The Communique

Issue date: 4/29/04 Section: Feature

Ed Tarto gets a butterfly added to his rose tattoo at Arbuckle´s Tattoo in Cedar Rapids. There are a wide variety of tattoos to pick from. Selecting a tattoo can be difficult for some because the image will last a lifetime.

Tattoos-whether one believes they are an expressive form of art or a vulgar blemish on one's body, they can be seen everywhere. From celebrities to your next-door neighbor, tattoos running from dime-sized to full body coverage are common sight. While one may love his "KISS Rules" tattoo discreetly placed on his behind today will he in twenty years?
There are a couple of do's and don'ts in tattooing which may help people avoid removal in the future.

It may not be a good idea to etch a soul mates name into your skin. Former lovers' names are the most commonly removed tattoos. Just look at Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Angelina's "Billy Bob" soon disappeared from her shoulder and Johnny's "Winona Forever" on his chest ended up as "Wino Forever."

Badly done artwork is another common reason people get tattoos removed. Make sure to have a professional when getting ink done. Ten million Americans have at least one tattoo and of those 50 percent have considered removal. Those who dished out the dough for a tattoo and want to remove it, for whatever reason, have a couple of different options to choose from. The three main removal methods are a cover-up, an excision or laser treatments. Temporary concealer or an at home skin abrasion kit can also be used to hide ink.

The cheapest method is the tattoo concealer. This is good when you don't want your mom to see your new tattoo on your weekends home or to cover-up for a potential job. Cosmetics firm Covermark has a tattoo cover kit which sells for $30. The product can be ordered by calling 1-800-524-1120 or by going online at covermarkusa.com.

One route for a permanent removal is with a product called Dermasol. This is an at-home skin abrasion kit which lightens the ink over time. This process may take anywhere from three weeks to eighteen months before a tattoo is completely gone.

Dermasol runs from $82.95 for a one month supply to $292 for a six month supply. It can be ordered online at dermasol.com. The web site offers a risk-free trial and also has a one-year 100 percent guarantee.

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