By J Mayhem

Chapter 40 from The Art of Tattooing
artoftattooing.com

The famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie made the tabloid news when she had the tattoo of his name tattooed on her. She made the news again when upon ending her marriage to actor Billy Bob Thornton, she had the tattoo of his name removed from her body. When she was asked about the removal of the tattoo, her response was, ” It seemed (getting the tattoo of his name) like such a good idea … at the time.” And in another case of a romance gone wrong and additionally a celebrity tattoo mistake strikingly similar to Angelina Jolie’s situation was that of the famous actor Johnny Depp. To show his love to Winona Ryder, in 1991 he had “Winona forever” tattooed upon his arm. When he was asked about it then, his response was, “I love Winona. I’m going to love her forever…” Upon their break-up, Johnny Depp had the last two letters of his former love’s name changed from Winona to Wino, resulting in the tattoo becoming “Wino Forever.”

What those two examples goes to show is that there are a lot of people who get tattooed with a design that they’re sure will be relevant to them forever, only to find themselves in situations where that relevancy doesn’t exist anymore, and not just famous people either.  Removing tattoos is not a modern invention; tattoo removal has in fact existed for at least a thousand years. Two methods for removing tattoos were employed; the least used method was by a chemical process that caused the skin to force out the pigment and the more common method, which was by cutting the tattoo out entirely. Both of these processes were potentially very dangerous to the bearer of the tattoo because of the risk of infection and the lack thereof anti-biotic.

One of the chemical processes used was documented in the classic Medicae Artis Principes, written by Aetius of Amida, a physician to the Byzantine Court in 543 C.E. His method for removing tattoos was a mixture of both chemical and Sal abrasive steps. First he applied a mixture of nitre-saltpeter and terebinth resin-turpentine to the tattoo and then covered it up. Days later, he rubbed the area with salt (Sal abrasion), and then followed that step up by another application of the nitre/terebinth resin mix. What this process did was cause a reaction of white blood cell activity in the affected area causing the pigment of the tattoo to rise to the surface. Often the results of this process were somewhat successful, but they also resulted in serious scarring and serious skin discoloration and in many cases, led to other more serious problems.

Since those primitive and barbaric times, the methods of tattoo removal didn’t improve very much until just recently in the last twenty years or so with the advancements in various technologies. Today, there are numerous methods of tattoo removal, a couple of which leave almost no sign that the tattoo ever existed in comparison to some of the older methods of tattoo removal. The method that the physician performing the tattoo removal will use will likely depend upon a few factors such as the size of the tattoo, the age of the tattoo, the patient’s general health as well as the location on the body where the tattoo is. The methods of removing tattoos that are available today are Excision, Tissue expansion, Tannic acid removal, Dermabrasion, Sal abrasion and by Laser. Local aesthetic is required in most of these procedures.

Excision – Tattoo Removal

Excision of a tattoo is essentially just surgical removal of the tattoo, or in plain English, the tattoo is cut right out. Determining whether excision of a tattoo really is the appropriate means of tattoo removal depends upon a few factors such as the size of the tattoo, the health of the patient and the location of the tattoo. Excision is performed by first injecting a local aesthetic to numb the area after which the tattoo is removed surgically. The edges of the cut out area are then brought together and sutured (sewn up). In extreme cases involving large tattoos, a skin graft taken from another part of the body may be necessary. The Excision method can cause severe scarring.
Excision/Tissue Expansion

Another method used to remove tattoos is done by surgically placing a balloon under the flesh of the tattoo in order to stretch it. The balloon is then inflated slowly stretching the skin after which the tattoo is then cut out and then the stretched skin is used to close the area. The result in most cases is a vertical scar.

Dermabrasion – Tattoo Removal

Dermabrasion is performed by first freezing the tattooed area with a local aesthetic and then abrasively taking off the layers of skin until the area of the skin where the tattoo ink is located are removed. The abrasive agent used can be caustic acids, sale abrasion, or using actual sandpaper. Dermabrasion is somewhat ineffective since tattoo ink is in most cases, is too deep into the skin for it to be removed completely. Dermabrasion is known to cause severe scarring and/or permanent discoloration of the affected area resulting in the area becoming more unsightly than the original tattoo ever was.

Sal abrasion – Tattoo Removal

Sal abrasion is an old method that is still used today to remove tattoos. Sal abrasion is performed by first freezing the tattooed area with a local aesthetic and then by applying a solution of water and salt to the tattooed area and then an abrading instrument is aggressively used to abrade the skin until the area where the ink resides is sanded away.

Laser – Tattoo Removal

The relatively recent introduction of lasers into the medical field has been a very important advancement in many areas, including the removal of tattoos, but this method too is not without its problems. The word laser is actually an acronym for the words “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” There isn’t just one type of laser that removes tattoos, but rather several types such as the Co2, Q-switched Nd:Yag, Q-switched Alexandrite and the Q-switched Ruby; each type of laser has its pros and cons.

In order to remove a tattoo by laser, more then one treatment is usually necessary to remove the entire tattoo. To remove the tattoo, the area is first numbed prior to the treatment. The lasers work by emitting pulses of light onto the tattoo breaking up the tattoo pigment in the skin small enough to allow macrophage activity to get rid of the tattoo ink Different tattoo ink colours require different wavelengths of laser light to break up the pigment. Some tattoos need to be treated carefully so that a ghosting effect is not created, which is where the scar is the same shape as the old tattoo. Individuals with darker skin tones may be more prone to what is called post laser discoloration or ghosting where the scar is the same shape as the old tattoo. Every tattoo removal option can possibly result in the formation of keloids (thickened, raised scars) in individuals prone to this condition. Amateur tattoos may require more removal sessions than professionally done tattoos because the pigment was randomly deposited at different levels.

For both the clinician and the patient, eye protection capable of reflecting the colour laser being employed should be used to protect the eyes from damage from even diffuse laser light. Allergic reactions can occur within patients as a result of the effect the laser has upon some inks, especially with mercury (used for red colours), manganese (purples), chromium (greens), cobalt (blues), and cadmium (yellows). Also, significant and sometimes irreversible darkening of tattoo ink may occur, where the pigment is impossible to remove. This has occurred with flesh-coloured, red, tan, and white inks (colours used commonly in cosmetic tattooing.

Regardless of which method of tattoo removal is used, some scarring or colour variations are likely to remain. Healing time varies depending upon the size and depth of the tattoo, the procedure used and the patient’s healing process. A few years ago it cost approximately $10,000 to laser off a fist sized tattoo, today it costs around $500.

###END###

Some of the most popular phrases for Arabic tattoos

Love: ????
Love and Peace: ???? ??? ????
Moon: ???
Fate: ????
Friend: ????
Hope: ????
Good sense, guidance: ????
Compassionate: ????
Spirit: ???
Beauty: ????
Good Luck: ???
Patient: ??????
Pure: ????
Happy, Lucky: ????
Sword of the Faith: ??? ?????
Calmness, Peace: ?????
Brilliance, Radiance, Splendor: ????
Lady, Princess: ????
Lady, Mistress: ?????
Flame: ????
Seeker of Knowledge: ?????
Praise: ????
Lion: ?????
Small Child: ????

“If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart”

“A woman can hide her love for 40 years, but her disgust and anger not for one day”

“Even a one eyed guy will wink at a beautiful woman”

“A fat woman is a blanket for winter”

* A friend is one to whom one can pour out all the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keeping what is worth keeping, and, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.
* After dinner, rest after dinner walk a mile.
* All sunshine makes the desert.
* An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.
* Ask the experienced rather than the learned.
* Blessed is he who speaks a kindness thrice blessed is he who repeats it.
* Do not stand in a place of danger trusting in miracles.
* Dwell not upon thy weariness, thy strength shall be according to the measure of thy desire.
* Examine what is said, not him who speaks.
* He who has health has hope and he who has hope, has everything.
* It is good to know the truth, but it is better to speak of palm trees.
* Live together like brothers and do business like strangers.
* Make your bargain before beginning to plow.
* Never give advice in a crowd.
* The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
* The sinning is the best part of repentance.
* The whisper of a pretty girl can be heard further than the roar of a lion

Rihanna’s Arabic Tattoo

By J Mayhem
Edited: Friday Jan 13 2012

It was only just a handful of decades ago that tattoos were popularly considered to be socially unacceptable, juvenile, and even the mark of a someone of questionable character and values by most of Western society and its ruling institutions which trickled down. This pervasive anti-tattoo mentality was the historical result of the Catholic Pope Hadrian’s prohibition of tattooing altogether within the borders of the former Roman Empire and Christendom, in 787 C. E.

The relatively new and sudden surge in the popularity and acceptance of tattoos in Western society was largely due to the influence that the media had on people and how popular society icon-icized and emulated pop-culture icons, icons such as Janis Joplin and Mick Jagger as just two examples. Young Americans in post Vietnam America did not look up to their politicians , their parents or their religious leaders as examples of who they wanted to emulate, they looked up to the stage of their favorite rock star or on screen at their favorite movie star. In retrospect it was quite a logical and predictable progression of historical events, the more people saw tattoos on their icons in the media, the more the demand for tattoos and tattoo artists rose in direct relative proportion. Tattoos have become so extremely entrenched into all social levels of Western society that everyone from police officers to judges to clergy are tattooed, and to find someone who is not tattooed is becoming rarer and rarer.

A natural result from the increased popularity of tattoos over time has been emergence of trends and sudden increases in the demand for certain types and styles of tattoos, which happen in direct proportion and relation to a pop culture icon getting a particular type or style of tattoo the medias broadcasting it. One of the biggest recent trends of popular tattoo designs has been Hebrew lettering or Biblical phrase tattoo designs very much because of pop icons such as David Beckham and his wife Victoria Posh Spice Beckham, Madonna, and Britney Spears getting them.

The latest celebrity to take a tattoo plunge with a new kind of tattoo is the sexy pop music star Rihanna and she had an Arabic lettering tattoo done on her body. Rihanna got her fifth tattoo inked on her body inked by an anonymous tattoo artist in 2008. The tattoo is located on her ribcage/side area just below her left breast. The tattoo is an Arabic phrase which reads “Al-Hurria fi Al-Maseeh,” and translates approximately to “Freedom in God” or “Freedom in Christ.” Some people have speculated that Rihanna’s Arabic chest tattoo may be misspelled, similar to the incident of her Sanskrit prayer tattoo the Barbados-born babe had inked on her right hip in 2007, but this so called tattooed textual error not been confirmed yet. Whether or not Rihanna’s Arabic tattoo is spelled correctly we still love her music and her good looks.

Sure enough though, tattoo studios all over the world have seen a sudden increase in the demand for Arabic tattoos and they can all thank Rihanna for this and also write checks out to her for the referrals. A natural result of this increased demand for Arabic tattoos is that both customers tattoo artists who are not fluent at all in Arabic are going to collide in some epic incorrect language tattoos without a doubt and we will all be seeing some of these on the Internet sometime soon. Another natural result of the increased demand for Arabic tattoos Worldwide has been the emergence of Arabic translation services and online websites that will translate and create art, but buyer beware.

###END###

Arabs are a Semitic people that originated in Arabia, but today spread across most of Western Asia and North Africa, and many other parts of the world.

There are three distinct forms of Arabic. Classical or Qur’anical Arabic, Formal or Modern Standard Arabic and Spoken or Colloquial Arabic. Classical Arabic is the form of Arabic literally found in the Qur’an. It is used neither in conversation, nor in non-religious writing. As such, Classical Arabic is primarily learned for reading and reciting Islamic religious texts.

The first documented record of written Arabic dates from the early 4th century C.E., its use in the early 7th century as the language of the Qur’an led Arabic to become the major world language that it is today. As Islam spread throughout the world, its chosen language did as well. Coupled with the rise of Islam, Arabic became the language of government as well as religion. Within 100 years after the introduction of the Qur’an, Arabic became the official language of a world empire whose boundaries stretched from the Oxus River in Central Asia to the Atlantic Ocean, and even northward into the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. As Islam continued to spread through the world, Arabic inherently followed.

Tattooing has been practiced in the Middle East for thousands and thousands of years. In fact tattooing in the Middle East predates the Arabic language and the Arab people by many thousands of years.

Arabs are a Semitic people that originated in Arabia, but today spread across most of Western Asia and North Africa, and many other parts of the world.

There are three distinct forms of Arabic. Classical or Qur’anical Arabic, Formal or Modern Standard Arabic and Spoken or Colloquial Arabic. Classical Arabic is the form of Arabic literally found in the Qur’an. It is used neither in conversation, nor in non-religious writing. As such, Classical Arabic is primarily learned for reading and reciting Islamic religious texts.

The first documented record of written Arabic dates from the early 4th century C.E., its use in the early 7th century as the language of the Qur’an led Arabic to become the major world language that it is today. As Islam spread throughout the world, its chosen language did as well. Coupled with the rise of Islam, Arabic became the language of government as well as religion. Within 100 years after the introduction of the Qur’an, Arabic became the official language of a world empire whose boundaries stretched from the Oxus River in Central Asia to the Atlantic Ocean, and even northward into the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. As Islam continued to spread through the world, Arabic inherently followed.

Tattooing has been practiced in the Middle East for thousands and thousands of years. In fact tattooing in the Middle East predates the Arabic language and the Arab people by many thousands of years.

Arabs are a Semitic people that originated in Arabia, but today spread across most of Western Asia and North Africa, and many other parts of the world.

There are three distinct forms of Arabic. Classical or Qur’anical Arabic, Formal or Modern Standard Arabic and Spoken or Colloquial Arabic. Classical Arabic is the form of Arabic literally found in the Qur’an. It is used neither in conversation, nor in non-religious writing. As such, Classical Arabic is primarily learned for reading and reciting Islamic religious texts.

The first documented record of written Arabic dates from the early 4th century C.E., its use in the early 7th century as the language of the Qur’an led Arabic to become the major world language that it is today. As Islam spread throughout the world, its chosen language did as well. Coupled with the rise of Islam, Arabic became the language of government as well as religion. Within 100 years after the introduction of the Qur’an, Arabic became the official language of a world empire whose boundaries stretched from the Oxus River in Central Asia to the Atlantic Ocean, and even northward into the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. As Islam continued to spread through the world, Arabic inherently followed.

Tattooing has been practiced in the Middle East for thousands and thousands of years. In fact tattooing in the Middle East predates the Arabic language and the Arab people by many thousands of years.