to protect tattoo clients against these and other threats. Accordingly, a growing number of health departments now require tattoo artists to pass tests on health and safety practices as well as blood-borne pathogens.

Other microbes can contaminate freshly tattooed skin after clients leave the studio. Examples include staph, atypical TB and fungal organisms, and the soil-borne germ that triggers tetanus. Occasionally, herpes and warty papilloma viruses also invade fresh sites.

In certain individuals, tattoo inks cause allergic reactions and disfiguring local inflammation. Finally, tattoo pigments containing trace metals interfere with magnetic resonance imaging tests.

Do most customers weigh these issues before getting their tats? Hard to say ... but doubtful. In one recent study, 60 percent of freshmen at a university in Italy knew that HIV could be transmitted via tattoo, but fewer than 40percent identified hepatitis C, hepatitis B and tetanus as added hazards.

If UCLA dermatologist Dr. Teresa Soriano had her way, more college students and young adults would realize that the tattoo that seemed so "right" in their teens and early 20s could end up a liability when entering the job market. Or that the love of their life may not be the person whose name is permanently inked on their skin.

These are two of the most common reasons Soriano is asked to perform tattoo removal, which typically requires multiple laser treatments at 4- to 8-week intervals. Even then, complete eradication is not guaranteed.

Soriano's advice?

"If you're getting a tattoo but you're not sure you want to keep it, go with blue-black ink."Surprisingly, this is the easiest hue for lasers to break down. Red pigments are often the hardest.

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Brian Robinson’s eyes are trained on Alex Rosario’s right arm with a laser-beam focus. It’s what Rosario calls his “bad arm.” He rests it atop a white towel under a light. With a gloved hand, Robinson approaches the arm and shaves a length of skin. Rather than attempting to rehabilitate this arm in some way, Robinson adds to the bad, shading the skeleton faces of a pack of ghouls with a buzzing tattoo gun. Rosario calls them “lost souls.” The whole arm is cloaked in a sleeve of intricate ink, flames curling up toward his shoulders.

Rosario’s left arm, however, is his “good” arm, marked with the Virgin Mary and the Statue of Liberty wrapped in a Dominican flag. All, good and bad, is the work of Robinson, Rosario’s brother-in-law and trusted tattoo artist.

“People say that they’re addictive,” says Robinson, 32, of tattoos. In Rosario’s case, the habit might have something to do with Robinson’s light touch. “I could fall sleep,” says Rosario, 29, his arm prone under Robinson’s gun, the room silent except for the whir of the instrument.

Nicknamed “B-Tat,” Robinson has been tattooing professionally for six years. Now, Robinson is bringing his talent to a national audience. He’s one of 10 contestants in “Ink Master,” a $100,000 tattoo artist competition premiering tonight on the Spike network. Among the judges is self-avowed “tattoo collector” Dave Navarro, guitarist for the band Jane’s Addiction, and Chris Nuñez, formerly of the TLC show “Miami Ink.”

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