Who doesn’t love a good bargain? There is a particular kind of thrill that only finding a 50% sale on that pair of shoes you wanted can give. But if I offered you an iPhone 16 Pro for Rs 20,000, would you take it without thinking, "What’s the catch?”

We all have different price scales for different items. For some products, we readily accept that the price can only be so low before alarm bells start ringing. But for others, we need to check (perhaps even triple check) if it is indeed the ""best price"". It doesn’t matter if both items require the same measure of investment, we pay based on the perceived value of something. Nobody would bargain for a hospital bill. But we would for a tattoo. After all, poor quality healthcare can kill you. Tattoos are only for emotional expressions or external beautification, right?

In this episode, we enter the $2 billion tattoo industry in India with tattoo artist Lokesh Verma and discover how a tattoo gone wrong can impact your well-being. This is more than doodles on the skin; it is a permanent mark that, if done wrong, can lead to severe infections and scar your confidence and professional ambitions. Having worked as an artist for over two decades and founded one of the country’s most ethical and skilled tattoo studios, Devilz Tattooz, Verma is legendary. (Note: He will insist on the contrary. But I stand by my research. I'd insert a smiley face here, but won't that look unprofessional?)

For anyone who wishes to get a tattoo, this episode will answer it all—from safety concerns and preparation for your session to tattoo aftercare advice. For anyone who already has one and is worrying if they’ll get ripped apart in the MRI soon, this is a chance to discover how safe the ink put on you might have been. For all others, hear this discussion to go on an exploration of the inner self: how body art and other healing mediums like it can soothe the scars of grief, counter the damage done by bullies and help you make friends with your insecurities.

Tune in to discover why our tattoo industry is in desperate need of hygiene regulations, how to find an artist who will bring your wildest dreams to life and if you should be excited or deeply suspicious if someone offers you a tattoo sleeve for the special price of Rs 5000 only (GST included).

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound mix by Nitin Rawat