Scarification

Scarifying involves scratching, etching, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification

In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting or branding the skin. Scarification is sometimes called cicatrization (from the French equivalent).

Scarification is not a precise practice; variables, such as skin type, cut depth, and how the wound is treated while healing, make the outcome unpredictable. A method that works on one person may not work on another. The scars tend to spread as they heal, so outcome design is usually simple, the details being lost during healing. Tom Skelly was the first known person to practice scarification in the United States.

Nerdy Tattoos

Your opinions?

Who said women and tattoos don't mix?

And finally, Kat Von D, a classic

UV Tattoos part deux

Blacklight Tattoos

UV tattoos or Blacklight tattoos are tattoos made with a special ink that is visible under an ultraviolet light (blacklight). Depending upon the ink, they can be nearly invisible in non-UV environments, thus they are a popular consideration for people seeking a subtler tattoo. They are particularly popular in the raver subculture.

Although the tattoos are sometimes considered invisible in normal light, scarring from the tattoo machine in the application process may remain, and therefore still show. A UV tattoo becomes visible under blacklight, when it glows in colors ranging from white to purple, depending on the ink chosen. Colored ink is also available, where the ink is visible in normal light (as with a regular tattoo) but the ink will glow vividly under UV light. However, some UV inks are not as bright under normal light as normal tattoo ink and are considered not as vibrant.

Tattoo Care

Ø      Always make sure you wash your hands (with liquid antibacterial soap and water) before touching your new tattoo!
Ø      Remove bandage after 2 hours.  If bandage sticks, moisten with warm water to loosen.  Wash thoroughly with liquid antibacterial soap and the palm of your hand.  Do not use a washcloth, body sponge, or loofah on a fresh tattoo.  Let air dry for 15 minutes before applying ointment.
Ø      Apply a small amount of ointment to tattoo 3 to 5 times a day and rub in like lotion.  Always apply ointment after washing.  Do not leave any ointment on the surface of your skin, blot off excess with tissue.
Ø      After 5 days, switch to lotion like Lubriderm, Keri, or Vaseline Intensive Care.  Avoid fragranced and specialty lotions (like skin firming, bronzing, or age defying).
Ø      Always wash after sweating or getting dirty. 

What to Avoid…
Ø      If you are on antibiotics, do not get tattooed!!  If you have to take antibiotics during the first month of getting a tattoo, it could possibly cause your tattoo to fade and you might require a touch up.
Ø      Do not go swimming or soak in a hot tub for at least 2 weeks.
Ø      Do not expose to sunlight at all for the first month.  After that, always apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen before going outdoors.  A good sunscreen to use is the Water Babies stick…it is easy to apply and is waterproof.
Ø      Do not pick at the tattoo when it peels.
Ø      Do not scratch a healing tattoo.  If it itches, you can smack it to take the itch away.
Ø      Do not use cosmetics, perfumes, or body sprays on or near the tattoo.
Ø      Avoid applying deodorant around the tattoo.
Ø      Try to wear loose, clean clothes over the tattoo.
Ø      Do not shave over the tattoo for at least a month.
Ø      Do not re-bandage your tattoo.  It needs air to heal. 

What to Expect…
Ø      Your tattoo might produce small amounts of blood and plasma for 24 to 48 hours especially on tattoos that have a lot of color or tribal.  Make sure to clean this off 3 or 4 times a day and apply ointment after washing.
Ø      Wear old, but clean clothing over tattoo when going to bed to avoid leaking plasma on sheets.  This will also prevent your tattoo from becoming stuck to the sheets.  If your tattoo sticks to your clothes, dampen with warm water to loosen.  DO NOT yank it off!
Ø      Your tattoo might peel in 4 to 5 days.  It will flake like a mild sunburn and there will be pigment in the skin that peels off.  
Ø      You might have some soreness and swelling for anywhere from 3 to 5 days.
Ø      When your tattoo is healed, you might notice a spot here or there that needs to be touched-up.  If so, let the tattoo heal completely, for at least a month, before scheduling a touch-up.
Ø      Tattoos on the hands and feet might peel twice.  After the first time it peels, you will have a whitish film over the tattoo.  This will peel off in a few days.  Remember, we do not guarantee tattoos on hands and feet, so take care of them to lessen the chances of requiring a touch-up!
Ø      After it is healed, dry skin will cause the tattoo to look dull. To brighten the colors up, use lotion daily.

How to Stretch Earlobes

Earlobe stretching is the process that enlarges the earlobe with pieces of jewelry ranging from rings to plugs. The larger the stretch, the less likely your earlobes are to return to their normal size. If you decide to stretch your earlobes, make sure you can live with the result for the rest of your life.

1. Choose the jewelry you want to use to stretch your earlobes. You can use some that's
made with different gauges of wire or you can use plugs or tapers.  The gauge of
the wire in your jewelry measures the thickness of the piece.
Plugs just fill the holes in your earlobes, and tapers start small at the tip and gradually
become thicker along their length.

1. 2. Clean your hands and earlobes well. Rub each earlobe with your fingers to warm it and make it easier to stretch. Place some lubricant on your earlobe to make insertion easier.
2. 3. Insert the new wire into your earlobe piercing. Start with a gauge that's close in size to your original piercing. Go slowly so you don't cause too much pain or tear your skin. Repeat the process for your other earlobe.
3. 4. Wash your earlobes well and often to keep them clean as they heal. Ensure that you also clean the jewelry and remove any crusty buildup to prevent infection. Wait at least 1 month to 6 weeks before you stretch your earlobes again.
   
   
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   Side note; I started doing mine back at the beginning of June at 12g, they are now at 2g which is about 7mm