Tattooing is an ancient art that has been practiced for thousands of years. The Polynesians used to chisel designs into the skin and fill the wounds with ash.
Modern tattooing uses a machine which punctures the dermal layer of the skin 50 - 3000 times a minute.
Dermabrasion involves scrubbing away the layers of the dermis.
Cryosurgery freezes and kills the tissue.
Surgical excission involves the cutting away of the skin and often needs a skin graft.
Today the most widely used technique is laser treatment(Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation). Lasers offer a bloodless, low risk, effective alternative with minimal side effects.
Several treatments may be necessary because there are 100 various types of ink which bond to the tissue differently. (Yellow and green are the hardest colors to remove; blue and black are the easiest.)
Body piercing has necome popular. Should you choose to have any tattoos or piercings, be sure to have it done by an experienced individual and be sure they use sterile equipment. Diseases can be spread by sharing needles!
Scarification is a process of scarring the skin into designs. There are also extremists who brand themselves with a hot iron.
