No matter how cool a hair style is, no matter how good it looks on you, would you really want to have the same hair style from age 18 to death? A tattoo, that may be so cool at 18, but it will lose its appeal long before the ink begins to fade, if it ever does.

My nephew got a little lost at the crucial age of 18. He joined an extreme religion and to prove his membership and commitment got intricate tattoos all over his neck. He was so proud of these, much to his mothers horror, and wore clothing so that all the tattoos showed every day. He was 18, on top of the world and had to prove it to the world. This was good and life progressed just fine for another five years. Then something happened that changed his life forever. He unexpectedly became a father. He started to grow up, he had responsibilities, he had commitments. Looking for a job other than an auto detailer became a goal of his. He wanted a career, he desired stability.

His search was in vain as he had marked and ingrained on his body his past life with its myriad of social implications. He started to wear lots of necklaces, leather bands wrapped round and round his neck in hopes of hiding those tattoos he once was so proud of. Nothing worked until he underwent tattoo removal, expensive and somewhat painful. Not as painful as the the reality of those past decisions permanently etched on his body. It was a great choice, life changing. He now holds a respectable job and has moved on with his life. Nobody wants the same hairstyle for 60 years. Nobody wants their past imbedded on their skin.