More high school and college students are going to places filled with needles, surgical supplies, and a machine with a high-pitched whir of a dentist's drill.

John Casuli, manager of Planet New York, said that if this growing trend around tattoos and body piercing continues, eventually people in the professional world will have some marking or hole on their body that wasn't originally there.

"It's guaranteed that you will go into a board meeting at IBM or AT&T and the CEO would have that piercing or tattoo," he said.

The art of tattoos dates as far back as ancient Egypt, when women had geometric dots, dashes, and lines tattooed or even burnt on their bodies. Reasons have changed over the centuries and now many kids consider this ancient art trendy. Casuli pointed out that kids watch television and notice what clothes, cars, and even the piercing or tattoos their favorite singer has.

"60 percent look at it like it's an accessory," he said. He added, "People are going to want to emulate their pop idols."

Casuli speculated that the other 40 percent get tattoos for the similar reason that he got his.

"It's representing a period of time in my life," he said. "It's as permanent as a thought or memory; it's for everybody to see."

Casuli's tattoos, which are located on both his arms, can be easily covered but some people are getting tattoos in more abstract places like the neck and face.

In an online article posted on September 8, 2003 by foxnews.com, health experts said that people who perform extreme tattooing and piercing might suffer from undiagnosed psychological issues. Jerry Terwilliger, owner of Planet New York agreed and disagreed with this statement.

He said there is a problem "if you're doing it for absolutely no reason." He then explained that both extreme tattooing and body piercing is reminiscent of the "sideshow lifestyle." He explained that among these people there was a sense of unity with their uniqueness.

"It was like a community," he said.

Casuli said that with the growing trend of kids wanting to get tattooed and pierced, there are more businesses opening up but the conditions of these places are not regulated. Casuli explained that it costs a lot of money to sterilize the equipment so some businesses cut corners.

"Anybody who buys a tattoo kit can open a shop," he said.

Casuli said a person should inspect a place and meet the staff before getting a tattoo or piercing there. He also said that the staff has to be cautious because they are at risk of infection too.

"We (Planet New York) make it like it's a medical doctor's office," he said. "We treat everybody like they have AIDS."

Casuli said that Planet New York would not tattoo the face, neck, hands, or any other part of the body that cannot be covered in some way. He pointed out that what seems like a good idea at the time could brand a person for life.

"You don't know what you are going to do for the rest of your life," he said.

Piercing, which is more popular in places like the eyebrow, tongue, lower lip, nose and ears are removable but certain piercing can leave scars, depending on how it is removed and what type of piercing.

Another recent trend is kids who taper their earlobes. This process makes the hole in their ear bigger buy inserting jewelry called flesh tunnels or plugs, which gradually stretches the hole.

Others are trying surface piercing where jewelry is inserted right under the skin so it is still visible. Madison piercing is a type of surface piercing through skin in the back of the neck above the collarbone. Casuli said that there are still a low percentage of people who are doing this and should remain low.

However, Dale Orman, owner of Crawling Squid Tattoos in Phoenix, stated in an article in The Arizona Republic that it is impossible to tell where the trends will go.

"Now the big thing is women wanting tribal designs on their lower backs," he said. "Ten years ago, I wouldn't have believed that was possible."