I am often surprised by the kinds of permanent alterations that people are willing to make on themselves. I am speaking, in particular, about tattoos.

This is especially true for young people. I cringe when I see a teenager with a highly visible tattoo. It may represent them well today, but I think that sometimes they forget just how permanent of a situation they have put themselves in.

Tattoos are FOREVER! How cute will that cartoon character look when you are 80? How sophisticated will that tattooed neck be when you become a professional? And how will you feel about that tattoo of a naked lady when you have a daughter of your own?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no “ink virgin.” I got a tattoo when I was 18 years old (much to my father’s chagrin) but thankfully I had the sense to put it in a discreet place. I also chose a design that was symbolic of my childhood home, which I believe will always have meaning to me.

The next piece of skin art I got came years later and holds even more significance to me as I got it with my mother. This may sound like a very unconventional mother-daughter bonding experience to many of you but that is the sign of the times, so to speak.

People always say that getting tattooed is addictive and that once you get one you can’t stop, but I disagree. I could care less if I ever got another one. I have no desire to be the “tattooed bride” at my wedding.

People need to realize what kind of message they are sending to the world with their permanent skin displays. If you cover your arms with a bunch of homemade tattoos, you are sending one message to the world – ex-convict. If you cover yourself with scary tattoos you are telling people to stay away!

There are so many other ways to tell the world what kind of person you are – t-shirts, buttons, patches, posters, bumper stickers. These are relatively inexpensive and can be changed to suit your changing likes and dislikes.

Speaking to their expense, I’ve heard of some people getting a tattoo as a sort of tribute to their children. I have a better idea; why not use the money you were going to spend on the tattoo to start a college fund? Believe me; the kid will appreciate the money a lot more than their mother’s tattoo.

Keep in mind; it wasn’t that long ago that people covered in tattoos were considered side-show freaks!