DO TATTOOS HURT

Tattoos are known to hurt when they are being performed, but the pain is not intolerable. Certain places on the body hurt more than others, and Im sure we can all guess where it would! Thats correct, if you are thinking of getting a tattoo on your genitals, then you have picked the most painfull place to do so as these are very sensitive areas of your body that tend to have a lot of nerve endings - which bring pain. However these areas are not only the most painful. Your sternum, ribs, hands, and feet are very sensitive. Next most sensitive areas would be your ankles, lower back, neck, under arm, around the groin area, and head. The least sensitive areas, and generally most popular for that reason, are your upper arms or forearms, calves, shoulder blade, outer thigh, and bottom.

its also true that each person has different tolerances and some people do not have trouble getting tattooed about anywhere. Women who have birthed children or people who have been through surgeries often say that tattooing is just not that big of a deal, whereas people who have never experienced any extreme to moderate pain often find tattooing to be more difficult or even "quite" painful.

WHAT DOES A TATTOO FEEL LIKE

A tattoo could be described like scratching where you were badly sunburnt. This is the kind of feeling or pain that tattoos are accompanied by. Also, because of the high speed vibration of the tattoo machine, there is often an effect similar to what women experience during electrolysis and men during a haircut at the barber's with a dull clippers or a shave with a dull razor. But no matter how you try to describe it, it is a unique feeling that can only be experienced by someone receiving a tattoo.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE

Small, simple, single color pieces can take anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. Duration for tattooing is affected by complexity and size, color changes, and tolerance to the process. Pieces can also be done in segments. Several pieces over a period of a month in short sessions at a time.

HEALING

Generally they look good after two weeks. However, some people can take months to heal, again depending on the individual. A lot this depends on age, health, diet, medication, alcohol consumption, and care of the tattoo after the process is complete.

WHEN NOT TO GET A TATTOO

Pregnant women shouldn't get a tattoo, and people with a lot of chemical sensitivities or allergies should at least discuss this with their artist and doctor prior to getting work done. Also anyone with immuno-depressed diseases who normally have difficulty healing on their own. Those with advanced diabetes should not be tattooed, particularly in the lower leg area.

DO TATTOOS CHANGE WITH TIME

What you do depends on how much it affects the tattoo. Typically when men workout, they have to drastically change to stretch out a piece on their arm. The result in this case is that the tattoo may be lighter as well as somewhat distorted. Pregnancy will definitely alter tattoos on the stomach, usually permanently.

Certain areas of the body that are most resistant to change are the lower legs and feet, shoulder blade, forearm and back of neck.

CAN TATTOOS COVERUP SCARS

Depending on the condition of the scar, it is possible to coverup a scar. It mainly depends on the age and flatness of the scar. If the surface is extremely raised, then that skin may not accept ink.

As far as covering up existing tattoos, that can definitely be done. Typically a new piece is two to three times the size of the original to achieve a successful cover up.

CAN YOU CATCH AIDS

You cannot get AIDS or other blood-born infections from a shop that is diligent about cleanliness and maintaining a sterile environment. It's up to you to investigate the reputation of your potential shop prior to getting a tattoo. Worst case scenario, you could contract a staph infection, although this is extremely unlikely.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR TATTOO

Remove protective bandage in 2 hours. Rinse tattoo thoroughly under warm running water. Blot dry using only white unscented tissue or paper towel. (You may have a reaction to perfume or dye in some tissues.) Gently rub ointment into tattoo for 30 seconds. Leave film of ointment on tattoo for five minutes, then blot dry.

Your new tattoo needs to breathe in order to heal quickly. Don't leave film on for longer than five minutes. Your tattoo will absorb what it can use within five minutes than blot dry.

Rub in ointment two times daily. A protective scab will form in 2-3 days and normally flake off by the 7th day. Once the protective scab is all gone, discontinue the ointment.
You may notice a white scaled layer on the tattoo at this time. This is your top dead layer of skin and it will soon flake off. Rub vitamin E cream, Helosan or Bepanthen into your tattoo on a daily basis and you will be getting your tattoo off to an excellent start.

After it has become a real part of you, which it takes up to six months, there isn't much maintenance. Try not to burn any of the skin, including your tattoo, by using tanning lotions. If your skin is damaged, the tattoo will be adversely affected. Many times if your tattoo looks dry, it's because all of your skin is dry. It just shows up better on your tattoo. Vitamin E or other skin moisturizers should be used to keep your skin in good condition.

If you accidentally spill something on your fresh tattoo, or otherwise get it dirty, rinse it thoroughly, yet quickly, with cold water, blot it dry, wipe it gently with rubbing alcohol and blot it dry again. Rub in ointment as usual.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS

The red reaction affects ca. 1 in every 100,000 to 300,000 people. It is characterized by itching and sometimes swelling, depending on how severe the case. This mostly happens 3 to 5 years after the tattoo, although cases have been reported as early as a few months and as late as 20 years.

Remedies usually involve OTC lotion or in more severe cases, medication prescribed by a dermatologist. Extreme cases may require tattoo removal. No one seems to know what causes it and is associated mostly with the color red.

Formerly most red pigments contained mercury and the red reaction was much more common. It was widely believed that mercury was the cause. Mercury is no longer used in tattoo inks. Red reaction incidences decreased dramaticlly but were not eliminated. Be aware that the body can react negatively to any foreign substance inserted, some people are even allergic to substances produced by their own body. Any respectable tattooist will make a patch test if you ask him/her and for people with a history of allergies (e.g., hayfever) this is strongly recommended.

Anything that the needles must go through to drive the ink into the dermis can be carried with the ink into the skin. Some people have a high degree of reaction to foreign material.

Most tattoo artists use a petroleum jelly based ointment as a lubricant on the surface of the skin and tattoo through that layer. In some persons, driving any of that into the skin sets up a foreign body reaction with lumps and itching. If that is the case, persuade the tattooist to tattoo without the ointment.

WHERE TO GET TATTOOED

There are a number of ways to find good, professional artisans. One can read tattoo magazines. Some issues deal with individual tattooists' works and use the photos in the magazines to compare with those of the shop one are interested in. Attending a tattoo convention and buying books or speaking to people carrying tattoos are other means.

WHAT DOES A TATTOO COST

This is an age-old debate, so the following is just a very basic ballpark. You usually pay for work either by the piece, or by the hour. The smaller pieces in the artist's flash book are "standard stock" material that usually don't take the artist too long to do. For these, you might find prices listed right next to the artwork. The artist may have a "minimum" charge that might vary with each artist.

Larger (or custom) pieces will usually be charged by the hour (unless you and the artist decide beforehand on the total price). If you get a "stock" piece (probably about 2" x 2" in size), you will probably not pay more than $100 and sit no longer than an hour in the chair. Your mileage may vary.

If you bring your own design, the artist may charge anywhere from $50 to
a few hundred dollars an hour, depending on the artist. However, you may
want to work with someone who charges $100 or so an hour; after all, you
DO get what you pay for. Also, some artists charge for illustration time prior to beginning tattoo work. If they do, this might increase your price by an extra hour. If they tell you that your piece will be charged by the hour, ask them how many hours they think it'll take. If you are on a limited budget, tell them how much you can afford.

Price negotiation should be up front and straightforward, a part of your
initial discussion before work begins. Some shops take credit cards; most don't. Out-of-towners may be asked to put down a deposit. Be particularly wary of people willing to work "for cheap" or "for free." They are often artists just starting out, who are still developing their skills. Caveat emptor.

Warning: Once the artist quotes you a price, *DON'T DICK WITH IT!* The
best way to get on the artist's bad side is to try to bargain with the price. If you think the price is too high, renegotiate the scope of the artwork--NOT the price. I usually do it this way: "Hi, I have X amount I can spend on this design. What can we work out for that price?"

If you are very pleased with their work and service, you are strongly
encouraged to tip the artist, even if they own the shop. Even shop
owners don't pocket 100% of what they make (remember--it's a business!).
Tips can range from 10% to 20% of the piece, so be prepared with cash on
hand.

I personally recommend a tip for any work which you are pleased with, or
any custom work where the artist spent time drawing up your illustration
(since drawing time is usually not included in your price). Nothing
brightens up a day for the artist, or helps to build a friendly
relationship with your artist more than a generous tip. If you're very
happy with the artist and you think you might get more work from them
later, TIP!!

There have been heated discussions on rec.arts.bodyart in the past
regarding the appropriateness of tipping a shop OWNER. If you feel that
an owner does not deserve a tip on top of the price s/he charges you,
then A) do not give a tip at all, or B) bring some sort of offering, be
it food, flowers or whatever.

Many tattoo artists have told me that the BEST TIP is good word of
mouth. If you are happy with your tattoo, show it off to your friends
and tell them where you got it done!

TYPES OF TATTOOS

Abstractions
Abstractions are designs that are mostly derived from primitive tattooing. Most tribal tattoos belong into this category, as well as Celtic or modern, western abstract designs.

Naturalistic Pictures
This means the attempt to depict some particular thing in naturalistic fashion. It involves detail, shading, perspective, and other artistic techniques used to make an image appear realistic.

Pledge or Dedication
Pledges are a particular type of design that is often found in sailor or 'traditional' western tattooing. The heart and name banner tattoo, the anchor with a ship name, and the insignia of a military regiment are all types of dedicated tattoos.

Simplifications or Stylized Designs
Stylized tattoos appear in all styles. It can be a cartoon character, or a flash from the wall of the tattoo shop, such as a panther or a rose. Non-flash, custom tattoos can also be stylized, this includes hearts, stylized flowers (as opposed to realistic reproductions.), and other simplified images.

Complex Structures or Combinations
Complex structures can be the traditional Japanese body suits, or a jumble of unrelated images with no connecting theme or fill work, as born by tattoo collectors.