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By infmom, September 5, 2009 1:04 pm

An online friend is in the process of getting his first tattoo.  It’s a lovely retro pinup design, with some nifty modern elements, and it covers most of his upper arm.  It will take more than one session to complete.

I think he’s very brave for starting out with such a large design.  It’s hard to tell how one will react to the process of getting inked, and if one is committed to something that covers a fair amount of surface area for a first tattoo, one might be in for a far harder time of it than if one had chosen a smaller design to start out with.  However, obviously each person’s reaction to the inking process is unique.

When I went to get my first tattoo, the artist, seeing someone’s middle-aged mom in the chair and being understandably cautious, drew a line on my skin with an un-inked needle first, to show me what it was going to feel like. When I told him I’d be OK with it, then he went ahead with the rest.  And truthfully, the only part that made me say “OUCH!” was when he was doing the little dots of color that surround the stars.  The rest wasn’t anything I couldn’t easily handle.

Now, if I’d decided to start out with my ankle tattoo, which hurt like the dickens, I might not have gone back for any more ink.   I had a really amazing endorphin rush after the second ankle inking was done, and walked around on cloud nine for a long time afterwards–but that didn’t negate the fact that it hurt like the dickens while it was being done!

There are tons of blog entries about people’s experiences with tattoos and how much they hurt.  I’ve written a few myself (like this one here).  And the ever helpful About.com site has a very helpful article that anyone doing research should make sure to read.  But in the end, only the individual getting the ink is going to know whether the pain today is worth the pleasure tomorrow.

Am I being too cautious to suggest starting out with a small design first?  What if someone only wants the one tattoo?  (OK, most of us know that ink is addictive, but there are some people for whom one tattoo is enough.)  What’s your opinion?

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By infmom, June 28, 2009 11:43 am

So, your new tattoo is finished, and you’ve looked at it in the mirror and you and the artist are both happy with it.  Now what?

It may help to remember that you’ve just created a wound in your skin.  It’s more attractive than falling down and skinning your knee, to be sure, but it’s still damage done to your epidermis by lots and lots of needle punctures, so you need to take care of it so that it will heal promptly and properly.

Do not let the artist slap plastic wrap over it.  This is the most essential thing to remember.  Your skin will be weeping fluid and ink and debris, and you do not want that stuff trapped next to the surface where it will provide prime real estate for germs.  Make sure you get a bandage or a large sterile gauze pad, and if possible, ask the artist to use paper tape to attach it to your skin.  Many people develop allergies to standard adhesive tape, and keeping it away from a fresh opening in your skin is a sensible precaution.

You will be tempted to peel off the bandaging as soon as possible so that you can look at your new ink, but don’t do it.  You will have plenty of time to look at it later, and you want it to heal properly so it will look good forever.  Many artists advise leaving the bandage on for several hours, then taking it off and washing the skin with a gentle soap or cleaner and warm water.  My own recommendation, based on my experiences, is that you want to leave the bandage on till the next morning.  Your skin will continue to weep overnight and you don’t want to get stuck to your sleeper or your sheets.

Once the bandage is off (you can soak it in warm water if it’s stuck) then wash the skin very, very gently.  Some people recommend liquid skin cleansers or body wash, but I’d go with soap that has the fewest extra ingredients in it.  You don’t want to cause any irritation at this point.  Pat the skin dry very, very gently with a soft towel.  Let it air dry for a few minutes after that.

Then, you will need to apply your artist’s protective coating of choice.  Many artists advise against using anything containing petroleum jelly (Vaseline).  Some artists take the alternate approach and advise using A&D Ointment.  Some recommend a particular brand of lotion.  Others call for tattoo-specific aftercare products like Tattoo Goo or Black Cat.  (Burt’s Bees Hand Salve contains almost the same ingredients as Tattoo Goo, and I’ve used that very successfully.)

Listen to your artist.  He or she has years of experience with the products he/she recommends.  Follow the artist’s instructions.  You are going to be applying some kind of protective coating to your skin for quite a while, so be sure that if your tattoo is under clothing, it’s clothing that won’t show stains.  I went to the thrift store and bought several lightweight, loose-fitting, front-buttoning blouses in highly patterned fabric before I got my back piece done.  They did not show ink stains and I could simply discard them when the healing process was complete.  This was important, because I had a job that involved meeting the public every day and I needed to look professional and still let my ink heal.

The tattoo will scab over (remember, it’s a wound in your skin).  All of us grew up picking scabs.  It’s a horrible temptation.  But don’t do it.  You just paid for all that lovely ink and you’ll be picking it right off.  Let the scabs flake off by themselves, difficult as it will be to keep your hands off.  The skin will itch as it heals.  Resist the urge to scratch.  I had some luck with slapping the itchy places lightly.  You may get some swelling and some places may be crustier or itchier than others.  (We all react to different ink colors differently.)  All of this is normal.  But if you are concerned about any of the healing process, talk with your artist.  He or she can give you plenty of practical suggestions.

Once the skin is healed, I’d recommend using a good quality lotion on it to keep the colors vibrant.  And always wear sunscreen when you go outside (good practice anyway, but it will help keep your colors from fading).  Show off your ink proudly.  You’re now part of the multicolored world!

Next time, I’ll talk about some uncommon reactions.

photo credit: XLShadow

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By infmom, June 17, 2009 12:34 pm

According to news reports, a young woman in Belgium is claiming she fell asleep while her face was being tattooed and woke up with a lot more than she bargained for.

Here is a link to the story on the BBC web site. You may not be able to see the video if you’re outside the UK.

You know what?  Her story is impossible.   Let’s talk about what goes on while you’re getting a tattoo, and you’ll see why.

Image via Wikipedia

First of all, your artist will wash the area where the tattoo is to be applied and will shave it if necessary.  Your chosen design will be applied either with a stencil or drawn freehand by the artist.  You’ll be asked to look at the design and approve of the way it looks.  If there are changes to be made, the artist will either make a new stencil, or, more likely, redraw the design freehand to meet your specifications.  You get to look at the changes and approve.

Once that’s done and you’re sure that what is on your skin temporarily is what you want to make permanent, the process of applying the tattoo begins.  You will sit or lie down in such a way that you and the artist are both comfortable.  Your chosen colors will be dispensed from large bottles into small disposable cups.  The artist will apply a bit of petroleum jelly to your skin, stretch the skin tight between his or her fingers, and start using the tattoo machine, which makes a buzzing noise while it’s in operation.  The ink is applied a little at a time, and the artist will wipe away ink residue as the design progresses and re-dip the needles into the color repeatedly.

This process hurts.  There is no getting around it.  Many people’s endorphins kick in after a little while and the pain becomes more bearable, but it does not stop hurting till the design is finished.  If the artist is working on an area that is already sensitive (like your face) or on an area close to the bone (ankle) it’s going to hurt more.  Having had stars tattooed over my collarbone and having had to sit still while my ankle was being tattooed twice, I simply can’t believe that anyone could possibly fall asleep while having anything tattooed on their face.  Vibration and pain are not conducive to sleep. (Nor, for that matter, is a reputable artist going to apply anything that wasn’t approved in advance.)

First, the artist will outline your design, following the lines of the stencil or the freehand drawing.  Usually the outline is done in black ink with fine needles.  This is most people’s introduction to the tattooing process and it might give a false impression of how painful the rest of it is going to be.   Many people (including me) say that the outline of a tattoo is the most painful part.  The artist is putting a lot of ink into a very small area and wants to keep going so that the outline is not too irregular.  It is OK if you need to ask to take a break while this is going on.  The tattoo looks pretty messy while the work is progressing because the artist will keep wiping residue off the work area and onto the surrounding skin.  Don’t worry about it, that will all get cleaned up.

After the outline is done, the artist will fill in the colors (if you have a colored design) or continue with the black ink.  Usually, larger needle clusters are used for this, and surprisingly, with more needles it hurts less.  Larger areas are filled in more quickly.  He or she will keep wiping away the excess and re-dipping the needles into the color until the design is finished.

Once it’s done, the artist will clean your skin once again to remove all residues, and to let you see your finished design.  The skin around your tattoo will be bright red.  This is normal.  Your tattoo might be oozing or bleeding just a little bit.  This is also normal.  You have just had your epidermis wounded and your body isn’t happy about it.  If there are any adjustments you want the artist to make, you’ll sit or lie back down and have that done.  Once you’re happy with what you’ve gotten, the artist will probably apply some kind of protective ointment and then put a bandage over the tattoo.  Some artists still use plastic wrap as a covering–please, don’t agree to this. Here is a previous post talking about bandages and plastic wrap and linking to a good article about why plastic is a very bad idea.

And that’s it, your first tattoo.  Not something you would or could sleep through, believe me.    In the next post I will take up the issue of aftercare.

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By infmom, June 11, 2009 11:59 am

Image by cjour via Flickr

Don’t you just hate people who say you have to begin at the beginning? 

In the matter of getting a tattoo for the first time, though, you’ll be much happier with the results if you know where the real beginning of the process lies.  A lot of people get an idea of what they want and where they want it, and then find a design that’s acceptable and tell the artist to go ahead.  That works, but it’s not the best approach.  Here is what I would recommend, based on my own experience.

1. Take your time.  Unless the best or only artist in town is closing up shop next week, there is no screaming hurry to go get inked.  You’re doing something that will last for years–do you want to make your decisions in minutes?
2. This may seem obvious, but think about what you want–and why you want it.  Does that butterfly or rose or dagger have deep personal meaning to you?  Is it something that is so important that you want it on your body for the rest of your life?  Or is it something that you just think is decorative right now this minute?  Why not take some time to think of what is meaningful to you and find a design that symbolizes that?  This goes along with taking your time.  You want a design that represents something that is uniquely you.  If your’e just getting a tattoo because someone told you you shouldn’t or couldn’t–this is not a time to prove how independent you are.   Let them talk.  You can outwait them.
3. Visit your artist and look at his/her portfolio.  Look at the kinds of custom designs that are available in addition to the flash on the walls.  If there’s more than one artist available, visit all of them.  If your friends have tattoos, talk about the artists with them.  Once you have decided which artist you want, you can visit the shop and discuss prices, but do not haggle.  There is a time for the culture of the marketplace, but getting uniquely created permanent art is not one of those times.
4. Get some clothing that will allow the art work to be done without flashing everything you’ve got to everyone in the shop.  If possible, buy it at the thrift store, so you won’t be worrying about damage or stains.  As an example, when I got my back piece done, I bought an opaque tube bra so I could remove my shirt completely and still be decently covered up while the artist worked over my shoulder blade.
5. Find out what products your artist recommends for aftercare.  Buy that ahead of time.  Some artists recommend antibacterial lotion or ointment, some just use regular hand or body lotion, some recommend specialized products like Tattoo Goo or Black Cat.  Many artists warn people not to put products based on petroleum jelly on new ink.  Be sure to read the ingredients on the item you plan to buy.  (I have found that Burt’s Bees Hand Salve has almost the same ingredients as Tattoo Goo and is a lot more widely available.)
6. Get an idea of how long the artist thinks your tattoo will take to apply, and allow extra time just in case.  You do not want to be anxiously watching the clock or trying to hurry up the process because you have to be somewhere else.  And of course you want to be sure you show up for your appointment on time or even a little early.  This is simple courtesy to the artist and it will make things better for all concerned.
7. Be sure to have money to tip the artist.  This too is common courtesy.  Good tattoo artists deserve to be supported.

OK?  Next time I will talk about the actual process of getting inked.

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By infmom, June 8, 2009 11:54 am

Not everyone waits 30 years to get their first tattoo like I did. 

Of course, my circumstances weren’t like many other people’s.  For one thing, I first decided I wanted to get a tattoo when I was 16 years old and living in a small town that barely had a grocery store, much less a tattoo parlor.  And it was 1967, a year in which no respectable 16-year-old would want a tattoo to begin with.  Or so I was led to believe.

I made do by drawing on my skin with a pen.  Behind my ankle, where it was much less likely to be seen by the eagle-eyed dress-code enforcers of the day.  (School dress codes, draconian and arbitrary, were something everyone had to deal with in those days.)  As time went on, I quit doing that, but the idea of getting a real tattoo never left.

Naturally, I had a lot of time to decide exactly what it was I wanted, but even so, I didn’t really think about an actual design.  All I knew was that I wanted seven small multicolored stars.  (It has personal meaning to me, too complex to explain.)  Fortunately, by the time I’d gotten together the money and the courage, I picked an artist who transformed my original barebones idea into something unique.

But although I’d read up on tattoos as best I could, there were still plenty of things I did not know in advance.  I didn’t know about ink sticking to everything, or about proper aftercare (my artist, good as he was, didn’t really tell me anything).  I didn’t realize that it would be a good idea to get some clothes that would be suitable for hiding weeping ink.  And I had no idea how long it would take the tattoo to heal.

I should have done my best to look all that up ahead of time.  But I sure wasn’t alone.  Several of my co-workers came to me for advice before or shortly after getting that first tattoo.  I don’t claim to be an expert, but at least I know how this tattoo process works, by now. 

I know I’ve gone over this subject before, but I’m going to update those articles this week with what I’ve learned in the last couple years, so stay tuned for more on the subject.

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By infmom, September 7, 2008 3:10 pm

Frequently asked questions about tattoos and tattooing:

How do I get a good tattoo?

It’s not a simple or instant process, so don’t go thinking you can just walk into the nearest shop and come out with something fantastic. You’ll need to do research. Go to as many tattoo parlors as you can and look carefully at the artists’ portfolios. Never mind the flash on the walls. Concentrate on what the artist puts out as examples of his or her work. Also, when you’re out and about, if you see someone with tattoos that appeal to you, don’t be shy. Most multicolored people are delighted to hear you like their artwork. Ask where they got it. Carry something you can write on so you can make a note of where to look.

How much does it cost?

This is something each artist determines for him/herself. Most charge by the hour, and many have a one hour minimum. You should get an estimate from the artist when you discuss your design. The final price may or not be the same as the estimate, but it should give you an idea of what to expect. And be sure to bring extra money to tip the artist. Good work should be rewarded.

Can’t I just find something on the wall in the tattoo parlor I like and go with that?

Absolutely, if what you want is something that’s on the tattoo parlor wall.

What do I need to do to prepare to get tattooed?

Bathe or shower that morning. Wear clothing that you can adjust or remove without flashing the neighborhood. Eat a light meal shortly before your appointment but don’t stuff yourself. Don’t drink a lot of water or soda, because you don’t want to interrupt the artist repeatedly to go to the bathroom. Do not, under any circumstances, get drunk. If you’re nervous, have a good friend or family member go with you for support.

What do I do after I get tattooed?

Besides pay the artist and tip him or her, you mean? Be sure your artist gives you aftercare instructions. Don’t let him/her put plastic wrap over your new ink. You may want to keep the bandage on overnight so you don’t stick to your bedsheets. Wash your tattoo according to the instructions and keep it moisturized with the product your artist recommends, or with Burt’s Bees Hand Salve, which contains just about the same ingredients as proprietary after-tat products and is much more widely available. Do not pick the scabs off, do not scratch no matter how much it itches (and it will) and don’t be in a hurry to get out in the sun. Healing takes time and your body is unique, so don’t go by someone else’s timetable.

And the #1 frequently asked question: Does it hurt?

You betcha. But getting it removed hurts worse. So be very sure of what you want, where you want it, and whom you want to apply it before you start!

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By infmom, June 12, 2008 12:12 pm

I’ve mentioned before that I wanted to get a tattoo when I was 16. I used to draw a design on my skin every day–a little doodle of a flower on the inside of my left ankle, where the eagle-eyed enforcers of the dress code wouldn’t be likely to see it. (Yes, folks, in those days back in the stone age there was a Dress Code and if you didn’t adhere to it in every particular you would be sent home to change, if not some worse punishment.)

Nowadays, of course, there are no dress codes in school (or at least not the do-or-die kind we had) and it’s possible for a person to be legally tattooed at the age of 18. I was reminded of this yesterday when I went to my niece’s high school graduation and noticed what appeared to be a tattoo of an ankle bracelet on one young lady as she stepped down from the stage with her new diploma.

My niece wants to get a tattoo herself, and wants to start off with one on the top of her foot, going up the ankle on the outside. She’s 18, and can get one legally if she wishes, but she hasn’t gone ahead with it yet.

On the one hand, I would like to encourage her to go ahead, but on the other hand, is a design you choose at age 18 going to be something you’ll want to keep for the rest of your life?

If I’d had that little flower permanently inked into my skin, I don’t know how I’d feel about it today. I might just show it off as an example of what my younger self thought was worth keeping. I might have had it covered up with something much more elaborate later on. I don’t think I would have had it removed, because it would represent something that once mattered to me very much.

How old were you when you got your first tattoo? Is it something you want to keep for life?

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By infmom, February 12, 2007 3:31 pm

When tattoos were first invented, the process was pretty simple. Grab a handful of ashes from the fire, maybe mix them with some animal fat, rub that on your skin and poke the design with a thorn or something else equally sharp. Or carve the design into your skin and then rub in the ashes. Or thread up a needle, rub the sinew (or whatever cavemen used for thread) in the ash mixture, and pull it through the area of skin you wanted to decorate.

Ow.

Later on, people figured out how to make colored tattoo ink by mixing various minerals with animal fat (same stuff they used to paint on the walls) but the process of embedding it in the skin was pretty much the same. Good thing nobody ever heard of germs in those days.

Today we have ink in dozens of colors from hundreds of manufacturers, and the process of applying it is both easier and more complex. But just as back in the old ashes-and-bear-grease days, not every person’s body is going to react well to the addition of the design.

The fact is, although tattoo inks are manufactured to be as nonreactive as possible, people do have allergic reactions to them. And perversely enough, the skin often doesn’t react to the ink till days or even weeks after the tattoo is done, so it wouldn’t even help if there were a “patch test” for tattoo ink. Sometimes it’s even worse–you’ve gotten sensitized to some brand or color, but you won’t find out about it till someone applies that brand or color to your skin in a future design.

And even more annoyingly, sometimes part of a tattoo will react and another part with the same color won’t. My ankle tattoo (the Egyptian design shown in a previous message) has one area of red ink that remains raised, itchy, and flaky two years after it was applied. The other red area was like that for nearly a year and then settled down. One of the teal green areas raised an actual blister about a year after it was applied, but is fine now.

Go figure.

How can you insure that you won’t have a reaction to the ink? You can’t have absolute security, but choosing your artist carefully will help. An experienced artist will have an idea which inks are least likely to cause problems and will almost certainly be using those in preference to other brands. He or she will have plenty of suggestions for dealing with reactions should they occur. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Of course, if you do what I did and get a tattoo on the spur of the moment from an out-of-town artist at a tattoo show, that’s not going to be quite as easy as going back to a local shop to show the artist what happened and ask for help, but if that’s what you’ve done, do call the artist ASAP and explain the problem. He or she will want to know that one of the inks is a potential troublemaker.

Red ink seems to be high on the list of potential allergens. It certainly has been a problem for me. I don’t know whether I’m going to get more tattoos and hope for the best, or stop with the three I have to avoid future problems. Tattoos are addictive, and I certainly want more. But do I want to take the risk?

Who knows?

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By infmom, February 11, 2007 1:31 pm

It’s always best, as the old saw goes, to begin at the beginning.

When it comes to getting a tattoo, though, there’s a lot more to be done than just sitting down in the chair and waiting to be decorated.

Which comes first, choosing the design or choosing the artist? Obviously, neither should be done on the spur of the moment or because all your friends are doing it. This seems like a no-brainer, but cyberspace is full of stories of people who ended up with ink that they really didn’t want. That’s why tattoo removal is such big business these days.

When I was 16 I wanted a green flower on the inside of my left ankle. So much so that I carefully re-drew it every day, for years. If I’d been able to go ahead and make it permanent at that time, you bet I would have. I’d undoubtedly view it as a cute exercise in nostalgia if it were there today, and I could always hide it under a sock or a pair of black nylons if I wanted to. (I have a much more elaborate tattoo in the same general area today and I’ve hidden it under dark nylons a time or two. You usually don’t want to go to a job interview displaying your art unless you’re going to work for an artist.)

I’d personally answer the artist-or-design question by saying “Pick the artist first.” You can get a really good idea of whether you want this person doing something permanent to your body by visiting the shop, making it clear to the receptionist that you’re in the market for a tattoo, but not today, and taking your time to look at the flash on the walls (if any) and the artist’s portfolio, which should be available. No portfolio? Uh… try another shop. You’re making a lifetime commitment to this body art and if the artist doesn’t want to show off his or her work, you don’t want to be the sacrificial lamb.

You should also pay attention to how the artist interacts with the people he or she is decorating, and the general ambience of the shop, and the customers. Now, I freely admit that when I got my first tattoo, I did it on the basis of having seen a newspaper article about the artist and having decided that I really liked his attitude. When I finally went into the shop, I looked a bit out of place–a 46-year-old mom amongst bikers, truckers, kids, and eager candidates for World’s Most Tattooed Person. But looks aren’t everything. The artist understood better than I did what I wanted, adapted my original idea, and gave me something way better than what I would have gotten if I’d been left to my own devices.

As for the design, ideally, you would have one of your own, one that’s meaningful to you, something unique. But that’s not always practical or necessary. Picking flash off the artist’s wall or out of his/her portfolio is certainly the path of least resistance. And certainly one can get a spectacular tattoo that way. Just do yourself a favor and don’t be getting the world’s ten billionth copy of the Tasmanian Devil or Yosemite Sam on your butt, OK? As in all fashion, timeless design is the key.

I’ll talk more about coming up with my own designs in future posts.

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By infmom, February 3, 2007 3:04 pm

I think I was sixteen when I first decided I wanted to get a tattoo. We lived in a little armpit town called Beatrice (bee-ATT-ris) Nebraska in those days. Not only was there no tattoo parlor in town, I suspect anyone who tried to open one up would have been ridden out of town on a rail.

Had to content myself with drawing on my skin in green ink. Behind my inner left ankle, where it wouldn’t be seen by the Enforcers of the Dress Code. (Our high school principal was a dead ringer for Mussolini and ran the school with about as heavy a hand.) If I had had any clue how to make that design permanent in those days, I probably would have. Would I have been embarrassed by it in later years? Good question.

The design itself would have been obviously homebrewed (a cartoon of a flower in a pot, which I still like to doodle to this day–dunno what that means). But during the 60s and 70s it certainly would have been a mark of distinction. Where I lived, people didn’t DO that. I liked being different then. I like being different now.

So, in the mid 1990s, I read a newspaper article about the only tattoo artist in town. We’ve long since left the armpit of the midwest behind and we’re living in the LA megalopolis, so it’s surprising that at that time there was only one tattoo artist in this town. I read the article. I liked the guy’s attitude. I said “When I get my tattoo, he’s doing it.”

Of course, in those days I had no money for something like that. I was working for barely more than minimum wage as a supervisor in customer service in a big-box store. However, the store actually came to the rescue (not that they knew what they were doing). They had a contest for “friendliest store in the chain,” and the company offered to hand $50 to every employee in the store that won.

Our store won. I had $50 that I hadn’t planned on having. I went to get my tattoo.

All I wanted was seven small stars, for personal reasons too complicated to explain here. The artist thought that over, decided it was too blah and undistinguished, and drew me a new design. Seven stars, with a swirl of multicolored dots around them. I thought it over. Said yes. He quoted me a price. I went off to the ATM.

While I was sitting in the chair (and believe me, I looked every day of my 46 years) people wandered in and out of the store. They’d see me. They’d drop their teeth. Truthfully, I can’t remember when I’ve had more fun. The tattoo hurt, but not enough to change my genuine joy.

“Now you’re one of us,” said the artist when he’d finished.

Yeah baby. I sure am.

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