I’ve seriously been considering getting some tattoos over the last few years but one of the biggest things I read about on the internet is making sure the place is clean so you don’t catch hep etc.
Besides making the place looks clean, needles aren’t re-used what’re some of the more common things an inexperienced tattooee would look for that perhaps people don’t mention?
Also, did any of you get a Hep B/C shot before you went as a precaution or no?
Visit the place and ask how they keep everything sterile. The place I went (even though I had already chosen them) went into a lot of detail about the sterilization equipment, how it worked, how they monitored that it was working properly, etc. as well as explaining all other facets of keeping things sterile.
This. Most states have some sort of oversight of Tattoo parlor’s health and sanitization processes, but you can learn as much from the artist’s demeanor when you ask these questions as you are likely to from the answers themselves. You need to feel comfortable with this person’s professionalism, talent, and personality before you let them permanently alter your body. I’ve also felt like the tattooist felt more comfortable with me because I took the time to ask the questions.
I’ve also struck these kinds of conversations, and within a few minutes just knew that this was not the shop for me. In both cases, the shops were clean and well lit, with health department certificates clearly displayed, but I didn’t feel like the people working there cared much about what they were doing, and even less about whether I was going to be happy with the outcome.
There is no such thing as a HepC shot (edited to add: meaning, you can’t get vaccinated for HepC, they haven’t figured out the vaccine yet). As long as the shop is safe, and there is no tattoo-related swapping of body fluids, you shouldn’t need a HepB shot just because you are getting a tattoo. I would get a HepB series anyway, because I am a fan of immunizations in general, but not for a tattoo from a safe and reputable tattoo parlor. In my opinion, anyway : )
love
yams!!
Cool. Thanks for the help everyone. 
I’ve never had a tattoo, but I have had electrolysis. When I went in for the first appointment, the woman went over some of the sanitary precautions with me, and she took an abbreviated medical history. I didn’t even have to ask.
One thing that stuck with me is the fact that she always made sure that the customer was on the table, then set the timer, then washed her hands, hit the “start” button on the timer with her elbow, and then opened up a new probe in front of the customer. And she is very, VERY understanding if I cancel an appointment because of a cold!
Just make sure you’re comfortable with the place and that the artist is listening to what you want. Once it’s time for your appointment, they will take the needles out of their packaging in front of you. So that would be your proof that the needles are clean and unused.
Hep C aside, As a person with nearly a full body tattoo, there is other prep you should engage in before getting tattooed. Now, I have a LOT of ink, and sit for nearly a full day at a time as I’m getting the color added in. If you are getting even a modestly sized tattoo this will help your experience go really well.
Stay hydrated, at least for one full day before your appointment. If you can, forget the coffee and other diuretics.
Eat a large meal of carbs, protein, and veggies ( I gorge on Lo-mein) an hour or so before you go. Like keeping well hydrated, you want your blood sugar levels to be well balanced, and nice and full. If you are prone to gas, then take a beano. Your artist will thank you.
Absolutely no alcohol or drugs. including blood thinners like aspirin. You will bleed a little during the procedure and you don’t want this to get in the way of the artist.
Get a full night’s rest, both before and after. Tattooing can be exhausting to the nervous system which is being rather overstimulated during the procedure. Leave yourself time to be well rested going into it which will significantly increase your endurance of pain. The night after can be uncomfortable, so leave yourself enough time to get adequate rest which well also assist in the healing process.
Stretch out. Seriously. You are going to have to sit put without moving for a good length of time. Possibly in a rather uncomfortable position depending on where you are being tattooed. stretching out a bit before you sit is good practice that will help you to be comfortable and able to maintain your lack of motion longer.
Remember when you were five and had to sit on family trips? The rule applies here. Go before you sit, even if you don’t really have to.
Moved MPSIMS --> IMHO.
See I’ve never really heard anyone mentioning being well rested or stretching that’s cool. I’m a fairly well hydrated character to being with but duly noted thanks.
Got any pics of your tattoos?
Naproxen sodium is also a blood thinner, for your information. I was on a pretty high dosage once when I got my ears repierced. They just would NOT stop bleeding. My mother was doing this, and she was a lab tech, so she’s used to blood. But I bled so much that I upset her.
Basically, if you’re taking any over the counter painkiller except for Tylenol, your blood is not going to clot very well.
What everyone has said above. Make sure that you SEE the needle come out of the package. It will be sealed. Also, since you are talking about prepping for a tattoo, there are a few other things to think about:
2: As I said in a previous thread here, check, double check and then triple check any spelling that is incorporated in your design. The artist should show you the stencil before and after he applies it to your body. Check the spelling AGAIN. For a look at those who didn’t, do a Google search for bad tattoo’s.
3: And lastly, make sure that what you are doing is what you want to do. If you made this decision on an impulse, wait. Take a week or two and make sure that you are doing the right thing. I have a tattoo and I thought long and hard before I committed. Think carefully about where the tattoo is going. I choose my location because it is easy to cover up. Some social and professional situations are better off without a tattoo showing for all to see.
Have fun and I wish you luck. I am very happy that I got mine and I hope that when I am 80 that I am still happy about my choice. Make sure you trust the person doing it and listen to the other posters advice. It is all good.
I would second everything Acid Lamp said. Tattooing is very draining on you, both mentally and physically. I prefer to time my appointments for afternoon or evening and I don’t do anything else the rest of the day. Your artist will lightly bandage you before you leave, but you don’t want to be walking around running errands with a huge open wound on your body. Infections in tattoos are rare, but can happen.
Beyond that, I really think it is important to connect with your tattooist. You’re potentially going to spend a lot of time with this person. (Tattoos are pretty addictive. I’m not as heavily tattooed as Acid Lamp, but I have 20 individual pieces ranging in size, and am about 21 hours into my full sleeve.) I’ve been seeing my current tattooist for four years, and she and I have become close friends since we met. We hang out outside of her working on me, and use our tattooing time to socialize.
Just be ready to hurt. I almost passed out the first time I was tattooed because I didn’t eat enough. Luckily, they force fed me M&M’s and Pepsi to raise my blood sugar before I tried to drive anywhere.
Big pieces can be tender for up to a week after your work is done. Consider that for timing your appointment. My son or someone at work inevitably grabs my arm after I’ve had work done, and it sucks!
And if anyone ever offers to “set your ink” for you, hit them first!
Good luck! Have fun!
I wore a fake tattoo on my ankle (where I got my first one) from the time I was 16 until I was 18, when I got the real thing, to make sure I really wanted one. While that was a bit extreme, maybe, I definitely second this, too.
It also took me 14 years to commit to my full sleeve. If I’d sleeved 10 years ago, I’d have ended up with a sleeve full of fairies and flowers. It would still be pretty, but it wouldn’t still be me. I’m glad I waited as long as I did to commit to something that dramatic.
I had to google “setting a tattoo” sounds stupid. I have a buddy that says he likes to hit his tats with the hottest water he can right after getting it.
There’s a few I’d like that either are either related to something I really like doing, represent a certain important part of my life but there’s also a couple I’d like to get because (1) is an animal I find particularly impressive. (2) One of the main reasons I haven’t gotten tattoos is worrying about what other people would think but I’m at the point in life now that I’d like to do what I want and even if there wasn’t a particularly powerful reason behind at least one of the tattoos it’d still be a reminder to myself to think more about what I want and expect of myself rather than worry excessively about what others think I should do.
Agreed. Acid Lamp and I see the same guy for our work, and one thing that started our professional relationship with him was that I felt very comfortable around him right away. Tattooing, especially extensive tattooing starts to form a relationship between the collector and the artist. When we were living close to our artist, we would see him somewhat regularly, stop by the shop on occasion to shoot the shit, and for a while we were training at the same dojo as him (on his recommendation of the place to us).
If you’re female (this could also apply to males) and getting a tattoo in someplace that may usually be covered with clothing, make sure that you’re comfortable not only in the clothes you’re wearing, but how much exposure is required in order to get the tattoo done. I’ve got a large piece (snowflakes going down one side of me, from shoulder to mid-thigh) and, in some stages of the work I had to wear a bikini top, loose skirt or side-tie pants in order to have easy access to the skin being covered. Had I not already formed a good professional relationship with my artist before this, it could have been really awkward to be exposing that much skin. Do double-check everything before the tattoo starts, and make sure that you really want what you’re getting before you put down any deposits to set an appointment, as they’re non-refundable.
Sure. HERE you go. Color is off and dull since it’s just the webcam, but you get the idea.
My aftercare procedure is as follows: Keep the bandage on for no more than an hour, (I coagulate extremely rapidly) then air it out for an hour more if possible. Then shower with warm water, and a little soap to remove plasma, blood, and other residue. After showering, I coat it liberally with a decent unscented lotion, (I like aveeno) and that is it. Keep it it lotioned and I usually begin peeling on the third day. in a week I’m tender, but healed. NO SUN. NO SUN. NO SUN. Did I make that clear enough? No swimming or baths for the first week. I dislike ointments that have any anti-bacterial properties to them for this purpose as well. They seem to mess up the healing process. Lotion works just fine.
Everyone is different though. If you find that you are an oozer, keep your bandage on longer, and be careful when washing your new tattoo.
There is no such thing as “setting” a tattoo. It was “set” when it was injected into your skin. Healing poorly can result in the body expelling too much ink and messing it up, but it is pretty much in there forever.
If at all possible, think about the time of year you’re getting this done. Middle of the summer will be hot and sweaty, which may make the tattoo more uncomfortable. Plus it will make sun bathing impractical and swimming almost impossible in the short term. In deep winter and you’ll have on layers of clothing, and that can impede healing.
Also: Your skin will form a scab. Using lotion/ointment/whatever your artist recommends is to keep the scab soft and flexible. DO NOT PICK AT THE SCAB! If the scab is removed before it’s ready to come off, it may take ink with it, and if the scab isn’t kept moist with the lotion/ointment, it may crack as it heals, which can show in the final result. The scab may itch, but don’t scratch it; if it is unbearable, patting the scab may help.
That was kind of the point I was making, without coming right out and saying it. I was kind of new to tattooing when someone first offered to “set my tattoo”. Seems like someone is always tries to hit some new person’s ink. It’s a jerkish think to do, and it can damage uour design.
Some of my tats are animals that I love (a seahorse done in negative space, ladybugs), some are deeply meaningful (butterflies for my deceased twins), and some are simply for pretty (flowered arm band). It took me a long time to realize that not every single one of my tattoos needed to be deeply significant to me. I could simply get tattooed just because I liked something. It took me some time to stop being a tattoo elitist. I used to worry about what other people would think, but now, I just enjoy my ink and ignore the “haters”.
I get constant questions about my seahorse and why I don’t fill it in. People are confused about why I want to leave something in negative space. I love him. He’s one of my all time favorite tattoos. Super unique! I am definitely not going to change it. People are crazy.