Tattoo Gallery

There are five key things you need to know before heading off to the Tattoo Parlor
on tattoo appointment day. This article will cover those five key points to help ensure
that when you finally put ink to skin, you are completely ready and do not have any
last minute snags in your tattoo plan.

I have to admit, the first time I went to get a tattoo, I was pretty nervous, I
absolutely had no idea what to expect at all and I was really wondering just "How
painful is this going to be?"

Looking back on my tattoos now, and since I have undergone numerous tattoos,
I know what to expect, and what to prepare for when it comes to Tattoo Appointment
day.

Here five Tattooing Tips - Preparing for Tattoo Appointment Day

1) Tip 1: No Booze! I know you are nervous and you would not mind 'numbing' the pain with a few shots of liquor before you go. But doing this or any kind of drugs is a big no-no.

Alcohol thins the blood and thinner blood bleeds easier and takes longer to heal. Sure it
might make it a little less painful, but bleeding like a stuck pig will make it more difficult
for the tattoo artist to do his thing. You want the artist to have a 'clean' slate to work with
and do not want him to have to battle with you bleeding all over the place every time he puts
ink to skin. A tattoo that bleeds a lot is also messier to heal, which can result in a flawed
"end result" tattoo.

2) Tip 2: Go in super clean! Take your your daily shower just before your tattoo appointment. If you are like me and have to have a shower every morning regardless, then either schedule your tattoo appointment shortly after you wake up or just take another one right before you
visit the tattoo parlor. The Tattoo artist is going to be right up on you, and you want them to be extremely comfortable there. If you smell, at all, it is going to be a major distraction to the tattoo artist and they probably will not do as good of a job. Do not wear heavy perfume or cologne either, just nice clean skin.

Also keep in mind that post tattoo, you do not want to get your tattoo wet, especially right after having it done. Get clean first.

3) Tip 3: Wear comfortable clothes to your appointment! If your clothing is going to cover the tattoo, don't wear white. A little blood could get on your clothes from the bandage and, well, we all know what blood does to white . I also recommend wearing loose fitting clothes so they won't be too tight on the sore tattoo . If you are a woman and you are getting a tattoo on your arm, you might consider wearing a tank top so you don't have to remove your shirt, although you probably won't hear any complaints form the tattoo artist.

4 ) Tip 4: Take a DISTRACTION for yourself. Bring something with you to take your mind off having the tattoo done. A MP3 player is of course a good idea, as well as a book or magazine. Most tattoo artists ( like mine ) will talk to you during the process, but sometimes it is hard to hear over
the buzzing of the tattoo gun, and the shooting pain.

5 ) Tip 5: Eat something before you go. Some people can get light headed and even faint while having a tattoo put on, and having food on your stomach will help. Also, it takes a while, typically a couple hours, for even small tattoos to be put on. You do not want to be hungry on top of enduring the tattoo application.