Please can anyone direct me to a typical illustration of a 'shellback' tattoo that sailors of old on the windjammers used to have after 'crossing the line' (i.e. the equator)? Secondly does anyone know who can do one in the UK (near or in London)? Many thanks - SB.

Daughter wants her belly button done. Any recommendations for a good place in Bristol UK? TIA

How do, A few months ago I had my tongue web professionally removed under general (it was tight enough that it was done on the NHS.) I'd love to get a tongue piercing, but I want it to be a decent placement so that it can be relatively permenant and healthily placed i.e. (i.e. far enough back so that it shouldn't hit the gums.) To do this would probably require some further tongue web removal. However, this would cost a fortune here to do privately (I was quoted around £800, as they'd insist on doing it under a general due to big veins at the sides and not wanting to having to do a repair with me awake, to to mention all the extras they'd want to charge for, and of course in the UK there appears to be very little competition between the private clinics.) The remaining tissue is quite small (although a little too "wide" for a scalpel probably), but enough to still get caught in my (jagged, English) teeth if I poke my tongue out (can be very annoying during sexual practises as the remaining tongue web can still get very sore from rubbing on the teeth.) I'm reticent to be paying £800, and especially reticent to go under a general, for something that could be done in a few seconds with a cauterising pen. Are there any trusthworthy piercers in the (preferably east) midlands area of the UK who'd undertake such work, preferably with a cauterising pen rather than scalpel? Alternatively, piercers or similar anywhere in the UK who'd do this? Alternatively, does anyone have any good pointers for advice and info and issues with doing this yourself with a suitable cauterising pen? To be honest, I'd be a tad more inclined to do this myself, as I suspect I can be a bit more accurate and I'll know when I'm feeling shakey or wobbly or am likely to move or spasm etc -- a bit like dying your lashes, if you go to a beauty parlor to get it done it has to be with your eyes closed, but if you do it yourself you can be steady-handed enough to do it with your eyes open and not get any in or around your eyes at all (or at least I can.) In addition, doing it oneself with such a pen means being able to do it gradually, a bit at a time, over time (which a tongue web removal seems to prefer, as seems to takes time for the tongue to adjust to the extra length, and so it takes time for the remaining tongue web tissue to become particularly taught enough to be clearly apparent again.) Any pointers folks? Ta-ra, Julie PS Absolutely loving my (redone after years of absence) nips & navel pierces. Healing exceptionally well now, like I've never seen a piercing on me heal, now that I've been wearing purely PTFE barbells (i.e. PTFE balls as well as stem -- in disagreement with what my piercer believe, I find that SSS balls are perfectly capable of agrivating the exit and entrance holes of a newish piercing, and frankly put me off of going back to that piercer again -- wish I knew quite where the hell would be the best place to go in the UK for piercings; researched the subject heavily over the years but I still don't have anywhere I'm completely sure of trusting yet.) -- Julie Brandon [link]/ _____________________________________________________________________________ WEBPAGE: 19th June 2004- Near Infra-Red Photographs

i am intersted of getting a guiche piercing, i would like more infromation like heal time, how it pierced, things you shouldn;t do with it in etc

I found this([link]) image months ago and ive been looking ever since for more chocolate body painting, or rather just images of people covered in chocolate. My searching as so far been fruitless, that is if i can mange to get past the porn sites. Does anyone know where this image came from, or know where i could find others(female or male)? Google has forsaken me, is it too much to ask for some pictures of chocolate covered of people, can anyone help me?

A tribal tattoo can range from a stand alone generic design to something much more complex and symbolic. But what if one doesn't want to be limited to the tribal design, and wants to incorporate other more modern designs. Here is a way to have a tribal tattoo while syncing it up with another design.-Incorporating the a tribal tattoo with modern design. This involves incorporating both modern design with tribal design, but doing so in a tasteful way. This reflects both the current day while also representing the past. Basically a tattoo design is used, for instance a particular object of some sort, then a tribal tattoo design is incorporated around it, alongside it, or preferably in a way where "equal billing" is given to both the object and picture of tribal tattoo. Many of the weaker versions of this simply have tribal "arms" sticking out from the object. Here the tribal tattoo is essentially demoted to that of acting as "flames". Stronger versions of incorporating tribal with modern involve utilizing the tribal tattoo in a way that works alongside the object in some manner, visually or symbolically. It usually will not only strengthen the object, but also be able to hold it's own. A tribal tattoo may seem an easy choice on the surface, but if you are into finding something unique with meaning, and incorporating it with an existing or new tat, then its worth researching to find the right design that will fit. The right tribal tattoo combined with your favorite modern tattoo is worth much research into not only design but meaning as well. What does it symbolize or stand for? How could that relate to the modern design? Choosing a tribal tattoo and modern tattoo together as one could make for the ideal tattoo.

This is an important but often overlooked area. In this article, I will provide you with 5 tips on how to make sure your tattoo stays colorful and attractive beyond the first couple of years. It takes discipline but eventually, it's worth your effort. The tattoo you get today will be with you until you die. Over the years, it is inevitable that your body's natural aging process will cause your tattoo to lose its vibrancy and brightness. Not to fret, there are tips to prolong this inevitable and there are a few things you can do to help prevent your tattoo from fading. Tip 1: Find an experience tattoo artist The quality of your tattoo has a lot to do with the placement of its pigments. Tattoo pigments should penetrate deep into the middle layer of your skin. If the pigments aren't placed deep enough, they'll be too close to the skin's surface. As the skin's top layer constantly sheds dead skin cells to make room for new skin cells, tattoo pigments that are too close to the surface will also shed. As pigments shed, the tattoo will start to lose its brightness. Hence, choosing your tattooist is important and you want to work with someone who is experience and know what he or she is doing. Ask around or anyone you know for references. And remember, you will often get what you pay for. If you are a member to any tattoo fraternity, you will no problem in finding a good tattoo parlour and artist. All it takes from there is some asking and research! Tip 2: Proper care for your new tattoo The first few weeks after your ink is a crucial moment and it has a lot to do with whether or not your tattoo fades. Do not scratch as it might pull up some of the pigments. It is important to apply ointments or moisturizers continuously to your tattoo during the first 2 weeks. If scabs develop, never pull them off or you risk pulling out some of the tattoo's pigment. The less pigment there is, the less vibrant your tattoo exudes, which gives it a fading appearance. Keep your new tattoo clean to prevent it from becoming infected; something else that can cause pigment loss. Tip 3: Protect your tattoo from the sun! Your tattoo is as vulnerable to the sun's powerful ultraviolet rays as your skin. The ray can break down the pigments used to colour your tattoo. Never let it happen to you. Always get into the habit of putting sunscreen on your tattoo every time you go outside, even on cloudy days. You're supposed to do this to help protect your skin against premature aging. Invest in sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 and apply a liberal amount to completely cover your tattoo. Remember also to reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating. If you're always outside and applying sunscreen takes too much effort, you can instead cover your tattoo with clothing or a bandage. No matter what method you choose, always protect your tattoo from the sun's damaging rays. Tip 4: Choose your colour Choose tattoo colours that are stable and most resistant to fading. Blacks and blues are the most stable colours. Colours with red-based pigments such as yellow, orange, purple and magenta are more difficult to maintain which makes them prone to fading. Keep this in mind when choosing colors for your tattoo. Tip 5: Develop healthy habits While you can't stop natural aging process and your skin to degenerate over the years, you can slow them down by developing healthier habits. Eating better helps supply your skin with the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to remain youthful. Stop smoking and drinking; two bad habits that irreversibly damage healthy skin cells. Changes in your skin will affect the appearance of your tattoo. Start taking care of yourself and start right now! You'll be doing both your body and your tattoos some good! Get sufficient rest, have ample sleep and your body will naturally stay radiant and young. And there you have it. Some really easy ways you can help prevent your new tattoo from fading. More About Tattoo : [link]

Hey, My name Is Jennifer. I have keloids on my back and on my chest. I was wondering if anyone can give me some suggestion on how to get rid of these keloids? I have heard of different options and have looked online and research it. But I want to know from A live person, that actually had their keloids from their back opinions on this. I have had keloids removed from my ears and it hasn't grown back.

Hi everyone, hope this is the appropriate type of area to post this in, if not please let me know. I am looking for individuals familiar with tattoos and body art, who would be willing to share their reviews on various tattoo shops. This is for the Body Art section of a site I am building, which will feature articles on tattoos as well as helpful resources such as reviews/conventions etc. If you have a review (good or bad) that you would like to contribute, this would be a help to the site as well as visitors wishing to find reputable tattoo shops. If you would like to write a small, helpful review, please visit [link] and click on the "let me know" link to email me with info! Much appreciated!

No, I don't mean "tattoos of eyeballs"... [link] ** * Political Correctness strives to impose innocuous mediocrity as the * * standard to which we must all aspire. * **

I'm shopping for a new filler for my PA and need input from someone that has experience with the spring-loaded ball type of CBR. Something like this My concern is that the ball would come out when I don't want it to and present the bare ends of the ring when it could be painful and/or dangerous. TIA A

Last night I got my PA done at 8ga. I was warned that it might bleed, but having done my homework that wasn't news. No bleeding overnight, but it sure got started this morning. It's not even the blood that bothers me I knew it would probably bleed, and I know it'll stop. Eventually. What I had not counted on was how damn messy it would be. I tried wads of tissue, they slip out of place or bleed through. And stick. By the time it quits bleeding, I have to pee again, which knocks the clot loose and it starts all over. At least it doesn't sting when I pee, small favors and all. My wife gave me some pads to try tomorrow. If I can figure out how to make them work right. :\ This line signals Logical End-Of-Message. Physical End-Of-Message follows.

Gah. At last. There I was just casting my eyes around and they alight on a silhouette photo took at one or other end of the day courtesy of, of all things, a newspaper. But the curves. They just fit perfectly into an existing piece leaving me a rough vertical edge in visual terms. The other edge then suddenly picks up a shot, this time of a person, from a glossy that really will require some artistry to reproduce as I'd like; but only such artistry as I know is around the place. I then know what's going in any remaining vertical strip and, depending how the chat and negotiations go, the remaining visual space either becomes a small canvas for the artist to showcase their backgrounding skills or gets picked out in a nice even and easily inked over polka-dot pattern. And an upper sleeve is complete. Then the "tribal" stuff I want naturally forms a coronal ring around another existing piece on a ball joint and the visual effect is even. When done these then form a neat set of bookends for some torso work that has been in mind a few months and the net effect is a nice balanced upper body with plenty of room for expansion. All this time, all those mags, all that flash on walls and in books, all those pieces on others I've mulled over and mused on and decided aren't "me"; years. You work and nothing seems to fit right, then the mental space of lay-offs gives you time to toy with this or that or another idea which you can't afford. And then a photo comes along which just fits, and every idea that's appealed is no longer a choice, no longer even a decision, you just know where it falls into place. And the wait, the time, it all suddenly becomes worth it. Yup. My coverage looks set to start bulging. By a guesstimate of diametrics I should look, ooh, 5 times more covered. It's just who to go to. The most impressive artistry I've seen, locally, is a lovely reversed-out feline design that's years old by a long- established artist in a nearby town. I don't know his name, just where he is. But there are other studios nearer whose work I also rate. But there's just that part of me, the part that watched Baghdad Cafe (the movie), that wants a woman's interpretation in there. At least for some of it. And I think that's going to mean travelling. But it'll be worth it. I've seen a few people go from a bit here and there to full, integrated, tableaux of coverage - not necessarily always by an established professional although I can't and won't recommend any enthusiastic scratchers - and berated myself for being so slack and indecisive and not knowing how or where I want to go with it, just being aware that until I do, until I have, there always will be ink I want in key visual positions but just haven't seen yet. And now I have. And it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I can't recommend leaving it as long as I have for the sake of it. I can only back up what other people say that there really are designs that just click, from nowhere, and beg to be inked at the first chance. Ah, the joys of ink. Well, enough chat. Better at least get the first one done. G DAEB COPYRIGHT (C) 2009 SIPSTON

I do a lot of crossword puzzles. A recent puzzle had the clue "Using a PA to meet someone". The answer they wanted was "PAGE". I had other ideas before I saw the number of letters they wanted. Fred.

Last Friday 12-5 I had a new Titanium implant installed. A rather cool electronic lithium powered device in my left chest wall. Bout 1.5 by 1.5 by .5 inches. While it is in fact a "permanent" implant it must be replaced every 5-7 years. Damn batteries just don't last as long as they should!!! It really is pretty cool, has two pace maker functions, but it's primary reason for being is for it's defibulation function "CHARGING,,CLEAR,, ZAP Love to most of you. Ray