Getting a New Tattoo?

For a lot of people, the biggest obstacle to overcome when deciding whether or not to get a tattoo is the pain or the fear factor. Does it really hurt that bad? Yes it does hurt and depending on how much color or shading you're getting it can really hurt. The place on the body also has a lot to do with it, if your getting your tattoo on a place such as the neck, spine, wrists, or ankles it can be very painful. Basically parts of your body that are not covered up by tough skin and fat will hurt, also if you have a generally low body fat percentage it will most likely hurt because there is nothing to cushion your muscles from the shock of the needle. Is it worth it? I would say yes depending on what you're getting and the reasoning behind it, I personally have two tattoo's one of a 1956 Chevy and one of a stack of transmission gears. What can you do to reduce the level of pain during the procedure? Well drinking is not advised before getting a tattoo because it thins your blood and makes you more likely to bleed a lot, however if you can get a hold of some prescription pain pills or you have some lying around I would heavily suggest taking them before getting a tattoo.

Maybe you can get a tattoo, but should you? It all just depends if it will be socially acceptable for you. Will your family approve? Remember you still have to live with them. Can you cover it up while you're at work if you have a professional type job? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself before you get a tattoo.

Choosing a design that you will be happy with for the rest of your life can be quite a challenge. Will what you're into now be the same thing that interests you in years to come, remember you have to live with this decision the rest of your life unless you think that laser removal is an option down the road; but I'll tell you right now it's supposedly twice as painful as getting the tattoo in the first place and requires many treatments.

Choosing the right artist and the right studio go hand in hand. A wonderful artist is worthless if the shop's sanitation practices are horrible, the last thing you're going to want is to pick up a blood borne disease or infection when getting a tattoo. Make sure all tattoo artists are wearing gloves and take notice if they're removing all of their needles and disposable tattoo materials from plastic wrappings, just hang out for a while and watch what they do. If your gut tells you something's wrong with the way they tattoo then it probably is. Likewise, a super clean shop doesn't make up for an artist that has poor abilities.

Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason, to keep air borne bacteria from infecting your wound. Even though you want to show off your brand new tattoo to everyone you can you should refrain until it has started healing. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infections. Leave the bandage on for a four to five hours. Avoid doing things that can potentially scar you worse than the tattoo after you get it, if you're a mechanic and you want to get a tattoo on your arms then you need to try and do it by taking off on a Friday so it has a little time to heal till Monday and just generally avoid doing anything that could potentially put pressure and/or damage your new tattoo.

You can get it wet (and should) by showering with your new tattoo. It's okay to get your tattoo wet, just don't soak it. Submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, so you'll want to avoid those for two to three weeks; but showering is perfectly fine as long as you don't saturate your tattoo with water too much. If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, just remove it quickly with water and do not scrub it even when it becomes scabby and peely; just let it be. You should refrain from swimming in a pool or the ocean for a minimum of two weeks. The only other thing you need to know is that after you remove the bandage you should use a lotion like Lubriderm to moisturize the tattoo as they have a tendency to dry out, just keep some lotion handy and put it on every 4 hours or so, and that's all you really need to know about getting a tattoo. Once you make your decision to get a tattoo you'll belong to a whole new community of people from mild to wild.