outline

I. intro II. Even though getting a tattoo is safe these days; there are still some risks involved that many people do not consider
 * the risk of infection.
 * can be received by bad sterilization of the tattooing equipment. If dirty needles or equipment are used, diseases like hepatitis and HIV can be spread person to person
 * Some tattoo equipment cannot be properly sterilized due to the way it is manufactured.
 * come common and serious skin infections like as staphylococcus can be related with getting tattoos. In addition, once a person receives a tattoo the tattooed area should be cared for the first few weeks.
 * the risk of an allergic reaction
 * Sometimes a person can have “an allergic reaction to [a tattoo that] they have had for [many] years”. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2000).

III. Why do people get tattoos?
 * According to Jackson (2007), there are several reasons “why someone would go under the needle. This is in no way supposed to stereotype anyone, but [to] answer some questions about why a person would decide to get something permanently imprinted on their skin.”
 * etc.
 * Even though most people might have heard about tattoo removal, they need to know that getting one removed is expensive, time-consuming, extremely painful, and it does not always work.

IV. tattoo removal V. conculsion
 * Options for tattoo removal include surgical excision, dermabrasion, and laser
 * Surgical excision works best on small tattoos on loose skin, but always leaves a scar
 * Dermabrasion involves sanding the skin with a rotating wire brush and may leave a scar or a pale area
 * Laser treatment is a big advance, but it is far from perfect. Many tattoos cannot be completely removed: a realistic goal is 75% “clearing.