http://www.alashock.com/2013/01/video-pics-beauty-treatments-senegal.html

Women in Senegal have taken their quest for beautiful smiles to extreme levels - by tattooing their gums black.

The women say their ancestors have been doing it for years and claim as well as giving a whiter smile, the procedure also protects the gums and stops bad breath.

The procedure was not well known internationally until recently when a video emerged showing a woman called Mariéme who goes under the needle.

More than 17,000 people have watched Mariéme endure the painful process online. Mariéme said she had become 'obsessed' with the idea of getting her gums tattooed in order to achieve the perfect smile.

She pays a woman, who works from her family home, just 80p to tattoo a combination of burnt oil and shea butter into her gums. The mixture is at first pressed onto her gums before a needle is repeatedly pricked into it.

Mariéme bears the pain at first, she is seen pushing the tattooist away in tears when the agony becomes too much.

With the black mixture smeared across her mouth and face, Mariéme is only able to have four of the seven layers she originally intended.

She tells the interviewer: 'It hurts. I would never recommend this torture to anyone.'

Before Mariéme, left, visited the tattooist, right, she had become 'obsessed' with the idea of black gums
However, despite the pain she later says she is more than happy with the results.

After a few days she says: 'It really hurts. I thought I was going to die but I tried to hang on. She added: 'Less and less women are doing this but some are still interested, especially women who are looking for a lover.'


But after the pain subsided Mariéme said she was delighted with the results

why not tattoo her labi.a?
irritating **gush!!!
am outta here

Nothing new here.

Wow! Dentists scarce for Senegal?

Lol, and to think that I have natural black gums and it kinda makes me shy and self conscious esp wen I smile. Pure case of #someHaveFood. Lol

Una too fine.

MADNESS! Even thinking about having a needle pricking my gums terrifies me,sheesh!