Concerned that some professional football players may be sporting gang-related tattoos, the NFL is calling in people who are experts in reading the meanings of body ink, CBS Sports . Tattoos may be skin deep, but their significance sometimes goes deeper. The messages sent by body art are an individual's self-expression, but there are recurring motifs that can often tell you something about the wearer. Barbed wire can a stint in prison. A red rose is often a of romance. With a little guidance, reading someone's tattoos can be like interpreting someone's dreams. The theme has been explored time and again, most notably in Ray Bradbury's 1951 short story collection The Illustrated Man. "Tattoo collectors often wear art that speaks to them personally," explains Marisa Kakoulas of , "whether it be their culture, religion, even tributes to loved ones." We asked Marisa to give us her interpretations of a few of the more obscure skin designs:

A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment.

Types of tattoos

The American Academy of Dermatology distinguishes five types of tattoos:^[5] traumatic tattoos, also called "natural tattoos", that result from injuries, especially asphalt from road injuries or pencil lead; amateur tattoos; professional tattoos, both via traditional methods and modern tattoo machines; cosmetic tattoos, also known as "permanent makeup"; and medical tattoos.