Friday, April 6, 2007

Temporary tattoos: Permanent Solutions

Temporary tattoos are the latest rage. From the fashion streets of Paris to the whiz kids in Japan, temporary tattoos are an expression of attitude and a cool fashion statement. Compared to other forms of body styling, such as piercing or permanent tattoos, temporary tattoos are a perfectly painless and ultra trendy way of impressing your friends.
In fact, temporary tattoos are much more preferable to permanent tattoos because:

Temporary tattoos are least toxic-free as there is no ink penetrating your skin. Moreover, the ink used is subjected to FDA regulation in the USA.

Temporary tattoos are absolutely pain free. These tattoos generally come as stick on tattoos, rub on tattoos and paint on tattoos. As none of these require anything more than application on the surface of the skin, both application and removal are perfectly pain free. The best thing about temporary tattoos is that they are temporary. You will never be stuck with a dragon on your arm or a bee on your wrist for the rest of your life. You can change designs with changing trends and preferences. Which means if you are bored with it, you just wash it or rub it off and you are ready for a new one. Temporary tattoos are a perfect solution for many people who can not go for permanent tattoos either because of medical or other reasons. For example, there are no infections from unsterilized equipments. No fear of allergic reaction to tattoo pigments or ink. There are no abnormal, unwanted scars too.

So if you are eager for your first tattoo and are not too sure about a permanent one, then temporary tattoos are the most ideal solution. You don’t have to marry the tattoo and it asks for no commitment at all. If your commitment to tattoo is only skin deep, why should your tattoo go any deeper?

Lately, temporary tattoos have also become popular as marketing instruments. For example, if you are running a campaign for your company and want to liven it up, what better way than customized temporary tattoos! Or, if you are planning a birth day party for your child, how about adding the fun element without the toxins and other risks?

That is why temporary tattoos have actually dissolved the barrier between the pro-tattoos and the anti-tattoos. The fact that you don’t have to carry it for life has made status more of a fun element than the previously perceived ‘cult element.’

As per choices, there are as many as you would like when it comes to temporary tattoos. You can select from tribal tattoos, patriotic tattoos, butterfly tattoos, dragon tattoos, celtic tattoos, crosses tattoos, scorpion tattoos, praying hands tattoos, barbwire tattoos, heart tattoos, yin yang tattoos, grim reaper tattoos, rose tattoos, armbands tattoos and Australian tattoos among others.

There is another significant advantage too. Temporary tattoos are a lot cheaper as compared to the permanent ones. Thus temporary tattoos are easy to use, trendy, cheap and can be changed according to your mood and occasion.

About the Author

This article has been written by Raymond So,a Temporary
Tattoo
specialist from Nationbright Industries. Nationbright Industries is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high quality temporary tattoos of any description all over the world.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Tattoo Removal Procedures

Nowadays, there are a growing number of people that are choosing to remove their tattoos. Some find that tattoos bring back unwanted memories of the past. Others find that tattoos may be detrimental to their health and eventually cause skin cancer or some type of skin disease. Career concerns, bad artwork or art placement, changing lifestyle or personal taste are just a few of the reasons that people decide to remove their tattoos. Studies have shown that approximately 10% of Americans have some kind of tattoo and of that percentage, 50% want them removed. The tattoo removal procedures people commonly use these days are as follows:

Laser Tattoo Removal
These days, most people use laser technology to remove their tattoos. Basically, lasers remove tattoos by breaking up the pigment colors of the tattoo with a high-intensity light beam. The more treatments you have, the more the laser can penetrate to wipe away the ink. However, overdoing the treatments can cause damage to you skin and eventually lead to scarring. If treated properly, sometimes there are no traces of scarring but it really depends on the situation. Basically, the laser type, number of sessions and the patient's body ability to rid it self of the ink are factors that can determine the outcome of the procedure. Depending on your tattoo, you may need anywhere from 1-10 sessions, each costing in the range of $250-$1000 per session.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL)
IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light Therapy is an effective tattoo removal treatment that targets intense light onto the upper layer of the skin basically burning it off. The treatment stimulates new skin growth, and when the treated area heals, the tattoo is usually much less noticeable than before. This method is said to be not as painful as laser therapy, and more effective, resulting in less treatment sessions. It usually takes 10-12 months after the treatment for full results to show. The cost of IPL is based on the number of pulses your tattoo requires to be removed and it can range anywhere from $10-$15 per pulse.

Using Creams to Fade Away Tattoos
Creams are a chemical, non-laser approach to removing a tattoo. They are used over an extended period of time to gradually fade away a tattoo. However, results are not guaranteed and people usually resort to this method only if laser treatments are out of the budget. Some creams burn away layers of skin and can cause scarring. The positive side to cream is that it's affordable, however the saying goes as follows "you get what you pay for."

Excision
Excision involves removing the tattooed area of skin and then stitching it closed. This method is more ideal for smaller tattoo, however can still be used on larger ones. For larger tattoos, the skin is removed and a skin graft from another part of the body is used to cover the area.

Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is a surgical procedure where the surgeon uses a sanding tool to go over the skin in order to rub off the top layers of the skin to reveal fresh skin beneath. Local anesthesia is used during the treatment. When the procedure is over, the skin appears to be red in color and is tender. It usually takes the skin a few weeks to heal. This procedure is not recommended if the patient is prone to scarring. If the patient is prone to hyper or hypo-pigmentation as well, then this procedure is not highly recommended.
Tattoo removal surgery has recently become more popular for various reasons. A patient should do their research and give the surgery some serious thought before proceeding.
If you are considering having a tattoo removed, the first thing you want to do is research the various options available for tattoo removal surgery. You need to also consider the costs, time commitment, and risks.
The next step is to make an appointment with a local physician or dermatologist to setup an initial consultation. The doctor will discuss your options and go over any questions or concerns you have. The doctor will be able to explain the surgery and go over the details such as cost and risks.
When you decide to move forward, an appointment will be made for the initial procedure. The size and condition of your tattoo will determine how many sessions will be necessary to complete the removal process.

About the Author

To find out more about tattoo removal and to find a tattoo removal center in your area, visit http://www.TattooRemoval411.com

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Tired of That Tattoo? Your Tattoo Removal Options

Tattoos have become extremely common in our society. People from the teenage years to senior citizens now get tattoos. Tattoo studios have proliferated across the country, offering an ever-expanding range of artistic expression on one’s own body. The public has also become more familiar with the possibility of removing an unwanted tattoo, especially with laser tattoo removal. This has fueled parallel growth in the tattoo removal industry.

Tattoo removal has been around almost as long as tattooing. Old methods of removal included surgical excision, sometimes with skin grafting. This is a tried and true method and requires only one treatment. However, the side effect is an unsightly scar, and possibly another scar where a skin graft was obtained. Other older methods of removal included abrasives, such as salt crystal scrubbing just after a tattoo is removed. Dermabrasion is similar, and uses a power sanding device to abrade the skin down to below the tattoo. This can also be effective but may leave a scar, depending on the depth of dermabrasion required. Acids, such as glycolic acid or TCA, have also been used and work by a similar mechanism, through a chemical burn. One method of tattoo removal favored by tattoo artists involves over-tattooing with an acid or saline. This is variably effective and can lead to severe scarring in some cases.

Laser tattoo removal was first widely performed with the CO2 laser. This laser works by burning off a superficial layer of skin with each pass. A cloth is used to wipe off the layer, with extra focus on picking out the tattoo pigment fragments. This method fell out of favor due to the superficial scarring that is inherent to how this method and other caustic techniques work. However, a single CO2 laser session may completely remove a tattoo.

Q-switched lasers are currently the state of the art for laser tattoo removal. Q-switching means that a very short, high-energy burst of laser light is directed at the tattoo. It works on the principle of selective photothermolysis. The ink preferentially absorbs the laser light and has to expand, as would any substance does when heated. However, the q-switched burst of light is so rapid that it fractures the tattoo ink instead, much as very cold ice cubes crack when put in a glass of warm water. As the tattoo ink is broken down into finer particles that are small enough for the body’s immune cells to absorb, the tattoo is gradually lightened with each treatment. This process has to be repeated multiple times in order to completely remove a tattoo. Some colors, such as yellow, that do not absorb the laser light well may not be able to be removed. Also, if the ink is too deep in the skin, the light may not penetrate far enough to affect it. Finally, this process depends on a functioning immune system and good lymphatic flow, so impairment of these would probably impair effectiveness.

The Q-switched lasers that have been on the market include the ruby, alexandrite and Nd:YAG. The ruby was the first laser available and has affinity for blue ink but has the disadvantage of a high-degree of melanin absorption. This can lead to burns in darkly-pigmented individuals at higher energies. The alexandrite functions at a slightly longer wavelength and has a greater affinity for green pigment. The Nd:YAG has affinity for black pigment at 1064 nm and the least melanin absorption. It can also be used with frequency doubling to 532 nm in order to treat red pigment. For multicolor tattoos, a combination of different lasers may be necessary for the greatest range of effectiveness

As with any laser, even q-switched lasers can have side effects. The most common are hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation. These improve with time and usually resolve. It is possible to completely remove a tattoo using these lasers without causing any scarring, however one must not be tempted to turn up the laser’s energy excessively. For patrons that have the patience to return for multiple visits, q-switched laser treatment offers the best chance for scar-free complete tattoo removal.

Research in tattoo removal is focusing on alternative inks. Some inks have been micro-encapsulated so that a single laser treatment would completely remove them. Other inks are made to fade over different lengths of time. The latter does not give you the option of keeping the tattoo if you decide that you really like it. Research on new lasers is also ongoing.

About the Author

tattoomdla
DK Skinsolutions

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Tribal Tattoo Designs

Tribal tattoos have existed in society for a long period of time. Though they seemed to become missing for a period of time, they are experiencing a revival again. Tribal tattoos are mainly popular because there is a feeling that they are connected with many secret tribes of the past. It might also be due to the fact that people who have traced their lineage to ancient tribes want something to remind them of their ancestry.

The tribal tattoos can help indicate a wide range of expressions. They can be used to identify a person as belonging to a particular group or tribe or as an enemy. They were also used to indicate the rank of a person in the chain of command in the ancient tribal societies. The tattoo sported by a king would be unique. In the same way, the tattoo sported by a soldier would be different from that of a common man.

The present generation has taken a liking to these tribal tattoos for a very good reason. These tattoos bring to light some very important features of the ancient tribal societies which even the present generation would like to imitate. For instance, the persons getting the same type of tattoos were supposed to remain together for the whole life according to the customs of the ancient tribes. They were also used as a pointer to the presence of various life forces. They were used to represent energy, ability, skill and power and could be used to inculcate positive feelings within the person.

Popularity of certain tribal tattoos depends on the choice of the person getting them. For example, flower tattoos would be favored exclusively by women and armband tattoos by men with well built biceps. In ancient tribes, the caliber of men and women to go through certain tasks was judged by their ability to counter the pain while getting a tattoo.

About the Author

Adam is the owner of A Large Tattoo Community. You can find free tattoo designs at designtattoo.co.uk.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Tribal Tattoo Designs

Tribal tattoos have existed in society for a long period of time. Though they seemed to become missing for a period of time, they are experiencing a revival again. Tribal tattoos are mainly popular because there is a feeling that they are connected with many secret tribes of the past. It might also be due to the fact that people who have traced their lineage to ancient tribes want something to remind them of their ancestry.

The tribal tattoos can help indicate a wide range of expressions. They can be used to identify a person as belonging to a particular group or tribe or as an enemy. They were also used to indicate the rank of a person in the chain of command in the ancient tribal societies. The tattoo sported by a king would be unique. In the same way, the tattoo sported by a soldier would be different from that of a common man.

The present generation has taken a liking to these tribal tattoos for a very good reason. These tattoos bring to light some very important features of the ancient tribal societies which even the present generation would like to imitate. For instance, the persons getting the same type of tattoos were supposed to remain together for the whole life according to the customs of the ancient tribes. They were also used as a pointer to the presence of various life forces. They were used to represent energy, ability, skill and power and could be used to inculcate positive feelings within the person.

Popularity of certain tribal tattoos depends on the choice of the person getting them. For example, flower tattoos would be favored exclusively by women and armband tattoos by men with well built biceps. In ancient tribes, the caliber of men and women to go through certain tasks was judged by their ability to counter the pain while getting a tattoo.

About the Author

Adam is the owner of A Large Tattoo Community. You can find free tattoo designs at designtattoo.co.uk.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Tattoo - Should I or Not?

One of the avenues of self-expression especially for the younger generation is the tattoo. Although there was a time when tattoos are thought of only for the punks and the criminals, tattoos now are in vogue with celebrities like Cristina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and a lot more sporting their own insignias in various parts of their body.

Tattoos are actually a great way to express one's conviction and beliefs. Some people for instance used tattoos as a way of showing to the world their personal advocacies, whether they be about the Iraq war or the animal rights.

When tastefully done, tattoos can also be a way to make a fashion statement. Depending on the placement, a tattoo can be a really sensuous and sexy addition to your body. Most women place tattoos on their lower backs, on the cheeks of their buttocks, near their ankles, on their shoulders, or near their belly buttons.

There are actually a lot of designs to choose from depending on what you aim for when having your tattoo. Women for instance will settle for feminine pictures like flowers, butterflies and circles while men will put on symbols and foreign wordings. Others will have the names of their loved ones tattooed while other will place symbols of their personal advocacies on their bodies.

Some place words that are part of their personal mantras as a reminder of what they believe in and what they should do. If you are also thinking of getting a tattoo, here are some of the factors that you should consider. Read on before you decide!

Where to get the tattoo

Although tattoos are virtually commonplace especially for the younger kids, it is still important that you choose the establishment where you will have your tattoo done. Remember that needles are needed to do a tattoo design and it will be used to pierce your skin. It is important then that you choose a place that is both established and safe because you can get all kinds of illness with contaminated needles, including AIDS, Hepatitis and other sickness that can be transmitted through blood.

If you do not know any centers that specialize with tattoos, better ask around before you go. Do not attempt to do your own tattoos or have your friends do it for you. This is extremely dangerous and it can mean infections when not taken cared of properly. Leave the tattoos to the professionals who know what they are doing!

Choose carefully and choose well

Although a tattoo can be erased anytime, it will not be as easy as rubbing it off. Sometimes it will leave a scar that will take a long time to heal. It is important then that you are sure of the design that you are going to have tattooed on your skin as this is a permanent thing. Once tattooed, it will be hard to remove it.

In choosing designs, it is good to select one that is universal and timeless. Choose something that you will always like. Putting the name of your current partner as your tattoo is not so good since there is a chance that you will someday call off the relationship. It is also not good to symbols that you feel is just a part of your current phase. Choose a design that will also grow with you.

About the Author

Bob is the owner of http://tattoo.knowsmart.com/ which is an up-to-date tattoo information website including henna tattoo information.

Source: ArticleTrader.com