Ink- the new black?

The art of tattooing is a growing trend for all ages and people these days. Tattoos are no longer just for the rock stars or bikers, they have become mainstream and you might be surprised by some of the people getting them. "20-million Americans have tattoos and the popularity just keeps growing," that's sixteen percent of America! "Thirty-six percent of those ages 18 to 25, and 40 percent of those ages 26 to 40, have at least one tattoo, according to a fall 2006 survey" conducted by the Pew Research Center. People have began to see their bodies as canvas'. From celebrities to housewives, tattoos really are the new black.

With this new popularity comes new breakthroughs in body art. Tracy Staedter of Discovery News writes, "Tattoos are painful to receive and remove and, barring the later, last a lifetime. But a new technique makes skin art durable and easily removable. "

No Regrets
This new technique is called Freedom-2 Tattoos. The inventors of Freedom-2 ink wanted to combined "high quality art and effective, less painful, lower cost removability." At Freedom-2 they claim to "recognize that life circumstances change and your desire for new body art may cause you to want to remove all or a part of an existing tattoo. Freedom-2 inks are engineered, independent of color, for efficient and effective laser therapy removal leaving your skin clear and ready for new body." Their motto is "Freedom-2 inks will provide you with 100% freedom and zero regret."

Many people who get tattoos find themselves later in life regretting their decision and so seek getting them removed. There are several options of tattoo removal including dermabrasion, surgical exrision, and laser. The removal of a tattoo by laser is the most used. It is painful and expensive. To remove a tattoo it takes several sessions, some taking up to 20 and can cost anywhere between $200-500 per session.

Part of the appeal of tattoos is the fact that they are so risky and they are permanent. Although I think the concept of Freedom-2 ink is great, it somewhat makes the process of getting a tattoo less "hardcore," no longer a decision of a lifetime. It can almost be compared to wearing a piece of jewelry; being able to take it on and off depending on your outfit of the day, except it's changing your body art according to the stage of your life you are in. This can also be a positive aspect. People no longer will have to pay hundreds for tattoo removal, making it more available for all people.

Cross your Heart, Hope to Die, Stick a Needle in your Eye
Literally. I'm still trying to understand this one, but yes, eyeball tattooing. "People really are getting their peepers tattooed in more or less the same way that you would get any other part of your body inked," explains James Doorne. The pigment used is the same kind used for any other tattoo and is injected using a syringe under the top layer of the eye.

Shannon Larratt was one of the first to have this procedure done. He is co-founder and owner of body-modification website Bmezine.com. "The eye is very resilient; you can put almost anything in it. Your eye actually is designed to be able to handle contaminants being there,” he said. “It’s one of the oldest forms of tattooing,” says Shannon. “They basically say it’s safer than regular tattooing. That’s one reason we felt fairly secure moving forward with this – we felt that if they could do it in 1900 and not have any problems then we should be able to do it now.” On their website Shannon wrote in his blog, "The procedures themselves were effectively painless because there aren’t nerve endings in the surface of the eye, and we did additional control with lidocaine drops which numbed the lids. After pain is fairly minor, although we all have bruising and some discomfort."


I have trouble keeping my eyes open when a little water enters or an eyelash, forget a needle.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?
With these new tattoos you don't need to be. This new technique uses blacklight reactive ink. The ink was FDA approved and only visible under a blacklight. This is a great way to get the tattoo you've always wanted without it being visible 24/7. They are mostly invisible in normal light unless a little scarring from the process remains. The UV ink is also available in several colors but those are more visible in light.