We live in a time when tattooing isn’t given a place that’s restricted to one particular gender, or even lifestyle. It seems as though just about anyone from any walk of life might have a tattoo. In the US, in the generation that grew up with the Cold War, tattoos were very much restricted to men, with very few exceptions. They were a sign that one had been either in the military or in prison, and just about the only exceptions to this were people who were on their way in to one of these institutions. Now it’s very possible to talk about tattoos for girls just about anywhere without causing people to flinch. There will be some raised eyebrows, however, and that will probably always be true.

Tattoos have a long history in the human story, and there’s nothing contemporary about wanting to decorate the skin. Early methods of tattooing involved rubbing ash into the skin, and developing ways of discoloring the body in ways that would eventually turn into the modern practice of injecting ink below the surface of the skin. In some religious traditions it’s prohibited, and it some it’s required for a priest class. In Burma, it’s still tied to an older idea that tattoos are like amulets, and can be subject to persecution, although not to the same degree it once was. In many traditional cultures there were tattoos, then, and also taboos against who could have them. Gender usually entered into the arguments in a big way.

So it might be considered revolutionary, then, that there are less restrictions here on tattoos, and girls with tattoos are not unusual. It also might simply be considered to be another fluctuation in a cultural practice that goes through mutations all the times. Whatever it is, the practice now seems to limit what girls can do with their skin. Most of the designs that are considered appropriate for girls are delicate, floral, or related in some ways to the objects typically associated with girlhood in this country. These designs can be fairies and unicorns, stars and moons, or many variations on these themes. There are also traditional spots for girls, such as the lower back, the hip, the wrist, and above the ankle. These can be some of the more painful areas, interestingly enough.

There are people who do think outside of these boxes, however. And it really is an open field still, waiting to be defined according to the terms set by those who choose to have their skin decorated. It is making a permanent mark, and is always going to be associated, then, with bold statements.

Angelina Jolie is infamous for her mysterious tattoos. Her most mysterious is one that says “May your enemies run far away from you. If you acquire riches, may they remain yours always. Your beauty will be that of Apsara. Wherever you may go, many will attend, serve and protect you, surrounding you on all sides.” The tattoo is written in Khmer script and is a Buddhist chant dedicated to herself and son Maddox whom she adopted in Cambodia. Angelina became a citizen of Cambodia in 2004. To celebrate her citizenship, she received another tattoo in Thailand of a bangle tiger. This tattoo is on her lower back covering three previous smaller designs. All tolled, Jolie has 13 current tattoos, not including the ones covered up or laser removed.

Arms, back and hip are the favorite place for Jolie to get inked. In the center of her upper back she has the phrase “know your rights”. The Buddhist chant referred to above is located to the left on this over her left shoulder blade. Going down her left arm is a list of coordinates. These coordinates represent the exact location where her children came into her life. Angelina and Brad now have six children. Also on her left arm are the Roman Numerals XIII V MCMXL. The XII (13) represented her non superstitiousness. After adding the rest of the numbers to read 13 May 1940 represents the date of Winston Churchill’s famous speech. In this speech he proclaims his offering of blood and tears. “A prayer for the wild at heart kept in cages” is also printed on her left arm. A Wicca styled letter h is tattooed on the inside of her left wrist. There is some controversy as to whom this tattoo was meant to commemorate. Angelina’s right arm is a little sparser than her left, but inked nonetheless. An Arabic tattoo translated “Determination” in just below the inside of her elbow. She has a thick black cross on her left hip and the saying “what nourishes me destroys me” in Latin next to it.

There are over seven tattoos that have been covered up or laser removed. A few were common mistakes such as an ex’s name, and other were phases of her life that she has outgrown. Even with so many tattoos removed and changed, she is still a fan and will no doubt continue to receive more.

Tattoos have a reputation of hurting badly, but it is not the case for everyone. Pain levels vary from person to person and body fat content. Yes body fat. A tattoo done on a fleshy part of the body usually hurts less than one done on a bony part. For instance, a tattoo around a bicep is less painful than one done on the lower back. The lower back also has a substantial amount of nerve endings that can trigger pain. With all things taken into consideration, the bottom line is still each individual’s pain tolerance.

The amount of pressure applied to the needle and depth of the tattoo should be monitored. Amateur artists can sometimes press too deeply into the skin causing more pain. A tattoo needle should only go in about 1/16th of an inch into the skin. Some signs that an artist has gone too deep are: scarring, bleeding ink, ink underneath the skin, and uneven lines. This can cause undue pain and unsatisfying results. Thick lines that are not composed of several thin lines are usually a sign of amateur work. Take a look at an artist’s book and customer reviews before deciding to have them do your work. Someone with experience will charge more, but will also have the experience to do the job correctly.

Long hours in the chair can also contribute to the amount of pain felt. Larger tattoos require more time. This being said, there is no need for the entire tattoo to be done in one sitting. Pushing your body will only bring pain tolerance levels down. Wait a few days or weeks between sessions to give the body a break. It is also o.k. to ask for a five minute break during the session. Sessions lasting more than a few hours are usually uncomfortable and painful for most people.

Tattoos are super popular. This art is not limited to young thugs and the military as it once used to be. People in their teens, twenties, thirties and even upwards of forties are getting inked. Tamara, from the real Housewives of Orange County, recently got a tattoo of her husbands name on her ring finger. Tattoos are often used as an expression of love. Whether it is love of a sport, another person, or a higher power, tattoos represent your undying love. Just like love, tattoos can get ugly. It is not uncommon for tattoos to become infected.

To tell if a tattoo is infected, go to the artist who inked you and express your concerns. Redness and scabbing are usually normal, even a little pus. If the pus is green, or if the area stays red for an extended amount of time, get it checked out. Sometimes red bumps can be a reaction to whatever cream you are using, and sometimes a symptom of an infection. If you have any suspicions, go back to your artist.

Going to your artist first before checking with your primary care physician will save you time and money. Firstly, an artist will not charge you a co payment for looking at your tattoo. Secondly, most doctors are not trained to diagnose tattoo infections. Yes, they are skin experts, but tattoos can be tricky since scabbing and pus is part of the healing process. If the area is indeed infected, follow the instructions given to you by your artist, they may tell you to visit your doctor in order to get a prescription for antibiotics.

A skin infection around your inked area does not mean that you have contracted Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is commonly contracted through tattoos and I.V. needles. There are other symptoms for Hepatitis C, but a skin rash around only your tattoo area is not one of them. If you are afraid that you have been exposed to the virus, consult your doctor. There are simple blood tests they can run in order to confirm if you have Hepatitis C.

Again, the most important thing is that you follow all care instructions given to you by your artist regarding the care procedures for your tattoo.

How do you design your own tattoo based on examples found on the Internet? This can be a major project but well worth the rewards that come with creating your own image. Many people are deciding to design their own tattoos, which is one of the few remaining ways to have one that is unique to you. However, with all of the possibilities of styles, sizes and designs of tattoos, it can be extremely difficult to choose the one that is right for you. If you’re going to design your own tattoo you should first narrow down your list of subject options. Once you have an idea of the central image or theme you want to use you can start looking for sample designs. One of the easiest ways to do this is to go online and search for standard basic tattoo designs. You can find a selection of styles and pieces of designs you’d like to start with and create your own tattoo from a montage of many samples.

Wearing tattoos is continuing to grow in popularity and while many of the in-house tattoo shops have standard designs that you can choose from people are giving much more thought and consideration into their choice of designs before they make the commitment. Some tattoo artists are becoming well known for their specialized style and they also have some standard basic designs that they start with to help you develop your own particular tattoo.

Other people still show up at a tattoo parlor as the result of a dare or a spontaneous desire and they make a decision on the spot from some sample designs. This is becoming much less common as tattoos are leaving the realm of social taboo and are becoming much more mainstream body accessories. Not only is the population of tattoo wearers becoming more diverse, but so are the designs and styles of different tattoos. And as they become more accepted in society they are also becoming more elaborate and detailed. The designs are frequently very large and cover major sections of skin. They also flow into other designs and create an entire visual landscape on one’s body. It’s your body and your tattoo, find or create a design and style that is right for you.

Imagine that in The Silence of the Lambs, crime-solving collaborators Hannibal and Clarice meet in a chilly bungalow on an island near Stockholm instead a hellhole-ish Baltimore holding pen for the criminally insane.

Except he is a benign middle-aged journalist hired by an elderly mogul to investigate the decades-old disappearance of a niece, and she is a cyber-hacker punk savant with aggressive antisocial tendencies and a vigilante’s sense of justice. That sums up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the Swedish film based on the first book of the late Stieg Larsson’s wildly popular trilogy, which has sold 27 million copies in more than 40 countries.  Read more….

Jesse James’ ex-wife just gave an interview claiming he is a chronic cheater, and now another alleged mistress tells Star magazine that she and Jesse had a two-year relationship while he and Sandra Bullock were married.

Like Michelle McGee, the second mistress, Melissa Smith, is a stripper covered in tattoos and she met Jesse online and ended up having lots of unprotected and crazy sex with him. She was also jailed last year for beating up a cop and arrested for DUI.  Read more….

How about that? Those wacky message board posters were on top of a story from the get-go. A few weeks ago, Galsguidetomma.com pointed out that the movie theater posters for UFC 111 were missing something. Dan Hardy’s very pronounced stomach tattoo had been airbrushed from his photo.  Read More…..

David Beckham has a new tattoo in memory of his grandfather:

His arms and torso are covered in countless tattoos – but now one above all others occupies a special place in David Beckham’s heart.

The injured footballer was spotted sporting a new etching on his arm yesterday that simply read ‘grandad’, in tribute to his late grandfather Joseph West.

Becks was spotted with the marking as he headed out for dinner in Los Angeles with his father Ted and children while wife Victoria was in Russia promoting her new dress collection.

Read more….

One of the popular designs for many tattoos is a religious or mythological based symbol. This has been a major traditional aspect of tattoos since they were first placed on human skin. And while religious tattoos continue to be popular with both church and secular people other community based symbolic designs are growing in popularity. Tattoos are often associated with the freedom of self and individual expression while at the same time they are frequently used to establish oneself as part of a group or community. As with many social elements, this is an interesting conflictive dynamic of them. However, most of the people who use them to represent their commitment to a group don’t try and express their independence through them. While inadvertently, many of the independent self expression thinkers will in-fact place themselves into a category by wearing a particular symbol or design.

Reading tattoo symbols has become more than an art, it is also a social science. Gangs often have a particular tattoo language and this, as well as are the tattoos of other populations and cultures, is studied by social researchers and the information is frequently used by police and other social service institutions. One of the popular religious association symbols used in tattoo designs is the Chi Rho. The design is relatively simple, in its base format, and is composed of the first two letters of the Greek word Christ. In the Greek alphabet this was X and P. The early Christians, who lived under the fear of persecution, developed the coded symbol as a means of fellowship recognition. There is also a legend attached to Constantine and the symbol. It is believed that he saw the symbol in the stars on the eve of a major battle. He believed the symbol was an omen and ordered the sign to be placed on the army standards. The story continues that after his defeat of Maxentius, he rescinded the ban on Christianity in appreciation.