Were you ever bitten by the "Rihanna-inspired" star series tattoo craze? As of a few years ago, it took like wildfire with teens and young adults who flocked to parlors across the country to get ink outlines of celestial bodies either behind the ear, down the neck or even sometimes under the breast.

In today's society, self-expression is highly celebrated. The phenomenon crosses gender, age, cultural, and religious lines and is a staple of modern day celebrities. Tattoos are the most prevalent seen forms of supposed self-expression amongst individuals. But, how self-expressive is it when the general population seem to be mirroring tattoos of their favorite tatted celebrities like a Rihanna, an Angelina Jolie or a Lil Wayne?

They may range from small words, quotes, or symbols like the "Know Your Rights" tattoo on Jolie to elaborate murals placed any and everywhere on one's body like say a Rick Ross who bears a mural of dead presidents.

On average a tattoo can range from $50 - $1000, depending on the size and detail of the tattoo. The placement of one's tattoo can affect the price because certain parts of the body are harder to tattoo. The reasons for getting one are varied. Could be plain old vanity of youth or it may be more hallowed like honoring a loved one or paying homage to one's passions.

In New York alone, it is rare to take a subway ride without noticing that half of the riders bear a tattoo. An estimated 1,400 licensed tattoo artists reside in the state, thus no lack exists in finding somewhere to get one.

Reality TV has capitalized on the tattoo industry. A & E currently runs the show Inked on their network, which follows the drama of tattoo parlor Hart& Huntington located in the lobby of a Las Vegas hotel. The show has garnered rave reviews and signed on for a new season. In fact, the trend is so popular in the U.S. that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated that as many as 45 million Americans have tattoos.

Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice since Neolithic times. "Ötzi the Iceman," dated circa 3300 BC, bore 57 separate tattoos: a cross on the inside of the left knee, six straight lines 15 centimeters long above the kidneys and numerous small parallel lines along the lumbar, legs and the ankles.

In ancient China, however, tattoos were often been associated with criminals and bandits since at least Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC to 256 BC). Tattooing Chinese character "Prisoner" (囚) or other characters on convicts' or slaves' faces was a practice until the last dynasty Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1912).

As the tattoo trend steadily grows in modern times, is there a negative stigma connected to tatted guys and gals? How does the workforce embrace the ever popular trend? Will a tattooed person have to always be covered to obtain and keep a job? Are certain jobs just out of reach because of a chosen piece of body art? Do employers view tattoos as a red flag and an instant judge of character? An even greater question, however, might be: do people even ever consider any of these when getting a tattoo?

The poll done by the FDA also revealed that 17 percent of Americans with tattoos regretted ever getting them. These regrets over getting a tattoo has sparked another thriving industry: the tattoo removal industry.

The most common method of removal today is laser removal. The laser removal method takes multiple sessions to be successful and may run anywhere between $250 -$850 per session. Another highly used method is intensed pulse light therapy(IPL), considered to be a dermal enhancer. Laser removal and IPL's are both painful procedures, with IPLs being a little less severe. The markings and scars left on one's skin after use are sometimes worse than if the tattoo remained. Other medical methods which were the grandfathers of laser removal are dermabrasion and excision. The skin was either sanded away or cut away respectively in these older methods, said to be highly painful and ineffective. The last resort which happens to be the least expensive of all are at home removal creams. A person's supply of cream inevitably has to be replenished periodically, thus money is still exhausted.

Angelina Jolie once wore an Asian dragon tattoo and later added the name of her second husband Billy Bob Thornton above it. She had it removed after they broke up.

In an interview during the time of the tattoo removal procedure she said: "I'll never be stupid enough to have a man's name tattooed on me again."

It took 5 visits to the tattoo removal clinic to erase the dragon and you can still see it a bit.

For the most part, a tattoo is a permanent fixture on one's body that will remain until death, ergo thoughtful consideration should be employed before getting one.

Natasha Anderson of the Bronx spoke about why she got her first tattoo at age 22.

"I thought about getting one since I was 18. It's a cross with a path of thorns on my left ankle. At first, I wanted a tattoo because I thought it was cool," she said. "Then I began to realize it was permanent and I should really think about it and make sure the tattoo meant something to me. I also wanted to be comfortable with knowing I was permanently marking my body. I took a few months to actually go through with it because I wanted to research as far as diseases and other negatives that can occur from getting a bad tattoo."

Her career in social services is not impacted by her choice, said Anderson, because her tattoo is not big or noticeable and can easily be covered by a pair of pants.

"Many youth today have tats all over their necks, arms, legs, faces and in places that makes them susceptible to discrimination issues in the "white collar" workplace in the future. Even as a person with a tattoo I would not want to employ anyone with visible tattoos all over their bodies. It can look unprofessional," said Anderson.

Preconceived notions and stigmas are realities of life. Albeit not fair, they may be brought on by our very actions.

For some people, the motivation for a tattoo or body art often trumps any future consequence because of the profound meaning it may have for a person.

Farran Bivins of New Jersey currently has three tattoos - one is about her passion for music, the second is in honor of her grandfather and the third is representative of the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes.

"My [tattoo] is a reminder to stand for what I believe and of the legacy my [grandfather] left for us of undying love dedication for his family and those he loved. To love people beyond sin, the exterior, and realizing that love never fails," said Bivins.

Troy Harrison of Harlem got his first tattoo in 2007 in remembrance of his father's passing: a simple five letter word 'SQUID,' a nickname he was affectionately known by. Harrison admits in hindsight he did it in the "heat of the moment" as a way of grieving.

Harrison's mother passed away a year later and he honored her by tattooing her first name on his forearm. His remaining tattoos came out of a desire to add more design to his body that he perceived as "cool" and had "significant meaning," such as lyrics to a Chris Brown song.

Harrison also believes that his tattoos can be hidden by a long sleeve collared shirt, thus when wearig a suit no one would be able to tell he has any. He worked for a period of time in Starbucks as a barista and could not show any tattoos. As a result, he could not wear any short sleeved shirts, which was an inconvenience and discomfort.

While for some, career consequences may not be enough to hinder someone from getting a tattoo, but what about moral implications? Ethics and convictions govern how we live our lives. Should it play a role in what we do with or to our bodies?

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, a common verse of scripture is used to argue against tattoos.

In Leviticus 19:28 it says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord."

These words were instructions for the children of Israel, which many adhere to today, for not being inked. Many believe that the underlying message of the scripture is that our bodies are ultimately not ours but belong to God.

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)

The morality of tattoos is a debate that will continue to have opposing views, especially when the tattoo itself is meant to honor God.

Glen Jenkins of the Bronx does not believe one should get a tattoo mainly because he prescribes to the 1 Corinthians 6:19 scripture that about a body being a temple.

"Today we call temples churches and I would not tag up on a church. I don't think people will go to hell for having or getting tats unless they were convicted by the Holy Spirit. Then that would make them disobedient and that is a sin," said Jenkins. "I believe God made us just the way he wanted us, I have birthmarks and I'm good. I also believe we shouldn't just take on stuff without knowing its origin or meaning. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, ""I have the right to do anything," you say-but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"-but not everything is constructive."

Although not spoken of much, a few health risks do exist when getting a tattoo.

Tattoos can result in health complications like allergic reactions to the ink, serious infections if proper tools or sanitizing are not present and chronic diseases such as hepatitis. Having a tattoo may cause anxiety or even depression due to the stereotypes perceived of folks who have tattoos.

Tattoos attached to certain gangs or affiliations also prove hard to disassociate from once a person is no longer a part. 

In the midst of honoring deceased family members, encouraging mantras, and possibilities of stigmatization, does having a tattoo add any value to one's life?

Tristan Green of Queens who has a tattoo to express his love for music rather believes his tattoo "speaks volumes of who I am and what I've been through."

Harrison agrees that the value of a tattoo may need more analysis.

"In a verb tense, no; having tattoos did not add any monetary value to my life. It is actually very costly. However, as a noun, tattoos have given me something of value. Every day I am reminded of the things that mean the most to me. It is like a daily dose of encouragement or an everyday "wake up call," he said.

Trends of the day come and go like the wind.

Whether young or old, we must consider the totality of these trends if we choose to partake. The choices we make today very much shape those we have to make in the future. Thus, it behooves us to make wise decisions now, so we do not have to pay for them later.

Next time the itch to get a tattoo of your favorite animal or star arises, take time to weigh all options and outcomes before proceeding.