Getting a tattoo is a serious commitment. It’s not a T-shirt you can just take off or exchange if you get bored with it, and so it’s important to consider every aspect before you go ahead and get inked.
While you may be super excited about that amazing design you’ve found, consider the following before you dive in and you’re far more likely to be happy with the results for many years to come.
Planning to get a tattoo?
People interpret tattoo designs differently
Even people who love body ink will have their own ideas on what makes for a good or bad tattoo. It’s an excellent idea to spend time pondering each design, but remember that not everyone may see it as clearly as you do.
If you like the idea of something very abstract like geometric shapes, then go ahead. If you’d prefer something that’s instantly recognizable though, it’s worth asking a few people, without telling them beforehand, if they can guess what your design actually represents to see if it’s easy to understand.
Even more importantly, make sure it doesn’t mean something completely different to what you think it does, which goes especially for symbols.
You need a (metaphorical) thick skin
Tattoos can actually be a great conversation starter at parties, but some shy folk might regret that colorful wrist tattoo when it means talking about it with every new person they meet. Also, a lot of people tend to be quite upfront with their opinions, so if you’re easily upset by criticism, that’s also worth bearing in mind.
This doesn’t mean you should shy away from a more prominent tattoo if you think you’ll love it, because at the end of the day you should be getting it because you like it, not because other people will. It should go without saying though that considering the implications for your career is always smart. So, don’t get a hand tattoo if you have corporate aspirations, for example.
You need not necessarily have a (literally) thick skin
Does a tattoo hurt? It depends on the design size, location, and your pain tolerance. Hands and fingers don’t usually hurt unless you’re boney. Some painful areas for a tattoo include:
- Neck
- Spine
- Ribs
- Feet
- Ankles
What else will you feel when getting a tattoo? In bonier areas, a certain vibrating and dullness eventually melt together. There’s also this fast burning or stinging pain that last for milliseconds only. And, if you require shading, sometimes, it feels itchy.
You’ll need to be super serious about the sun
Anyone, whether they have tattoos or not, should take skin safety in the sun very seriously. It’s surprising how many people don’t realize just how much thought should go into skin protection even after the tattoo is healed.
Apart from the heightened risk of skin cancer and premature aging, sunburn really hurts, and that goes tenfold when you’re inked. You’ll need to avoid the sun like a vampire for the first couple of weeks while your tattoo heals, but even after then you’ll need to be very organized with always making sure you slap on plenty of sunblock.
This should be standard anyway, but if you neglect sun protection with tattoos, even healed ones, they’ll age and start to look bad pretty quickly.
You’ll need to be super serious about water submersion
Just like exposing it to the sun, water submersion can damage a tattoo. The ink and film come off and leaves a faded and scarring effect on the skin. Soap and alcohol can make everything worse. When the ink starts to fall off, don’t pick it out. And that’s my number one mistake.
An ink that falls out will ruin the design.
Start small
If you’re unsure of your tat, you can start with something small and easy, like geometric designs hipsters and millennials would love. From there, you get to gauge if you want more intricate, illustrative designs. You can even place your tat somewhere nobody would easily notice.
Tattoo removal isn’t an exact science
You should never get a tattoo with the idea that you can just change your mind and get it removed later, not least because there’s no guarantee the results will be ideal.
It’s true that some removals go very well, and despite hurting even more than the tattoo itself, can leave very minimal scarring and make it virtually look like you never had one. That said, this depends on many factors, like the tone and condition of your skin, the size, and design of the tattoo, and the skill of the removal clinic.
Also, it’s not a quick process, and you’ll often have to go back for several sessions to finish the job and let the skin heal between laser blasts. So, this can be a bit of a nightmare if you suddenly find you need to get rid of that arm tattoo because of a new work uniform. Oh, and it’s really expensive too.
What you like = Artists’ particular skills
Just like a painter or graphic artist, you tattooists who can cater to your tastes. Do use social media and look up their portfolio. Even looking at designs different to your own should give you a good idea of what you want.
That said, some artists may specialize in certain styles, like geometric patterns, tribal, illustrative, Japanese, etc.
Getting a tattoo is always really exciting, and whether you’re a veteran or going for your first, it’s always a great idea to bear these points in mind and make sure your chosen design, artist and understanding of aftercare are all considered.
My tattoo story
It was 2018 and my brother’s birthday when I decided to get a very small tattoo for a start. He referred me a couple of his friends to see which ones I would like best. I simply wanted a line tattoo on my finger because I was scared at first.
We went to Bold And Heavy Tattoo – BAHT to get my ink done with Ilonggo artist, Cycy Berlin. When I got mine, it was a simple geometric line that means, “memory.” You know, because it’s my first time.
