Every fad has a trend, but in most cases the repercussions of following along are not permanent. The tattoo industry has become much larger, stronger and, most importantly, accepted in recent years. With the growing industry, comes a learning process that both artists and customers must go through.

According to the National Post, 23 percent of Americans have at least one tattoo. Of that percentage, 17 percent regret their tattoo. Every customer’s worst fear is to dislike what they have put on their skin. Many times, it can be avoided by putting research into artists, image designs and placement of the tattoo.

Campustown has three shops located on Welch Avenue: The Asylum, Jaded Angel and Lasting Impressions. All three locations agree that the most tattooed design this year has been the infinity knot symbol with variations having a single word placed in the knot.

“Lately this season, infinity symbols with words. Whatever word you want, pick a word,” said Bob Parr, of Jaded Angel. “It’s almost to ad nauseum, where you’re like sick of it. Next time someone asks for an infinity symbol, I’ll just be like really?”

Clint “Hot Rod” Sletten, of the Asylum, said that script will never go out of style as it holds the most meaning in a simple way. Some other common designs are feathers or trees breaking away into birds, anchors, dream catchers and simple swallows.

“Script has always been popular and always will be,” Clint said.

Another style that has been popular this last year is black light ink. Black light ink was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1995, but it has not been common until the last couple years. It is a difficult type of tattoo to keep looking fresh, but it is good for highlights on an already existing tattoo, Sletten said.

Placement is an important element of any tattoo design, and Sletten will not tattoo palms or the bottoms of feet. His reasoning behind refusing to do so is because of the fading process. Sletten has a tattoo on his palm that he received within the last six months, and and already parts of it have faded out entirely.

Parr and Sletten agree that social media has a huge effect on trending tattoos. Sletten said that every day someone comes in with an image off of Pinterest.

“Everybody gets tattoos on their ribs,” Sletten said. “I have refused to do tattoos in certain places or without changing the artwork somewhat to make it look better.”

 “The artistic value of tattooing is sky rocketing. People are expressing themselves, and it pushes it to a new level and it’s becoming more accepted,” said Brandon Kolb, of Lasting Impressions, on the industry growing. “You owe it to yourself to do your research and find what’s right for you.”