Tattoo is one of the body arts that many people love to have. I am here to share some tattoo advice for people who want to have their first tattoos out there. You can’t just decide over a night before having a tattoo. No matter if it is big or small, you have to make sure you have a final and clear decision. It sucks to have tattoo regret, so don’t repeat the mistake that many people have done. Below is some simple and helpful advice that you might want to read before getting your first tat. That is also what I did before I decided to get inked, and the tips were worth it. So I want to share my real experience with you guys today.
1Tattoo Designs
This is a very important aspect that you have to take into consideration before getting a tattoo permanently on your body. Tattoo designs can be simple as small pictures, symbols, or quotes. The designs can also be as huge as the realistic images on your back, arms, or legs. Many tattoos have their own meanings and representation. Some might be dedicated to a lost family member or friend, or to represent their loved ones. Some people choose their birth date or their spirit animals as their tattoos.
If you want to get a tattoo, ask yourself why you want to have it. What designs that you want to have? And will you still be proud of it in the next 10 years? As for me, I drew a few designs on my wrists and fingers and see if I actually like them. You might like the design, but you can’t be sure if you love it on your body.
Size does matter, and here is why. If the tattoo is too small, it might be unrecognizable after a few months. If the tattoo is too big, you will not like it because the tattoo does grow after some time. The best way is to let your tattoo artist design decide the ideal size for you. And that leads to tip number 2.
2Tattoo Shops
There are at least a few best tattoo parlors in town that you can find. You have to go to the tattoo shop that you can trust that they offer the best and safe services. This might sound bad but you wouldn’t want to have any disease after your first tattoo. The best tattoo shop will guarantee you the quality of the tattoo, the design, and the ink. Choosing the right tattoo parlors is like avoiding tattoo regrets in the future as well. Right tattoo shops will leave you with the powerful tiger tattoo instead of an ugly cousin of a disabled tiger. Google worse tattoos if you don’t believe me. Those people make wrong choices, so don’t repeat that mistake.
3The Price
Once you decide to get inked, don’t be afraid to spend your money. Bear in mind that you are paying someone to ink something on your body that will last forever. If the tattoo artist says it is $150, pay the darn price to him. Do not bargain, and do not nag about how much he/she charges you. If you desire a clean and nice tattoo that people will admire, then pay the price. Also, don’t go for cheap tattoos I’m telling you. You can’t expect a safe and awesome tattoo at a cheap price. That doesn’t mean I recommend you go for the tattoo that costs twice your salary. Select the place where they charge the price that collides with the quality of the tattoo. You know what I mean.
4The Placement
Placement is also something important that you should know. If you want your tattoo to be visible, then your wrists, fingers, or lower arms are the best places. Behind the neck is also somewhere cool to show off a nice tattoo as well. The thing is you have to select the placement of the tattoo that has enough space for the size of the tattoo. You can’t choose the 3 lines to quote tattoo on your tiny thumb.
5The Pain
This is something that is related to the placement. There are several certain places on your body that hurt like hell when the needle touches it. Those sensible places are the stomach, ribs, neck, back, and of course, HEAD. Other places like behind the ears, fingers, wrists, ankles, and hands are not too painful. Just the pain that you can tolerate. If you are going to have your very first tattoo, ribs are not a good idea. Try somewhere less painful first so that you can estimate the pain. Then you can go bigger for the next tattoos later.
6The Aftercare
I’d had a lot of questions before when it comes to tattoo aftercare. The best advice is you should not let the water or soap touch your new tattoos in the first 8 hours. You can take shower right after, but don’t rub the soap on the tattoos. Also, you need to apply the ointment after showering to make the tattoo heals fast. And don’t over-apply it, it will ruin the tattoo. A tattoo is like a fresh wound, and you have to take good care of it.
After a week or two or even more depending on the size of your tattoo, the tat will start to heal. That is when you see the scabs on the tattoo spot. And that when you have to tell yourself that I MUST NOT ITCH OR PULL THIS SCAP. Doing so will make your tattoo bleed which is not good. And somehow the scab will bring the ink once you pull it as well.
7What To Avoid
I will just list the bullet points of things that you should avoid before and after tattooing here. I made the worst mistake by having a white tattoo of my ex-boyfriend’s initial. Thankfully, it is not visible.
- Do not tattoo something silly
- Do not tattoo your lover’s name on your body (you can’t erase it easily after breaking up)
- You should not tattoo your lover’s face on your body (it sucks even more than the name)
- Do not tattoo somewhere you will regret later like your forehead or private parts
- Do not get a tattoo when you’re drunk
- Never let people touch your fresh tattoo
- Do not do white tattoos
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