Getting a Tattoo (What to Know)
- Aubrey Rose
- Sep 2, 2017
- 3 min read
It seems nowadays, to have a visible tattoo is to become an instant topic of conversation. Some will start a negative rant on the reasons why people shouldn't "scar" their body and others will rant and rave about how cool and novelty they are. I respect the opinions of those who disagree with me, but I rather think of them as ever-present tags of self expression.
Of course, I have a tattoo, so I am a bit biased- but obviously my opinion was the same beforehand.
Now, I'm not here to convince anyone of anything- but if you are absolutely against tattoos, you may not particularly like this post. If you would like to learn a bit about them, then this is the perfect post to read!
As you all can see from just about every photo I have representing my name, I have a tattoo of three roses. The sentiment simply came from my love for the flower and for the three colors with which I had them decorated: purple, pink and blue.
This was all I wanted for my eighteenth birthday, so my mom brought me in to her tattoo artist Matt Tarkman (if you like the piece he did on me and you live in the bay area, I HIGHLY recommend checking him out: https://www.mttattoos.com/video)
He had this done for me the day before I graduated (TIP: do NOT do this) and two days before my flight to Paris (TIP: DON'T do this either!)
Now, if you're younger or older and are planning on getting a tattoo, here are some things that I think you should know.
DURING
1. It HURTS- Now, don't let that scare you away. For first tattoos, I recommend looking for the least sensitive spot possible so that you can make it all the way through your session. I got mine done on my shoulder in full color, so some parts hurt worse than others. The beginning is not usually as bad as the end.
2. If you can't take it anymore, SPEAK UP- This is a really important thing to know, particularly if you are not generally good at dealing with pain. I held up surprisingly well, but after 3 and a half hours I almost passed out. So, if you reach a point where you feel physically out of it to the point of losing consciousness, let someone know. You can always go back to finish it later.
3. You won't be able to talk- After a short time, I could not get myself to speak. Maybe some will be more lucky, however it is common among people getting tattooed to silence; your body's first instinct is to run from pain, so your entire system does not know how to handle deliberate pain. This causes your entire body to seize up. Do not try to move, you may mess up the artwork.
AFTER CARE
1. Your skin WILL peel- It doesn't matter how much you slather it in lotion, your skin is going to peel. This is normal, tattoos are healing wounds so, don't freak out. It is however very important to note that you should not pick at the peeling skin. This will irritate the wound even more and pull out some of the fresh color. It's totally tempting, I know, but DON'T DO IT!
2. ALWAYS carry lotion with you- Your tattoo artist will tell you to take only his advice, so listen to his/her/their suggestions. My artist required Lubriderm, as it is not odored, nor will it pull the color from your skin.
3. WASH with your hand- The number one detail in washing that you should always remember is to wash your tattoo with antibacterial soap or sanitizer while your tattoo is healing. This prevents infection and of course the irritation that bar and smelly soap can cause.
4. Neosporin PULLS COLOR OUT- Some artists may recommend using Neopsorin or other antibiotic ointments. While this can help your skin to heal, it puts your tattoo's color at risk. Since I had to graduate with a fresh wound on my shoulder, I thought that covering it with Neosporin and a plastic wrap would help
5. COVERAGE- Do you want your tattoo to last as long as possible? Cover it, especially after just having gotten it done. You'll probably still need a touch up at some point, but better to deal with that later if you can.
Just an extra tip: please check your SPELLING
If you give your artist something that is spelled wrong it is YOUR fault. He/she/they assume that you are providing an accurate reference, and their job is not to check your spelling. Save yourself the embarassement of a misspelled tattoo and just double check yourself! Some documentation of my tattoo experience:
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