According to Wikipedia, "The origin of the word tattoo is usually traced to the Tahitian tatu or tatau, which means to mark or strike (the latter referring to traditional methods of applying the designs). In Japanese the word used for traditional designs or those that are applied using traditional methods is irezumi ("insertion of ink"), while "tattoo" is used for non-Japanese designs."

History

Almost every civilization has some kind of practice or ritual involving tattooing. Natives from Africa, Borneo, Polynesia, Philippines, and Mesoamerica still use tattoos as either religious or war symbols. Same in Japan and China, where tattoos were in common usage among warriors and shamans.

Perhaps the oldest example of tattooing is "Ötzi the Iceman," a frozen mummy dating from the Neolithic period (around 3300 BC). Found in a glacier of the Ötztaler Alps, between Italy and Austria, Otzi exhibits tattoos that resemble small dashes along the lumbar region and on the legs. Of his 57 tattoos, most are located on what today are considered acupuncture points, leading anthropologists to believe the tattoos were used for medicinal purposes.

Other examples of the ancient use of tattoos are three mummies found in the Altai Mountains in Siberia. All three (two men and a woman) were heavily tattooed with animal designs, and one of the men also sported dots along the spinal column and around the right ankle.

The Gauls, Norseman, Saxons, and even the Greeks used tattoos as symbols of their social or career status, a practice especially common among soldiers and sailors. Banned in the 8th century by Pope Hadrian, the practice of tattooing disappeared from Western culture until the last part of the 18th century, when Captain James Cook introduced the word tattoo (up until then, it had been known as "staining") by describing a practice he had observed on a voyage to Tahiti. Later on, tattoos became almost exclusively associated with criminals and sailors until World War I, when the practice started gaining popularity outside their initial range.

Tribal Tattoos

Originally used by tribes as a ceremonial practice, tribal tattoos have become the rage in Hollywood. Angelina Jolie was one of the first women to sport several. Tribal tattoos are created by cutting or "tapping" designs into the skin using sticks or hand-made bamboo needles. The wound is then rubbed with ink or ashes, resulting in a deep but protruding black design. Tribal tattoos have been widely used in societies who have no written language, such as the ancient Polynesians, who used tattoos to convey genealogy, social cast, and sexual maturity.

Irezumi, the traditional Japanese tattoo, has been a common practice for over 10,000 years, dating back to the Paleolithic period. Modern Irezumi tattoo artists are hard to find, as the practice is often secretive and word of mouth introductions are needed. Tattoos are still seen as a sign of criminality (and of the yakuza, Japan's infamous mafia) in Japan, so wearers usually choose to be tattooed in hidden areas such as the back.

Modern Tattoos

It's estimated that one out of every seven people in the US has at least one tattoo. Tattoos do not longer carry a stigma, and people from every sphere of life, from singers to lawyers, can be seen sporting one. Some religious groups also use tattoos for magical reasons, but they're usually secrete drawings not designed to be openly shown.

Modern tattoos are done with an electric machine that closely resembles the one invented by Samuel O'Reilly in 1891. A series of needles attached to a rotating bar ("machine gun") drives the ink into the skin with a pulsating frequency of up to 3,000 times per minute. Although not exactly excruciating, tattooing is an uncomfortable process. The degree of pain varies from person to person and according to the area where the tattoo is being applied. Certain parts of the body, such as the face and hands, are particularly sensitive.

In most prisons, where tattooing is not available, rudimentary, homemade machines are constructed by the inmates to apply tattoos. As a result, designs turn out coarse and infections and disease transmission (such as HIV and hepatitis) are more likely. Canada is currently undergoing a trial of onsite prison tattoo parlors. If successful, it would be implemented nationwide by 2006, dramatically reducing the risk of transmissible diseases among inmates.

Permanent Cosmetics

Tattoos used to mimic cosmetics are applied to eyebrows, lips or eyes. The procedure can only be performed by a licensed aesthetician.

Mehndi (Henna Tattoos)

Used primarily in India to decorate the hands and feet of brides, but also popular in other Middle Eastern and Asian countries, Mehndi consists of a combination of powdered henna, coffee, lemon juice, and sugar worked into a paste. Henna designs last up to weeks, fading slowly until they disappear.

Risks

With the laws now in place regarding sterilization, transmission of blood-related diseases is unlikely. Disposable needles are customary, and most tattoo parlors sterilize any reusable parts between clients. Infections are also rare, especially if after-care is followed properly.

Although uncommon, allergy reactions are possible, especially to red and green inks. Sensibility to certain metals can also produce an allergic reaction, causing the skin to swell or itch. There's also a minor risk of anaphylactic shock in people with severe allergies.

Tattoo Removal

There are several methods of tattoo removal.

Excision: Especially useful in small tattoos, excision is the surgical removal with a scalpel of the area of skin where the tattoo is. The edges of the skin are then sutured together.

Dermabrasion: The skin is "sanded" off, peeling the tattoo together with it.

Medical Laser: The most used method nowadays, it involves pulses of light applied to the tattoo. The laser breaks up the ink particles, which are then absorbed by your body. Several weekly treatments are usually required. Because some inks are especially hard to remove, there may be some discoloration left on the area even after numerous sessions.

Who Shouldn't Get A Tattoo

People with severe allergies.

Pregnant or nursing women (anything is passed on to the baby and settles on the placenta; although risks associated with tattoos are small, this is one instance when it's better to be overly cautious).

People with immuno-depressed diseases.

Minors without parental consent. Reputable tattoo parlors will require proof of age.

Insulin-dependent diabetics, particularly in the legs.