The number of people getting tattoos seems to be increasing. According to the most recent Harris Poll, conducted in the summer of 2007, approximately 40% of Americans aged 25 to 40 have at least one tattoo, compared to 3% 20 years ago (Hawkes, Senn and Thorn, 2004). The growing popularity of tattooing is evident when comparing these findings with Life magazine's 1936 estimate that 10 million Americans, or approximately 6% of the population, had a tattoo (Swan, 2011). According to Kang and Jones (2007), tattooing is particularly popular among adolescents and college students. In an age where young people are looking to assert their independence, tattoos can be a way to anchor their identity in a seemingly changing and uncertain world. Tattooing has a long history; Tattooing was thought to be primarily an ancient Egyptian practice dating from around 2000 BC (Nadler, 1983). It was introduced to the New World in 1769 by sailors returning from their voyages in the South Pacific (Post, 1968; Sanders, 1991). The practice of tattooing became more widespread and socially acceptable in the Western world after this time (Sanders, 1991). In ancient times, tattooing was a projection of Jungian psychological elements, which were used on sacred symbols, on the self, as a manifestation of self-expression coinciding with a decline in traditional religious adherence (Mercury, 2000 ). Piercing has almost as long a history as tattooing. It was practiced by the Egyptian pharaohs, the Mayans and the Romans (Armstrong, 1996). Body piercing is sometimes studied alongside tattooing, in part because tattooed people often have piercings (Buhrich, 1983; Frederick and Bradley, 2000). For women, ear piercing is now considered common practice, but piercing the eyebrows, nose, cheeks, or other areas seems to symbolize the person's disaffection with society, much like tattooing (Sanders, 1988). Concerning piercings, 69.7% of women compared to 28.2% of men reported having them (Huxley & Grogan, 2005). The gender difference was significant. One way for a woman to be playful, cross boundaries, or develop a sexual identity is to have her navel, nipple, and nose pierced (Saunders & Armstrong, 2005). Piercing can also draw attention to areas that the woman wants attention to. Risky piercing may reinforce the desire to use the piercing for sexual attention. It may be that women are pierced more for reasons of rebellion and men are more pierced for reasons of personal identity (Caliendo, Armstrong and Roberts)., 2005).