Over the past two years, I’ve gotten six tattoos (sorry, Dad). Now, I love every single one of my tattoos, but I wish someone would have given me some tips before getting them. As someone who’s been through the process multiple times, I’ve gained some knowledge about what it’s like before, while, and after getting a tattoo. So, if you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, here’s some things you should know!
The Placement
So, as you know, a tattoo is on your body FOREVER, so it’s only necessary to give the placement of the tattoo a second thought. My first tattoo was a moon that my grandmother drew before she passed away, and my sister had gotten a drawing of my grandmother’s on her wrist two years prior, so I knew immediately that I would be putting my moon tattoo on my wrist. But, if you’re not super decisive, placement can be a challenge. What I did for my other tattoos is I printed out a picture of the tattoo in the approximate size and placed it on different parts of my body and decided where it would look the best. That way, you can have a good idea of where you should get your tattoo before making the commitment.
The Pain
There’s one inevitable part of tattoos and that’s the pain. And it may just depend on the person, but my tattoos weren’t unbearably painful. I took a couple ibuprofen before getting them and didn’t need any breaks, even when getting a larger forearm tattoo. But some people may be more sensitive to pain. I would highly recommend taking some form of pain reliever before getting a tattoo done, as it helps with the pain and helps with redness and swelling after the tattoo is done.
The Healing Process
After getting a tattoo, the artist will usually give you a vaseline-like ointment to put on your tattoo to help with healing. After a few days, your tattoo will begin to peel like a sunburn, which is completely normal. But, do not be tempted to peel it on your own, let it happen naturally as that ensures that the tattoo will heal fully and correctly. I usually put the ointment on in the morning, at night, and before and after I shower. This helps quicken the healing process.
I hope these tips helped you prepare for getting a tattoo! Like this article? Be sure and check out our other features this week!
HCXO