Hey! So, this article will be pretty much personal, and I am going to tell the things I feared the most before getting my first tattoo (and the others I concluded after doing it) when I was 18. Of course, people have many different experiences when they decide to get a tattoo. But, by telling my own experiences, I hope to help you with your decision and turn regretting it more difficult to happen. Having this explained, let’s go to the tips!
1. Accept your life phases
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I had a lot of fear of having a tattoo that in a future wouldn’t make sense for me, but I realized that people change a lot during our lives: something that is really meaningful for you nowadays, can be totally disposable in ten years, and we can do nothing about it. Because of the fact that tattoos are going to be in your skin forever, you need to keep in your mind that not all drawings are going to make sense for your entire life and that’s okay! It is a way of remembering all the personalities and beliefs you had during your lifetime.
2. You are able to handle the pain
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I have two tattoos and the pain happened in different levels for each one. The one I have in my arm was less painful to do than the one I have in my ankle. But in both times, I could handle the pain I felt, because it is a different situation than getting hurt or sick: it is a volunteer process, and you know that after that, you will have a positive result that is your tattoo. So, don’t worry, the pain is going to be meaningless if compared to the final result of having a tattoo in your body!
3. Be aware that colored tattoos will need retouching
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The idea that tattoos are forever, when we talk about the colored ones, is not 100% truth: during your life they will need to be retouched because the color ends up fading. The sun, the water and other natural causes are responsible for it. I’m writing about this because no one told me that this would happen, and I believe that is a important thing to know before making your final decision. So, if you want to get a colored tattoo, go ahead! They are awesome and very stylish in my opinion, but it is important to be aware of this fact first.
4. Choose the best tattoo artist possible
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I had two completely opposite experiences when I got my two tattoos. The first experience was much better than the second one, because of the tattoo artist I chose. You have to find someone that will make you feel comfortable during the tattoo session, and that you are sure will respect your wishes. For that, it is really important to have a conversation in person with the artist, tell what you want and the feelings you are having. It is important to realize if the professional is going to be receptive with you. Otherwise. this moment that could be so special is going to be something that you will want to forget and this is not nice at all!
5. Don’t worry, you won’t get sick of your tattoo
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One of my biggest insecurities before making my first tattoo was the fear of getting tired to look at the same phrase or drawing in my body every day for the rest of my life. Four years later I can tell you: it is like your tattoo becomes part of your skin, and you won’t get sick of it. It is going to be a new part of you, and the best thing about it is that you have chosen for it!