Currents August 2019 August 2019_Currents Web | Page 18

18 Currents August 2019 > continued from page 16 women is about the same as that of inked men. A few decades ago, women tended to choose small, delicate tattoos. Today, instead, many are opting for larger, more colorful designs on their legs, arms, hands, backs and even necks. Cosmetic tattoos (Note 2) are popular among women who want permanent makeup on their brows, eyes or lips. Most agree that the convenience of not having to apply makeup daily is worth the pain and expense. But such procedures are not without risk, especially infection or mistakes. Sometimes people have tattoo regret - that is, they are sorry that they got inked. If they have visible tat- toos, they may find it hard to get a job. If they gain weight, the tattoos will not look so great. If they have cosmetic tattoos, the makeup may look old fash- ioned. At that point, they have two options. Either live with this “regret,” or have the tattoo removed - an extremely painful and expensive procedure. That is why some people take the safe route and opt for a temporary tattoo - a stick-on decal or even trendy stockings with tattoo patterns. Clearly it’s safer, easier and far less expensive than getting inked. Note 1: The word tattoo also refers to military drum- beat. This, however, comes from the Dutch taptee. Note 2: Mastectomy tattoos are cosmetic tattoos that hide the scars from this operation. These artistic tattoos can help women regain confidence after sur- gery. By: Audrey Smith For Women Only: Essentials for Full Time Floridians So you’ve finally made the big move: instead of two homes, one for each season, you’ve chosen the most sen- continued on page 19 >