What's in a tattoo?

id you know the idea of using tattoos as part of shringar, or personal beautification, dates as far as 2000 BC, and was seen on Egyptian and Nubian mummies?

It was a popular practice in ancient Greece, Germany, France and Britain as well.

And now, tattoos and body art are H-O-T in India. So much so that henna, or mehndi as it is known here, has moved out of the traditional purview of weddings, to become a new style expression in the form of temporary tattoos.

In fact, Aishwarya Rai and Shilpa Shetty flirted with temporary tattoos in Shakti and Jung respectively. Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon [inset], though, prefer the permanent variety.

How can we forget the fact that one of the most famous tattoos in the world has an Indian connection? Real Madrid star and England's heartthrob David Beckham broke millions of hearts when he tattooed Victoria, his wife's name, on his left forearm in the Devnagari script. 

Here, a model shows off her tattoo created by tattoo artist Ronni Froberg at the Funky Monkey Tattoo and Design Studio in Mumbai on August 31.

Tattoos are fun all right. But, before you head for the tattoo parlour, here are some basic things to keep in mind:

1. Make sure all the tattoo equipment used is sterilised. They should break open the sealed needles used for tattooing in your presence. After your tattoo is done, make sure the needles are disposed.

2. Your piercing artiste should wear medical gloves. Make sure their ungloved hands do not come in contact with your skin or jewellery.

3. Many piercers use some kind of pen to mark your skin before inserting the needle. This ensures proper placement. Make sure the pens or markers are brand new and trashed after use.

ALSO SEE: Tattoo tales!

Photograph: ROB ELLIOTT/AFP/Getty Images