In 1991 the "ice man" made headlines around the world as his frozen body was discovered on a mountain between Austria and Italy. The "ice man" dated back more than 5,000 years, and yet he had 57 tattoos covering his body.

And now, as our Maggie Crane shows us on this "Maggie Monday," tattooing has become mainstream.

She's only been 18 for five months and already Megan Schmidt is inking in her third tattoo. She says it's addicting.

"The first one I got is a cross on back. That's dedicated to my faith -- I'm a protestant Christian. Then on my hip bone, I've got a key to represent chastity," Schmidt says.

Tattoo artist Mark Weston works on Megan's ankle -- an ode to old friend.

"I'm getting a memorial for my dog Sheba who just recently died," Schmidt says.

Crosses and memorials are the top two tattoos Mark says he permanently paints into people.

"You can wear a cross on your neck, but you can also take it off," Schmidt says of why she has chosen to make her cross permanent.

There's not much Mark won't do, but he does have some advice on what he says you shouldn't do.

"Names -- girlfriend's names, wife's names -- I always felt like that was a jinx," Weston says.

A tattoo breaks the skin, blotting ink into the dermis and that's where nerve endings are.

"The bigger they are, the more they cry," Weston says. "Women definitely handle the whole process a whole lot better than guys do!"

But on a serious note, Mark makes sure his shop is sterile to avoid infection.

"It's really gone mainstream now -- it's not the back alley kind of thing that it used to be. I have quite a few customers that are well over 60 years old and have come in and are having tattoos done," Weston says.

Creating artwork is the first step to getting a tattoo.

The tattoo machine works like a magnet, pushing and pulling the needles in and out of someone's skin at the rate of 300 times per minute, and each gun can contain anywhere from three to 30 needles all at once.

Mark gets a buzz out of his artistry.

"It's probably the biggest type of flattery to have somebody who wants my art work on their body for the rest of their life," Weston says.

Even if it is a pain for the permanent pleasure a tattoo brings to some.

"It's kind of like after you get a wasp sting and like if you scratch at it it kind of burns a little bit, but that's about the most intense factor in it," Schmidt says. "Plus, tattoos wouldn't be worth it if they didn't have a little bit of pain."

Now if you like tattoos but can't have them because of work or fear of what you're family might think, get this -- Weston has new ink that is invisible! It only shows up under black light.

Mark says in addition to permanent make up, the latest tattoo people have been coming in for are permanent medical i.d. bracelets -- like those for diabetics or people with pace-makers.

Mark's Englewood shop is called Artistry Concepts. You can reach him at 941.681.2157.

If you have an idea for "Maggie Monday," tell her about it at maggie.crane@winktv.com.