It seems like more and more kids these days are getting tats. And now that the weather is somewhat nicer, the tats are being exposed. whats your take on tattoos?? Are they an interesting form of self expression or just plain tacky? A co-worker of mine who is in her late 50's just got a tattoo on her upper back and it actually looked really good. But then you have the people that go overboard with tattoos and it just looks plain AWFUL! Who on this booard is brave enough to talk about their tattoo??? I have a tattoo on my upper shoulder of my family crest. I got it 5 years ago and I'm still very happy I got it.

A 2006 a study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo!

Yep, people, You're unique, just like everyone else!

That's weird that you brought this up right now. I got mine in 1978, when it was pretty unusual to see them on women. Although you cannot see mine (Yet...it seems to be moving south and will probably end up on my ankle before I die), when I got it I was a hard-body lifeguard at Black Butte Ranch, and one year we had the ugliest red suits that you could see through when wet, and it showed. I could see parents who I'd known for years and taught their kids to swim and babysat just staring at it in surpise, shock and/or disgust. My parents were horrified, but I had wanted it for years and got it when I was 18, shortly after HS graduation. They were also shocked when I got a second hole pierced in my ear. How tame it all seems now.

Now my baby Merk's sweet swim instructor at the Multnomah Club has tons of them and piercings, as do people at Black Butte around the pool, some of which I was even surprised at the quantity/size on such young people in swim suits. I always wonder if it will affect their ability to get the career they want later, or if they will regret the visible locations and size of some of them? What about their wedding dress? Are they doomed to be a barista forever? Will they regret them, or maybe the visibility of them? I guess not, because I haven't, but mine's small. It used to be so unusual, now everybody has one, even trashy grandmas with unicorn's on their flabby biceps at the bus stop. Next thing you know, they'll be doing the earlobe stretching thing as well.

There was only 1 tattoo "artist" in Portland at the time in 1978, in Old Town/Skidrow when there was one, now the (barf) Pearl, and it was a pretty sketchy place and he just did flash-type art, and it now needs some "help" from somebody really good. I'd like to add something about my daughter and dogs to it, and more color and detail, since, um, it's a bit bigger and faded, now.

Any suggestions on artists and studios? I've been asking people who have nice ones where and from who they got them, and the name Tigerlilly Studio comes up often. I've been watching the show LA Ink...and I saw a website for bad tattoos that is hilarious...Man, some people are soooo stupid.

Like you said, some are so awful and tacky, and then there are the incredible works of art that are gorgeous. I like to see the ones on people that don't show when they're dressed or at work, but in a swim suit or shorts, they're amazing art, and usually just a private thing. I like the family crest idea, that's cool.

There are no tattoos in my family for anyone under the age of 18.

I personally am not comfortable with the idea of living with an image for the rest of my life, without really thinking it through.

Don't care what others do. I've seen a lot of really cool tattoos --and a lot of really not so cool ones. Personal choice.

So, as a parent, I want to make sure that choice is made with eyes wide open. I can't do that for them, so they wait until they have a shot at doing it right for themselves. Man, they hate me for it too! This subject comes up every 6 months. Every one of them hammers it all the time. Trendy for sure.

We do compensate with cool hair cuts for the boys. They can do designs and such and change them up every month or so. I like it and they like it and it's not a long term thing. My oldest is damn good at this now. The two of them are always doing something in the head hair. I think it's just a great self expression.

My daughter has it harder, but can do hair color, belly piercing, extra holes in the ear, etc... All of that is tame enough to not be a worry. There is henna too. That's been fun and somewhat educational. She's hosed it up (in terms of the design and how much it appeals) and was happy to see it fade.

(No ear lobe expansion! That has long term implications same as tattoos do --off limits)

I like the family crest thing too. Wonder what the social implications of that will be, should it really catch on?)

There is some innovation going on that makes this crap easier. Old school tattoos can largely be removed, so that's a good thing.

It's painful and expensive though. I saw a program where these services were being offered to ex-gang members just trying to re-integrate into society. I made the kids watch that. The result was that they still want a tattoo, but now want "good" ones! (that might have been a wash...)

Of course the gangs have responded with scarring now. (will we ever learn?)

Maybe when that tech really gets refined, I'll reconsider. Probably will be too late for my kids, but maybe theirs will have more choices open to them (assuming some of my kids hold the line.)

If that ends up working well, I might have a go at a tattoo myself. Always wanted one, but the long term negatives are a big turn off.

We've got better inks and delivery systems now too. So, you can get better colors, longer term high definition, less fading and some can even be removed far more easily than the traditional brute force techniques and inks allow for.

Tattoos will soon glow in the dark! Ok, that might be a stretch, but I'm pretty serious. Maybe work in black light comes first, but it's coming. Count on it. There is just too much mind share surrounding them to ignore that kind of cheeze. Somebody is gonna do it.

These are all good things as far as I am concerned.

Ive always be interested in getting a tattoo but I'm still a little scared of the whole needles, not being clean.. Yes I know its safe, but Ive heard of people who have gotten really sick because the tattoo artist used the same ink that was used on a previous person. Should I be worried about getting HIV or hep C ??? Is there a health department number I can call to check on a certain place to make sure they passed their last inspection?? Or should I just go down, get inked, and not worry about it!

Those places are regulated to the hilt Timberfake, you can find out pretty easily how clean they are.

I'm the world's biggest wimp, I don't want one, have no interest. My wife loves 'em though, she has five including a sleeve covering her entire right arm. It looks righteous ... but my God the pain (and expense!)

Why in the world would you want to hang a picture on your body that you would't be caught dead with hanging in your home?

Hey, that's a great idea! A little picture frame around it!

;=)

Personally I'd only consider two tattoos.

One if I ever had surgery and had a scar from it, I'd have it tattooed to look like a zipper.

The second one would be way (way, way) down on my back (below the belt line and then some, I don't want to paint too gross of a picture here!), it would say: EXIT ONLY!

When my son turned 18 he got one, against my advice, but it turned out OK. It is diagonal across his side/stomach and it is our last name in fancy lettering.

That's OK. He can cover it up when he goes job hunting and no one will see it.

EXIT only???
IM SHOCKED SKYBILL. All this time I thought you LOVED Oscar Meyer Weenies.

Tattoos: JUST SAY NO!

Tatoo was cool. If it were not for him Mr. Roark would have had to take care of all the "Little" details himself!