Original: The American Academy of Dermatology distinguishes 5 types of tattoos : 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 ; Medical tattoos ; Cosmetic tattoos , also known as '' permanent makeup '' .
Simplified: Tattoos may be made on human or animal skin . Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification , but tattoos on animals are most often used for identification .