If you are a professional in the corporate world and want to get a tattoo done but are afraid that it may seem a bit unprofessional, or if you want to stand out at a party and wish to grab all the attention, a UV tattoo may just be the solution to all you want. The trend of getting UV tattoos hasn't caught pace yet. There may be many reasons for this, like the cost or even the health issues that are related to the use of the ink. For those who are still considerably unaware of what exactly UV tattoos are, let's begin with what a brief description about them and how they differ from other tattoos. Why is this Tattoo Unique? A UV tattoo is also called a black light tattoo. The ink used in this tattoo is a special kind of ink which shows only under black light. It is invisible under regular light like sunlight. The tattoo illuminates only if the person walks into a dark room. This becomes the unique feature of this tattoo. Once applied, it takes close to a year or 18 months to fade away completely. Sometimes, a slight scar like that of a burn may be visible. This kind of tattoo had gathered a lot of attention in the 1990s and was popular in the clubbing arena. Ink Used Most tattoo ink manufacturers have come up with different ink colors. This has brought a lot of variety and people can choose a combination of their favorite colors, and do not have to restrict themselves to just white or blue, which are the standard colors for a UV tattoo. The ink used for such tattoos is thinner as compared to the ink used in regular tattoos. Risks You should make sure you get the tattoo done by an experienced tattoo artist who can give you a proper guidance to choose a design best suited for this form of tattoo. He can also help you with the placement and the post tattoo care as well. A major concern, not only among the people who wish to get a UV tattoo done, but also among the tattoo artists, is that of the safety related to the ink. The ink could be carcinogenic or may cause allergic reactions. The major health concern comes from the presence of phosphorous in the UV ink. This chemical is known to cause blisters, pain and other skin irritations and allergies. Some tattoo artists are of the opinion that the skin problems are not due to phosphorous, but this is a debatable issue. There is no 100% health safety when it comes to UV tattoos. Make sure your tattoo artist is using UV ink approved by the FDA. Another factor is the possibility that the tattoo might fade away in time and appear brown or gray in color. In such cases, the tattoo becomes visible even in normal light and doesn't look very pleasant. Reaction to tanning is another concern. Cost If you want to get a UV tattoo done then you should be ready to shell out some extra cash. This is because its ink is costlier than regular tattoo ink. Since such an ink is thinner, it is difficult to handle and the tattoo artist has to be extremely cautious. The process is time-consuming as the tattoo artist has to constantly keep checking the design under a black light. Designs You can either have a complete UV tattoo which will be invisible or have a regular tattoo outlined or filled in with the UV ink. The latter option is like having two tattoos in one! The regular tattoo will be visible at all times, and parts with UV ink will glow only under black light. Such tattoos usually have bold designs as they can be seen only on occasions where it is exposed to darkness, such as in parties or clubs where you would want to make a statement. The temporal arm design and dragon tattoos are popular designs for UV tattoos. Tribal tattoos in UV ink also have an amazing effect. Getting small UV wrist tattoos or ankle tattoos are a good option as well. Name tattoos on wrists are also gaining a lot of popularity. Simple tattoos like stars, angels and the like can just have an outline of UV ink which will add that dash of zing to it. A simple outline with UV ink has the capacity to entirely transform a regular tattoo. You will definitely stand out in the crowd at parties and clubs with a UV tattoo. So get ready for all the attention!