Amber Rose is a pretty, slim 21-year-old woman from Raleigh, North Carolina. She happens to like tattoos, and has quite a few of them: some on her right arm, large tattoos on each side, and one on her tummy. And, as of today, she now has tattoos in each armpit.

Rose is attending the  D.C. Tattoo Expo at the Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City. That's where she got her second armpit tattoo. About a hundred tattoo artists have set up booths at the mini-convention, and, by early Friday afternoon, a steady stream of tattoo enthusiasts were paying $20 each to come in and talk to the artists. Some people were striking deals on the spot to get colorful artwork inscribed on their body.

Tattoos are not cheap. Most of the artists were charging more than $150 an hour for the custom artwork. Rick Cherry, the long-time owner of Rick's Tattoos in Arlington, urges customers to think carefully before selecting a tattoo. "You know, this is a lifetime deal," explained Cherry. "You take it to the grave with you."

Many customers are surprised at how painful getting a tattoo is. Jose Sanchez, of the Norfolk Ink Gallery, says he tells complaining customers to "quit crying." Many, he says, want to stop. But Sanchez talks almost all of them into allowing him to finish the job. "I don't let too many walk away like that. Most artists won't."The tattoo expo is open Friday and Saturday until 10:00 p.m. and on Sunday until 8:00 p.m.