I Got A Question About Tattoos

[macmarauder]

nice tattoo tictoc5150. it reminded my to post this thread cause i have a question about tattooing.

i've actually been considering a tattoo for years now. i've always been OK with tattoo and kinda understand why people get them. i am a true nerd in, almost the king, but you guys already know that. so it scares me a bit. the problem with having alot of intelligence is know just how easily it is to get an infection from it. 1,000,000's of germs a the very tip of that needle and on your skin that are being pushed into your skin. but i understand when it's something that means that much to you that your printing inside your skin.

(shivers from the willies)

anyways i want to get a tattoo of someone that i was close to that is now gone as an angle on the back of my shoulder.

if you don't mind i got a stupid question for you. i have yet to work up the courage to walk into a tattoo place and i non of my friends are the type to get tattooed so i literally have no idea what they cost.

i'm thinking about 2.5 inch X 4 inch B&W image of this. anybody have any ideas of how much it might coast or how much it will hurt? here's the full color version i've been making with a nice background and soft glow. of course i will next make it B&W and line drawn.

(shivers again)

also anyone got any horror stories about tattoos and do think it's really safe? or am i just the quintessential paranoid nerd, only thinking about the statistics and comparing it to death in planes statistics?

[handplane]

Getting a tattoo is a personal decision.

This site might help in your decision about TATTOOS

Edited January 5, 2006 by handplane

[thesidekickcat]

I will answer from my woman's point of view.

I personally find 99.99% of tattoos yucky... OK I will go ahead and say what I really want to say here... they are a huge turn-off. I don't know if a lot of women feel that way, but most of the ones I have talked to over the years, in a variety of different age groups, feel the same.

As for the chance of infection, check with the health department of your state to see if the place you decide on is licensed if required, and if they passed any health department rules. Also check with some of the previous customers if possible, and get recommendations from people you trust for not only the tattoo place but the tattoo "artist". Check out his/her work ahead of time. Disposable needles, cleaning the skin area ahead of time, etc would be important to check on. Also what will they do for you if you have problems afterwords, back you up with help/advice or be gone by then? And just the fact that many of these places are in rather shady areas/neighborhoods might give you some clues.

I only know of one person in recent years getting one, a ditzy gal, used to be close friend but we drifted in different directions so now is an acquaintance, going through menopause who decided to reclaim her youth with ankle tattoos...strange!!! She has had several tattoos, at reputable licensed places but still got a bad infection after the second or third one that lasted for months even with lots of medical care. Actually she is the last person I would have ever thought would get tattooed, she didn't even want to get ears pierced because she was so scared of needles/infections and now has several ear piercings and others...like I said she is now really ditzy.

I do know several gals who have had pierced ears get seriously infected.

Frankly I don't like needles of any kind, long time aversion to them since childhood having lots of shots for various ills, so I wont be on the piercing/tattoo potential customer list ever. In fact I have a hard time going in to get a flu shot!!! Or going to the dentist for work needing a shot of anesthetic!!! By the way don't tattoos hurt in the doing and afterwards?

Oh another thing to think about is... will you want that tattoo 40 or so years down the road, or will your wife/girlfriend? Sure I guess they can be taken off...expensive I have heard though, or possibly on some designs changed to something else...but probably should consider them as there forever, even if you change your mind.

I am glad my hubby didn't get tattooed while in the Navy, as so many did during 'Nam.

Quote: anyways i want to get a tattoo of someone that i was close to that is now gone as an angle on the back of my shoulder. Unquote.

If you want to honor someone that was close, yet leave the door open that the next person might not be thrilled about it, why not just get a plain angel on shoulder, without the details? That leaves the subject open to the future gal, but gives you a reminder though you would need a rearview mirror for it to remind you. Or do something else to honor her, donate the money you would spend on the tattoo to something she was interested in in memory of her.

Oh I just thought of something else to think about...I have heard that tattoos look different depending on weight you were when they were done, versus loosing weight later. So take that into consideration as to location of one.

Now I will stop (for now) the mother-hen routine, and let you decide for yourself.

Pat.

God bless everyone.

[JDoors]

I don't know the cost -- But are you asking here as a delay tactic? Go ask at a tatoo parlor (if they call them that)! It won't hurt to ask, and you (probably) won't get an infection just by talking to them.

They'll also have tons of art you should look into for more inspiration. I'm sure there's a lot of 'angelic' artwork that might be even more meaningful for you than what you have so far.

Looking, asking, without the commitment to actually GET a tatoo should also help you get more comfortable with the place. Ask about sanitation (any place will have excellent sanitation practices, unless you're thinking of having an ex-con do it in his basement or something).

I've only known one person who got an infection, it looked nasty but no worse than any other infection (is there such a thing as an infection that doesn't look nasty?). Personally, my immune system fights off infections easily so I wouldn't worry about that for a moment. While it is 'in' your skin, it's not that deep, so topical anti-biotics can easily control it.

However, I'd never have to worry about it anyway because I have no desire to be tatooed. Or pierced.

[bozodog]

Hmm, infection. Not anymore of a problem then a scrape you've not kept clean. A serious infection can happen if the tattoo is on thin skin/muscle near veins... it could spread into the bloodstream. But proper hygene of the area for a few days and it's done.

Any established shop will be glad to answer any questions you have. And show you their art.

Oh, and don't let anyone kid you... it hurts!

[macmarauder]

thanks sidekitcat for the mommy mode.

yes this is probably just another delay tactic and yes, judging by the looks of some of them i do feel like i'm getting infected just talking to them. but that may just be me.

[TheTerrorist_75]

You can't get just one. They're addictive. My older brother has a crap load. Many were done by a professional and he had no problems, but one of his prison tats caused hepatitis. You definitely need to know the person's health record that tattoos you.

[JDoors]

Doesn't sound like you're really the tattoo 'type.' Maybe you could consider wearing an angel-themed piece of jewelry; an earing, pendant or ring instead.

(I don't recommend this, but I did a web image search for TATTOO INFECTION, I knew what would come up ... and it did. Yeah, ya really don't wanna look at that.)

[macmarauder]

thanks for the link handplane

[tictoc5150]

all the advice given so far seems good to me but being the body mod freak I am...

<$.02>

Odds are you'll probably talk yourself out of it anyway with infection paranoia but...

Bozodog nailed it...If tattooed properly in a super-clean environment (using disposable needles or sterilized in an autoclave) and following good after care, it is unlikely that it would get infected...A good artist knows how to deep to go (between dermis and epidermis) so the odds of pigment (not ink) getting into anyones bloodstream is nil.

The days of the dark back-alley tattoo parlors are gone (or should be, anyway)....most are very well lit, somewhat clinical environments... I said this in the other thread but I like being redundant, I have 8 tatts now and have never once gotten infected, but of course, I did my homework when it comes to finding the right artists/parlors.

Checking out more than a couple artists (just for comparison of skills, alone) is always a good idea too...ask any question that pops into your head about it, alot of artists like what they do for a living and will be more than happy to answer any questions/concerns....I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want lose potential business, from both repeat visits (TT_75 is right, they're a bit addictive) or word of mouth....tattooing can be extremely lucrative.

No one says you have to walk right in and get a tattoo, scope it out first...JDOORS may be right, you might not be the type but then again, you might be.

OK, as for pain...yep, hurts a bit to most...I think it's all a matter of your threshold....I'm a weirdo, although I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, I'm kinda twisted enough to like it when it does hurt a bit....lol...btw, upper back doesn't hurt as much as other areas. (lower back is where the pain is...lol) as for pain in healing, feels like a minor sunburn for a couple days, then it itches.

As for cost, I'd guess somewhere in the $150-200 range...don't quote me on that though

Anyway, most of what Pat said is cool but I'll address the "huge turn-off" and the "99% yucky" factor....Not that I really give a rats @$$ what anyone thinks of my appearance, but I could find more people ("in a variety of different age groups") that aren't turned off by tattoos than most could find that are...This is a personal decision of how you want your body to look, not how someone else wants your body to look...a tattoo doesn't change who you are and if someone is "turned-off" by it, I think that kinda reveals their superficial side.

I personally admire the kind of loyalty it takes to honor someone with tattooing....Do not confuse this with getting just any old "mary jane rotten******" in a heart on your arm.

</$.02>