# First Tattoo... what to expect **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682 "2015-07-31T22:36:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/1 "2015-07-31T22:36:00Z")
I have no tattoos and plan to keep it that way. I’m not really crazy about most of them. My son however is 18 (almost 19) and he has said for some time that he wanted to get a tat when he turned 18. He had Lymphoma when he was 8 and has been a survivor for the past 10 years and he wants the green lymphoma ribbon with “Embrace Life” and “Survivor” around it. He is going to a very reputable shop, with an artist who has been featured on Inked and tons of magazines. He is paying for it himself so obviously it means a lot to him. He met with the artist yesterday and is getting inked tomorrow. It isn’t going to be huge… maybe the diameter of a baseball or softball. He is getting it on his ribs on the side which I’ve heard will be quite painful. He also is an athlete and has basically no body fat. So since I have no experience at all… what should he expect. How long to heal and look presentable? ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/2 "2015-08-01T00:19:24Z")
It’s going to hurt like hell. The ribs are painful to begin with; if he has no padding underneath, that’ll make it even tougher. The artist will offer a cream to put on while it’s healing- buy it, it’s worth it. The bandage will come off in a couple hours, it’ll start scabbing in a day or two, and he should do everything he can to keep from scratching or picking at the scabs (that’s where the cream will come in handy). It should be healed enough to look good within a week/ten days. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/3 "2015-08-01T01:06:35Z")
It shouldn’t really scab. None of mine did, I kept the saran wrap/tape/bandage on overnight and then liberally slathered unscented Curel on if after each shower plus a few times a day. After about 5 days it starts to peel like a sunburn would, and by 7-8 days (for me, could be longer for others) it’s all peeled and no longer needs special care. The highest protection sunblock is recommended for long term care, if he’s the type to be outside shirtless. Going by the size and coloring described, it probably won’t even take 30 minutes. He will need to grit his teeth and probably swear a bit. After about 10 minutes, endorphins kick in and it’s not so bad. The black outlining is usually done with a single needle and hurts the most. The coloring is often done with 2-4 needles and hurts a little less since it’s a wider area. This is all my experience, anyway. (about 20 hours in the chair total over the course of 4 tats) ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/4 "2015-08-01T01:38:51Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > It shouldn’t really scab. None of mine did, I kept the saran wrap/tape/bandage on overnight and then liberally slathered unscented Curel on if after each shower plus a few times a day. After about 5 days it starts to peel like a sunburn would, and by 7-8 days (for me, could be longer for others) it’s all peeled and no longer needs special care. The highest protection sunblock is recommended for long term care, if he’s the type to be outside shirtless. > > Going by the size and coloring described, it probably won’t even take 30 minutes. He will need to grit his teeth and probably swear a bit. After about 10 minutes, endorphins kick in and it’s not so bad. The black outlining is usually done with a single needle and hurts the most. The coloring is often done with 2-4 needles and hurts a little less since it’s a wider area. This is all my experience, anyway. (about 20 hours in the chair total over the course of 4 tats) That’s my experience too. It will hurt like a sonofabitch at first and then it will still hurt but he won’t mind so much. The healing process feels like a sunburn. No one talks about that, but that was more annoying for me than anything. He will need to make sure to follow proper after care procedures which the shop should outline for him. What topical creams are good, what aren’t. How long to keep it bandaged etc, they will walk him through it. Oh, the other thing he should expect. After the sunburn pain goes away, he is going to want another one. Happens to pretty much everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/5 "2015-08-02T01:52:45Z")
Well it is a done deal now. I have to admit that it looks really good, and it really means a lot to him. The artist is apparently one of the top 25 in the country and it shows. The shading and highlights make it very realistic. He just looked at the font my son picked out and nailed it. he actually asked him if he could change a couple of the letters to make them look better (which he agreed to and it was for the best). And yeah… he said it hurt like hell. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/6 "2015-08-02T02:42:37Z")
It might get itchy as hell. If the stuff he bought at the shop doesn’t work, try Gold Bond lotion. The menthol helps A LOT with the itching. Also, when it heals, he may notice color “coming off” (but with the tattoo still whole underneath). It’s the top layer of skin/excess ink. Don’t flip out. No one warned me about that! ---
**Author:** ![oz0ne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc348/32.png) [@oz0ne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oz0ne)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/7 "2015-08-02T04:49:35Z")
Aquaphor. Go get that. I never had any healing, scabbing, or itching issues. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/8 "2015-08-02T07:58:59Z")
I second Aquaphor. And a shirt you don’t mind tossing after it gets stained with Aquaphor. I was surprised by the feeling of the needle. I was expecting a poking sensation, but it actually felt more like a scalpel slicing. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/9 "2015-08-02T17:07:41Z")
So, I’m curious about getting a tattoo on the ribs - do you have to hold your breath so your ribs don’t move? Deep breathing is usually my first thing to try when forced to encounter pain (like at the dentist) so that would be even more difficult than some other location. FTR, I have no tattoos and am not about to get one at my age. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/10 "2015-08-02T22:19:43Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Well it is a done deal now. I have to admit that it looks really good, and it really means a lot to him. The artist is apparently one of the top 25 in the country and it shows. The shading and highlights make it very realistic. He just looked at the font my son picked out and nailed it. he actually asked him if he could change a couple of the letters to make them look better (which he agreed to and it was for the best). > > And yeah… he said it hurt like hell. Oooh. Now I want to see it. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/11 "2015-08-03T00:44:44Z")
Yeah, post a picture! Not that my opinion matters, but that seemed like a good reason for a tat, something deeply meaningful. Not just some random flower or flaming skull. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/12 "2015-08-03T01:52:08Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > So, I’m curious about getting a tattoo on the ribs - do you have to hold your breath so your ribs don’t move? Deep breathing is usually my first thing to try when forced to encounter pain (like at the dentist) so that would be even more difficult than some other location. > > FTR, I have no tattoos and am not about to get one at my age. Often for a rib tattoo, the artist will have the client lay on a table. The artist rests their wrist on the client’s body, so their hand and machine move with the breathing and it isn’t a problem. I laid on a table for the one on my right quadricep, was there for 3 hours and fell asleep for a little bit. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/13 "2015-08-03T10:58:05Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I laid on a table for the one on my right quadricep, was there for 3 hours and fell asleep for a little bit. I straddled a chair for my lower-back-tat (which I got before the phrase “tramp stamp” was coined, TYVM). I also dozed off for a bit. The tattoo artist was impressed because it was a good-sized tat for a first time. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/14 "2015-08-05T01:13:30Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Oooh. Now I want to see it. 🆒 Well apparently I totally suck at social media. I tried putting a pic from my phone on Flickr and it came out like a postage stamp… I then clicked on a “shareable link” and just before I posted it I realized that Google had added my picture and full name in the upper left corner. If someone wants to give this old man some advise I will try to oblige the requests. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/15 "2015-08-05T03:48:07Z")
The artist is known for his old school work. He uses a lot of flash designs but paints them in his own style. The best way I can describe them is like what you would see on a WWII bomber or fighter plane. What he got was very simple, but still very much in that style. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-tattoo-what-to-expect/726682/16 "2015-08-05T15:34:26Z")
Pics or it didn’t happen.