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�For many years tattoos were associated with sailors and soldiers, then in the 60s and 70s with bikers and heavy metal rock stars.But today more people from all social classes are having tattoos done and there has been a significant increase in the number of women who have them.
Many famous� people have had� tattoos done too. Footballer David Beckam, and his wife, Victoria, both have tattoos of their first son's name Brooklyn. David has one on his back and Victoria has one on her�arm. Other famous people include singers, actors and actresses such as Robbie Williams, Britney Spears, and Angelina Jolie among others.
Tattoos have existed for more than 5.000 years. The word tattoo comes from the Polynesian word tatau, meaning ''symbol''. In Polynesia tattoos were a sign of social status and the transition from childhood to adult life. They became known in the West when sailors on voyages of discovery to the Polynesian islands had tattoos done because they wanted� to be accepted by native people or because they wanted a souvenir of their voyage
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The traditional method of tattooing is to make a drawing on the skin and then trace the lines of the final tattoo by injecting ink under the skin, using a machine with a needle . Sounds painful? It is. But not as painful ( or expensive) as having a tattoo removed!
�Modern laser surgery has improved the situation, but even with this method there is no guarantee that a tattoo can be completely removed. So a lot of people have henna tattoos, which are not permanent. These are fine if the pure henna dye is used, but sometimes artists use inferior dyes containing the chemical PPD, which can cause permanent skin problems. There are also semi -permanent tattoos which can last for up to five years | 
