Getting your first tattoo is quite a deal and you should consider this decision twice. It is getting a permanent mark on your skin, and it should not be taken for granted, as any other thing that is meant to last forever. You probably know something about tattoos and there are some things holding you back and making you raise your guard because of some myths like it may cause cancer or some other similar stories. Since they are more popular than ever and have been a constant trend in the past few years, the first thing you want to do before making a final decision is to talk to the tattoo professional who will surely be ready to give you a piece of advice or two. But if you feel stuck, we think that this guide will provide you with some things you should be knowing before getting your first tattoo.
Choosing the Right Artist
Maybe one of the most dramatic reasons for holding you back when it comes to tattoos are the pictures of the greatest tattoo failures of all time. Some tattoo artists are superior to others, and you should be aware that the term “artist” does not imply incompetence. When searching for a perfect design, you should incorporate tattoo artists and their shops in the research as well. It is so much easier to contain all the necessary information nowadays and get in touch with their work through social networks and read reviews on their work. Every respectable tattoo artist and their shop should have a portfolio giving future customers close insight into their pieces and providing them with essentials so that they feel safe in their place.
Choosing a Perfect Design
Just as earlier suggested, a tattoo is a permanent mark on your skin and you should choose carefully what you are getting. Usually, tattoos are connected to something personal and to memories you want to lock into your skin. However, the motive is not the only thing you should think about. If you are able to depict your desired tattoo, in consultation with the tattoo artist, you can make it look even better. On the other hand, you can describe it to them so that they will sketch it for you. If none of these is something you want, you can always choose among a whole variety of designs they already have prepared for their customers.
Tattoos Are Painful
We all know it. Tattoos are really painful and some places hurt more than others. Luckily, there are some modern solutions like numbing cream for tattoo pain that will minimize the pain you feel during the process. Most people who have already got their tattoos describe it as a stinging sensation but you eventually get used to it during the process. There is an after-treatment that will make your skin recover fast and get to the final results in no time. Some designs demand different levels of pressure for certain spots, and it is where the toughest pain originates from.
Look at the Shop
Tattoo shops must be clean. If the shop does not fit the sanitary frame, it is high time to look somewhere else. You must be aware of the fact that some diseases might be transferred through a tattoo needle and that they must be new and installed right before you. Additionally, your tattoo artist must wear protective gloves, and the place you are getting a tattoo must be disinfected because that place of your skin will be exposed to germs and therefore at risk of infection. If these procedures are not a practice in the shop, you should leave.
Ask For Opinion
Getting a tattoo is your personal decision, however, you should not be deciding on the design on your own. You should be probably asking a couple of close people about the design you are about to get and see their reaction. Your honest friends will tell you if it is a good idea and if it will suit you, maybe they have some suggestions that will help you upgrade the design.
How to Handle the Pain
We have already mentioned that pain is a consisting part of the process and there are some ways you can handle it. Firstly, you need to make yourself comfortable, otherwise, it will only hurt you more if you are in a spasm. Secondly, it is a good idea to bring something to squeeze, so if you feel intense pain, you can squeeze it and shift the focus to it. Lastly, breathe. By concentrating on your breathing, your brain will shift the focus to the main operation and set the pain aside.
Aftercare
Aftercare is one of the most important steps since the skin goes through breakage and is therefore exposed to the risk of infection. The aftercare process starts the moment you leave the shop and this means you should keep the place protected and covered, clean it according to instructions of the artist, and put on the ointment that will help your skin recover.
Getting a tattoo is a big day in the life of every person who makes this decision and is quite brave since you are getting a permanent mark on your skin. However, you need to do research that will help you see what are the best things to get tattooed and how the very process functions.
