12 Things To Know Before Getting a Tattoo

Getting a tattoo is a great way to show off your personality and style, but be careful. Tats can be beautiful and cool, but they can also go awry if you don't plan accordingly on the actual design and the legitimacy of the tattoo artist. Here are some important things you need to know before you think about getting inked.

Do Not Google It

Do not just google “cute tattoo ideas” unless you want to end up with something totally unoriginal that many other people have. You can look towards Google, Pinterest, or Instagram for inspiration of certain aspects of the design but try to put in something that is your own. Tattoo artists will usually work with an idea and make it into something more personalized.

A Good Tattoo Isn’t Cheap

And a cheap tattoo isn’t good. Depending on the size, amount of shading, and color a good tattoo could cost you anywhere from $50 for a tiny design to a whole month’s paycheck for an elaborate design. If you aren’t willing to spend that much then maybe you should reconsider the ink or save up for it. You definitely do not want to go to a cheaper tattoo artists because they are usually less experienced, not formally trained, and not as health conscious.

Check Out The Shop Before

Getting a good tattoo that you will love forever takes some planning. Check out a few tattoo parlors before you decided on an artist. Make sure the shop seems clean, they show images of their previous artwork, and the staff is friendly. Then schedule a consultation with an artist to talk about your design, their style, and price. This is also a great time to ask to see their state tattoo license. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Proof Read

I can’t emphasize this enough! How many horror pictures have you seen with misspelled tattoos? How embarrassing and it’s on your body forever. If you are getting a tattoo in another language that you do not speak, ask someone who speaks the language to make sure everything, including grammar and spelling, is correct. When the artist is drawing the stencil, double check the spelling again.

Hands and Feet Fade Faster

Designs on your hands and feet sometimes fade faster or the ink bleeds more over time than other places on the body. Because we use our hands and feet so much though out the day the skin there sloughs off and is regenerated more. Keep that in mind before you drop a few hundred bucks on something you think is going to last forever.

Treat Tattoo Day Like Test Day

What did teachers always say to do before a big test or exam? Get a good night’s sleep, eat a full meal, and don’t go in hung over or drunk. The same applies to the day you get your tattoo. Your body is going to be under a lot of stress so you need to make sure it has energy and fuel to make it through the day and recover.

15 Minutes of Pain

Most likely, you will start to feel the pain lessen after the first 15 minutes. At this time, your adrenaline will start to kick in, blocking some of the body’s pain receptors. Plus most artists only work for 2 to 3 hours at a time. So if you have a large design you will need to come in for additional sessions.

Tattoo Healing

Right after you get the tattoo your skin around the ink will look red and irritated. But in the next few weeks while the skin heals, the tattoo might scab, dry out, and peel like a sunburn. It is important not to pick at the scabs, which could cause the tat to not heal properly. After two weeks it should be mostly, if not all the way, healed.

Laser Removal is Way Worse

If you’re on the fence about a tattoo, wait. You don’t want to get a permanent design then end up hating it a few years later. Although many celebrities get tattoos removed a lot, the procedure is more painful than getting the tattoo and way more expensive. Of course, if you really don’t like a tattoo you can get it covered up with a different tattoo.

Touch Ups For Life

If you want your tattoo to always have clean, crisp lines, and bold colors you will need to schedule a few touch up sessions throughout your life. The artist will most likely be happy to do a touch up for free or for a small fee. Touching up a tattoo still hurts but it is a quicker sessions because it’s usually just an outline or a damaged areas.

Possible Allergy

If you are allergic to certain eye shadows or lipsticks, there is a chance you might have an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink. Sometimes the ink and certain makeup formulas share the same pigments. If you have had a problem with a particular makeup shade or formula have a dermatologist run some tests before, so you know what ink to avoid.

Prices Are Non-Negotiable

Unless the tattoo artist is a really good friend of yours, you can’t really bargain with them over the tattoo price. It is set in stone. When it comes to prices, tattoo shops are like department stores. You wouldn’t argue with a salesperson over the price tag of a cute pair of shoes, so don’t do it with your tattoo artist either.