(Maybe this should be in the Health:Genetics area, where its inspiration, "Symbiotic Chloroplasts," can be found.)
Implant genetically-engineered organisms under the skin. These organisms are "programmed" to provide whatever cool effect you want: psychedelic skin color changes, animated tattoos, chameleon effects, whatever the Dr. Frankenstein brigade can come up with.
Kicker is, these little boogers are dependent upon their host for nutrition-- that is to say, they're parasites. In order to keep themselves going, they siphon off food energy from their hosts. So, not only can you program them to provide astoundingly qool special effects skin; by messing with the energy demand you can program them as a weight-loss aid!
Including "programmed obsolence" (the little guys die after n generations) would minimize the risk of horrifying genetic accidents, enable users to modify or end a weight loss program, and increase resale prospects to boot.-- Uncle Nutsy, Aug 02 2000 Symbiotic Chloroplasts http://www.halfbake...iotic_20CloroplastsThe inspiration for this idea; a way of helping those who need to *gain* weight... [Uncle Nutsy, Aug 02 2000, last modified Oct 05 2004] Tape Worm Weight Loss Pills? http://www.snopes.c...nities/tapeworm.htmWe don't know whether this is true or not. [jutta, Aug 02 2000] Or people could just eat tapeworms...
(I almost wonder why nobody's tried that.)-- egnor, Aug 03 2000 You periodically hear urban legends about weight loss "pills" that are really tapeworm eggs, but legends is all they are. Check out www.snopes.com.
The Living Tattoo Weight Loss Program is superior to tapeworm eggs, though, because it *looks* *cool*.-- Uncle Nutsy, Aug 03 2000 No so bad an idea. Modify the boogers to produce vitamine C or even canabinoids as waste. Then we could feel well or feel good. Don't play around with the tapeworms though; they are bad symbionts and damn hard to evict!-- CButts, Aug 03 2000 Not all that hard, you just need 30 bananas, 29 cookies and a hammer...-- StarChaser, Aug 03 2000 I reckon on a good day, I could manage the bananas and cookies but how do I eat a hammer?-- DrBob, Aug 04 2000 <grin> Eating the cookies and so on is exactly the wrong way to go about it...-- StarChaser, Aug 05 2000 I'd slap a Peltier device on the other side of the tattoo and let it generate power for my embedded Palm Pilot XII...-- koz, Sep 15 2000 yeeeeess, i am liking this. why would there be genetic side effects? the tattoo would not integrate itself with your dna, it would feed on your energy. but to make it truly effective, this tattoo should hunger only for fats. otherwise, it might just turn you into a worthless, exhausted weenie by eating up all of your muscle.-- lyse, Nov 19 2000 random, halfbakery