Frequently Asked Tattoo Questions

 What does a tattoo feel like?  

Many people like to refer that getting a tattoo feels like someone is scratching a hot needle across your skin or others like to compare it to a constant feeling of a cat scratch. After about 15 minutes, your adrenaline will start kicking in and help manage some of the pain, but if you’re getting a larger piece done, the pain can come in waves. 

Where is the least painful place to get a tattoo?

The answers vary, depending on the size of the tattoo and where on your body it is (smaller tattoos on fleshier parts of your body will hurt the least). This also varies person to person. Tattoos on your wrist or forearm tend to be pretty easy places to start with. Although everyone experiences pain differently, you can expect for the tattoo pain to be worse on your ribs, feet, ankles, neck, backs of your knees, or insides of your elbows. Really, anywhere that has a high level of nerve endings and not a lot of fat will hurt more.

How do you deal with tattoo pain?

Pain is the price you pay for getting a tattoo. As tempting as a numbing agent sounds, tattoo artists don’t recommend them because they affect the capillaries and therefore make it harder to deposit the ink. This also makes healing the tattoo a challenge. In general, treat the night before a tattoo like you would before a big exam: Get a good night’s sleep, eat a full breakfast, stay hydrated, and don’t show up hungover or drunk. All of these things could ultimately affect how you handle pain, even if it’s not a particularly sensitive area of the body.

How long does a tattoo take to heal?

After two weeks, your tattoo should be completely healed if you’ve properly taken care of it, as per the artists instructions, and, other than that, left it alone. If a portion of your design didn’t heal correctly or if you have some fading down the road and want to get it touched up, pay your artist a visit.

Effects Of Tattoos In Society

    

There have been periods in history when tattoos were deemed a “fad” that would pass in time but that has been proven different. There is now a vast majority of people who have at least one tattoo. Many actors, actresses and models proudly display their beautiful work for the world to see, yet most Americans cave under the pressure of society telling us to cover up. A slew of restaurants and retail jobs require all tattoos to be covered while on the clock. With the number of tattooed individuals rising each year, why is society still deeming the ink ‘unacceptable’?

    Tattoos have truly held a prominent place in history – from tattooed sailors and pirates, Nazi’s tattooing those in camps, gang member initiation rituals, to tribe members in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand using tattoos for protection against evil and to increase luck, the history of the art is quite remarkable. More often than not, companies will explain to employees that their tattoos, no matter what they’re of, will be offensive to consumers and patrons, again begging the question why? The numbers speak for themselves; a crowded elevator is likely to hold three or more tattoos so who are we really offending? Eleven percent of the older generation (50-64 year olds) fall under ‘tattooed’ and are the main culprits behind the offensive line. Although they may be offended current-day, back in the 1960s cosmetic tattooing became very popular (tattooed blush, lipstick, eyeliner) and in the later portion of the decade, tattoos were largely featured in magazines, TV shows, and film.

    Americans have made tattooing very mainstream as television shows like Miami Ink, Ink Master, and Best Ink have become hits across the country
. Society raises us to believe that tattoos are a form of rebellion – a fact that has also been proven with studies showing 50% of people associating tattoos to rebellious behavior – but what we don’t grow up hearing about is the beauty of body art along with it’s history. As the years pass and the percentage of those with tattoos continues to grow, it’ll be hard to argue their offensiveness. After all, most of our ancestors were the ones to create different forms of tattooing!

Tattoo Shop Etiquette

    While thousands of people get one every single day, not many realize there is an unwritten code in tattoo studios. By following some of the tattoo etiquette tips you will be able to enjoy your tattoo experience as much as possible, while keeping yourself and your artist happy. If you are accessing the tattoo studio for the first time or looking for inspiration and advice, it is still a good idea to have a rough concept or idea of the tattoo you want, where you want it, size, and the style of the design. The more specific you can be, the easier your artist can understand what you are expecting and the quicker the design can be drawn up for you.

    Now let's go over a few etiquette components to keep in mind.  Don't ask for their inspirations and professional advice and completely ignore it. An artist tends not to like it when the customer fails to trust their professional views. Don't get offended if your artist requests that you change certain aspects of your desired tattoo idea. Most experienced artists can make good judgment as to whether a certain idea/design will or will not work when transformed into ink on the body. Do ensure you’re nice and clean before entering the studio. Not only will your skin be easier to tattoo if it’s free from oils and dirt, but your artist will also appreciate that you smell at least a little nicer. Don't get a tattoo if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Not only will it be an unpleasant experience for the tattooist having to deal with the behavior of this individual, but you are much more likely to bleed heavily, which in return will affect the result of the tattoo. Not to mention, your own judgment will be clouded. Do tip your tattoo artist if you feel inclined to do so. They earn commission from the tattoos they create on you and by tipping, you are showing your appreciation for the customer service you have received.

    While many points are pretty obvious, tattoo etiquette traditions are broken each and every day. An initiative and some common sense can contribute to making your whole tattoo experience a pleasant one. Tattooing culture may seem 'rock-and-roll' from the outside, but on the inside of it is a team of amazing and highly-experienced artists who take pride in their artwork and working environment. Once you understand the basics of good tattoo etiquette, you should have absolutely no problem each time you decide to get some new ink done.