Thinking of becoming the girl with the dragon tattoo? Or joining the likes of Johnny Depp, who has been inked at least 14 times? Or perhaps you're considering a little body jewelery to show your personality? More than ever, body art is recognized as an acceptable form of self-expression. Before getting tattooed or pierced, know the health concerns, costs, and other factors students weigh in making the decision.

BY DAN FALLS, RECENT GRADUATE, WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY DON RAUF, CO-EDITOR, STUDENT HEALTH 101

From art majors to law students, people from all walks of life have tattoos and piercings. According to a recent Student Health 101 poll of 655 students in the U.S. and Canada, 13.6% have a tattoo, and about 1 in 3 students said they might get one. About 1 in 5 students said they have a piercing other than in an earlobe. Most often those piercings are in the ear cartilage, but many students also have nose, belly button, eyebrow, and/or lip piercings.

Another trend in body art is gauging, which involves stretching earlobe holes gradually to accommodate large decorative rings and posts. Just 2% polled said they have gauges, but 68% said they know people who have them.

A Meaningful and (Usually) Permanent Decision
Tattoos have more permanence than piercings, and many students who have them advise getting ones that have a deep personal significance. Several students polled said they have tattoos in remembrance or in honor of loved ones. Tiffany Ralston, a student at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York, got a tattoo on her back in honor of two family members who died of cancer. �I chose my tattoo to represent a difficult time that I overcame in my life,� says Kelli Dehm at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois.

Sean Fuellhart, a student at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, says that his tattoo captures his beliefs and life philosophy. The tattoo, located on his upper back, reads �Vincit Qui Se Vincit,� which is Latin for �He conquers who conquers himself.�

�It means that if you know yourself, inside and out, weaknesses and strengths, you can do anything,� he says. �I�m happy with it because I feel it will be as meaningful later in life as it is today.� Others simply get tattoos to be fun or creative. Students mentioned everything from a smiling Felix the Cat winking and giving the thumbs-up on a buttock to an image of a moose on a foot.

Lindsey Shrubsole, a tattooed student at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, adds, �It�s also a good idea to pick a place on your body that won�t really change shape as you gain or lose weight or get older. Good options include the inner forearm, the calves, and upper back.�

While there are many reasons to get a tattoo, keep in mind that a band name or a trendy logo may be a passing fad that won�t have much meaning to you later in life.

�My advice to anyone getting a tattoo would be to think about it for a year first,� says Lauren Anderson, a student at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. �Impulse tattoos may seem cool at the time, but no one wants to regret their body art and having to get it removed costs more than getting it done in the first place and is more painful.�

Costly Going On; Costlier Coming Off
While a search around the Internet shows the cost of getting a tattoo ranges from $100 to $250, expect to pay hundreds or even $1,000 or more for dermatologic surgery to remove one. Tattoos can be removed by a dermatologic surgeon on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia. The American Society of Dermatologic Surgery lists the most common techniques as laser surgery,

dermabrasion (a �sanding� of the skin), or surgical excision (requiring scalpel and stitches). Whatever the technique, it can leave a scar on your skin as well as your wallet. Removal can have other health risks as well. To learn more about removal, VISIT http://www.asds.net/TattooRemovalInformation.aspx

Body Art in the Workplace
As tattoos and piercings have become more acceptable, they may not be the career killers they once were. Still, some see body art as �unprofessional.� So before going under the needle, consider the professional environment in which you wish to work.

Lynette DeBellis, assistant professor of nursing at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York, says that her nursing students are only allowed to have one small earring in each ear because of infection concerns, and they have to cover their tattoos at the hospital.

�Tattoos are not viewed as professional,� says DeBellis. �It depends on where one is seeking employment. They�re obviously more acceptable in some environments.�

Robert Kizer is a doctoral student in counseling psychology at the University of Missouri�Kansas City. Unlike typical doctoral students, Kizer has multiple tattoos, unusual piercings, and dreadlocks. �Although my appearance has not been a limitation in counseling sessions or other psychological services, I have found that it presents a particular challenge when working with certain other professionals, especially those in administrative or executive positions,� says Kizer.

Health Considerations
Once you decide to get inked or pierced, cleanliness should be your first concern. Dirty equipment can cause infection and even spread disease. �My first tattoo was done in a place that I later found out reused needles, so I was put through years of testing to make sure that I hadn�t contracted any diseases (like HIV or Hepatitis B),� says Jenna*, a student at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. �I was lucky and didn�t contract anything, but now I�m very careful.�

DeBellis warns that tattoos should be given with single-use equipment. �If the needle is single-use, but the ink isn�t, the tattoo artist goes back in and out of those ink bottles, and that can contaminate the ink.�

One student mentioned giving herself a tattoo at home that got very infected�that�s why it�s essential to only get a tattoo or piercing from a professional.

A piercing or tattoo license gives some assurance of cleanliness and professionalism, but do your own careful check before putting your money down.

DAN FALLS RECENTLY GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS FROM WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY IN CULLOWHEE, NORTH CAROLINA.

FIND OUT MORE
To learn more about tattoos and piercings, including health considerations, VISIT

- Association of Professional Piercers: http://www.safepiercing.org/

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/features/bodyart/

- MedlinePlus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/piercingandtattoos.html

STUDENTVIEWS

Natasha Landen at Ohlone College
Hi, my name is Natasha Landen, I�m currently a sophomore at Ohlone College. It�s a community college located in Freemont, California, after which I plan on transferring to a four-year university. So today I will be talking about a piercing I got when I turned eighteen. It�s not that crazy, but I do think it�s kind of unique. I got my rook pierced. And, several factors went into deciding to get this piercing. First of all, I wanted it simply because it was cute and I wanted something different than just the ear piercings on my lobes. But I did do a lot of research online. So, first of all I looked at personal experiences and how painful it was, so if you don�t have a high pain tolerance you don�t want to look into that. I also looked at maintenance, like how easy it is to clean because if you notice, it is kind of in an awkward place, so I wanted to make sure it was easy to clean and maintain.

Any new piercing is prone to infection, and I always looked at tattoo and piercing parlors. I wanted to find a reputable, hygienic place, and I�m very happy with it. I found a good place near my house to get it done. It didn�t get infected, I was given specific instructions on how to clean and care for my piercing, and I�m very happy with it. So, I would definitely recommend to anyone, even a tattoo, like definitely look into it. Find a reputable place to get it done, look into hygiene and maintenance, and it�s going to cost�I don�t know, it�s going to cost you a good amount of money. This cost forty-six dollars, cleaning and piercing total. I got some cleaning products too, and they included the jewelry and the piercing. However, a tattoo is kind of different. That�s going to be something that is permanently on your body, so you might want to think about whether if you want that on there. Removal is an option, but it�s costly and leaves a scar. So, definitely that�s any advice I would give to anybody getting a tattoo or piercing: do your research. Thanks.

Eric Towers at SUNY � Oswego