"So you didn't believe your Mom when she said you'd regret getting that tattoo - the multicolored, fire-breathing dragon that starts at the small of your back, reaches up to your shoulder blades and wraps its orange flames around your biceps. Now, a mere seven years later, you have a shot at a terrific job in banking, still one of the more conservative businesses around, and you are concerned that your symbol of youthful self-expression could create problems in your new career."
Body art has always appealed to the rebel crowd. It became more mainstream as more celebrities started wearing it. Tattooing was taking on an increasingly larger, more visible role as tattooed rock, sports and movie stars, even elite super models began to proudly display their body art. By the year 2001, the demand for body art had morphed into a virtual frenzy. To this day, it still remains one of the most-searched items on the Internet. Some estimate that more than 10 million Americans have at least one tattoo, and there are about 4,000 tattoo studios now in business in the United States. It will not then come as a surprise to some that the new craze for tattoos of the Russians, for example, is to have images of President Vladimir Putin tattooed onto their bodies. The President's name or face make people feel safe and confident.
Is that frenzy subsiding?
According to statistics, one busy physician who specializes in tattoo removal – he has removed tattoos from some of the most famous tattoo artists -- estimates that about 50 percent of those who get tattoos later regret them.
People of all ages want to rid themselves of something that, for a variety of reasons, they no longer want on their bodies. (Falling out of love and wanting a no-longer-special person's name removed is the most popular reason cited, experts say!)
Moreover less people have recourse to putting onto their bodies pictures of whatever animals there are or the omnipresent nowadays hieroglyphs, which can be spotted in all shapes and sizes.
The steady trend shows sign of slowing down. Even famous celebrities start to turn aside from tattoos: Paris Hilton says tattoos are "unoriginal". Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob both had to have tattoos removed that they had gotten to signify their "unending love". Christina Aguilera has removed all but a couple of her body piercings. Since celebrities are pretty much the reason body mods became so popular, could this really be an indication that body art is on its way "out"?
If body art is dwindling in popularity, don't expect it to just go away.
When the trend followers wash away, what will remain will be a community of strong and loyal people that will see body art through its evolution at every stage, even when it's no longer "in". Those that treat it as such are the ones who end up regretting it later. Body art is intended to be permanent and if you really want it removed, you're looking at a lot of money and a lot of pain in order to do it. It is just not intended to be fashionable or trendy.
How could tattoos simply die out when there are new, healthy forms popping up – a recent invention of a group of Wellington school girls aims at reducing skin cancer. It represents a stick on tattoo, called the Tat2riffic which turns purple when it is exposed to ultra violet light. It is though translucent when those rays are blocked.
A a result you can get yourself tattooed for various reasons – one is to keep healthy. The other comprise just an admiration of body art as an art form and a limitless imagination.
