The pungent aroma in a Los Angeles salon called Puncture is reminiscent of burnt popcorn. "That is a hell of a smell!" yelps Daren Gardner, 28, whose lanky body lies quivering on a medical-examination table. The odor is actually coming from Gardner's skin, as he submits to the latest trend catching on among tattoo and piercing devotees: branding. Body artist Todd Murray torches a small square of stainless steel using a propane flame, then lines up his shot like a pool shark with a cue, swiftly applying the red-hot metal in what's called a "kiss of fire," one of 10 strikes...
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