What your parents probably tell you is that getting tattooed can be risky. Why? Because, first of all, many states don’t have any laws regulating tattooing and body piercing. This means that there aren’t strict guidelines or standards for safety or for cleanliness.

Some states try to offer protection by regulating the age of kids who can legally be tattooed. A parent’s permission may be needed if a son or daughter is under 18. In some states, the age limit for getting legally tattooed is 21. But, whatever the law is…enforcing it is hard. Both tattoo artists and kids often find a way to get around the law.

Besides the possibility of danger to your health, being tattooed can be painful. Ask anyone who has been tattooed. Most kids think that all they will feel is a sting or a burn, but that’s not always true. Some people can stand high levels of pain, and others cannot; that’s why getting tattooed could hurt much more than you think it will, or than your friend said it would.

If you decide to get a tattoo, know the following facts. They can lessen your risk and pain:

Call your local health department. Find out which tattooing places are thought to be clean and safe, and which aren’t. Don’t worry about having to give your name or age in order to get the information. You won’t have to…

Ask if the tattoo artist is licensed. Ask both the health department and the one who is going to do the tattooing. If their answers don’t match, ask more questions.

THEN…GO WITH YOUR GUT FEELING…If the place makes you feel uncomfortable or the tattoo artist isn’t licensed, and doesn’t seem to use safe, clean methods…walk out and go someplace else.

IF YOU should decide to get tattooed, be sure you really want one. Not just for now, but for a very long time! And make certain you can afford it. Even those small tattoos on your friend’s shoulder or ankle, which seemed like such a great idea, can cost up to $500,000.00 to be taken off.

If you’ve looked at all of the benefits and risks, and getting a tattoo doesn’t seem like such a great idea after all, you can still put a favorite design on your body, safely and without much money. You may want to try HENNA TATTOOS, which Madonna helped to popularize. A henna tattoo is temporary and can last from a week to a month. It definitely looks real enough to fool your friends, or even your Mom or Dad.

Body art is another popular way to decorate yourself. Crystal jewels, which are really plastic-like stones, come in every color under the sun. They’re put on to decorate your belly button or ear lobe, for example, by just peeling off the adhesive on the back. They’ll even stay through two weeks of showers!