"You can have an aggressive design, but you can soften it with colours such as pink," explains Unity owner and director Victoria Marcs.

While some people choose to have their entire scalp covered with a design, others choose a partial design which may be along one side of the head.

Marcs says this is particularly popular with women, who are more sensitive of the environment they're walking into.

"The girls tend to get a c-shape over the ear, so when they're feeling brave they can have their hair to the side to show it or on the other side to cover it up," Marcs says.

"It's a good way to express yourself without the commitment of wearing it for a long time."

People may also opt for the hair tattoo for special occasions, like sports finals, where they want to show allegiance to a team in a unique way that won't last forever.

Marcs explains that designs are created using No 1 and No 2 clippers and shaving in directions that create different colour shades in the hair.

It can be very labour-intensive, with some designs taking up to an hour.

For those wanting colour, pre-lighting is applied beforehand. Black, white and shades of grey add to the illusion of a design being embossed.

Colours have become more daring. All the rage now are atomic turquoise, cotton candy pink and electric lizard.

Marcs believes the demand for hair tattoos has increased in the past six months and most people are leaving it up to the hairdresser to choose which style fits best.

And as most hair tattoo designs wear out within three to four weeks due to regrowth, there's plenty of chance to try a range of patterns.