Tattoos and your experiences.

[Dali]

Hey,

Do you have any tattoos and how is it for you when you had them done also what do you think of numbing cream and have you used it? I am asking because when I was 17 I got a largish one on my lower back, it was a stupid, spur of the moment thing and I didn't even choose the tattoo, the tattooist did. It was excruciatingly painful and that isn't me making it sound worse than it actually was.

I actually screamed at one point, I was retching, covered in sweat and almost passed out, it was a terrible experience. Funny thing is only the outline hurt and the tattooist let me have a break and many cigarettes before starting the outline and it was 30 minutes before he started again and I was dreading it. Honestly when he filled it in I didn't feel a thing my back was completely numb, not a single bit of pain and I never understood why? A couple of years later I had a couple of tattooists look at it and they said the guy who did mine did it wrong, used the wrong needles and went too deep into the skin and that's why the pain was really bad. There is allot of scar tissue, you can feel the tattoo when you rub your fingers over it.

So I really need it fixing because I don't like it that much, I can show a picture if you would like to see it? I would also really, really love to have a Tiger tattoo but I am far, far too scared there is no way I would have one done if I have to go through that again but then the numbing cream I keep hearing about seems like it actually works, so I am wondering what you think and also your own personal tattoo stories?

 

[Babe_Ruth]

I have one on my arm near my shoulder, it didn't hurt all that much when I got it and it didn't hurt afterwards either. I had to put Polysporin on in for the next few days, but not because it was hurting but because the tattooist recommended it.

I definitely want another one, but their expensive and I have more important things to spend my money on at the moment.

 

[Dali]

Yes they are really expensive and they seem to cost a little more money over here in the US than they do in the UK. I have walked in and out of so many tattoo shops and even booked appointments but then lost my nerve. If I knew that it wasn't going to be a terrible as it was first time round then I would save up for one because I really would like my tattoo reworked or even covered a little by something else?

 

[Jeanie]

The first one I got, I was ready for it to be over about halfway through. The second one, by about halfway through, I was actually feeling a little high from whatever chemicals were being released in my brain. I was really enjoying it. When he started, I just started meditating, and by the time he was done I was honestly a little bummed that it was over.

 

[Scissorhands]

I have walked in and out of so many tattoo shops and even booked appointments but then lost my nerve.

Haha. Funny. People get pissed when you do this. Don't go back to the ones that you stood up when you go to get another one.

My first one was behind my ear and it hurt really bad towards the hairline. The second one was on my wrist and it was a silhouette bat. Then I started my sleeve which currently goes half way up my arm. It hurts really bad on the underside of my arm, but not so bad on the top. And yes, the outline always hurts worse. The rest is just shading.

I have never even heard about numbing creams. I wonder why. Every time I have gotten work done I have just watched the Animal Planet or something and tried not to think about it. My artist owes me my full sleeve so I just go in and he works until I can't stand it any more then I come back in a month or two when that has healed and we work some more. I usually go for 5 hour sittings.

No one can deny that it hurts. People try to, but they are fuckin' idiots. Some people are just better at enduring the pain than others. I almost pass out when I get something pierced, but I can sit 5 hours with a needle going in and out of my skin at about 30 times per second (possibly more, I'm not sure.) and no problem. (9 needles when it's shading.)

Good luck to you. I suggest you take a hyrdocodon before you go in! Maybe two!

 

[Chaos]

I've only got a small one on my shoulder. Say, an inch (or just over) squared. :dunno: It's the Chinese symbol for Strength or Power, I like it. I wanted my first to be fairly small and easy, and it did hurt, of course. Parts of it were worse than others, and I'm not sure if it was worse than what I was expecting or not.

When I was having it done, I was already thinking to myself "Never again :sick:", but when I saw it, after taking the patch off I liked how it looked, and I'm probably going to get a few more.

As for treating it, the place I went to was the best, the most reputable, extremely hygienic, and they gave me strict instructions on how to take care of it, I still have them:

- wash the tattoo when you get home in warm soapy water, rinse and pay dry
- apply healing cream after washing (they sold the cream there)
- repeat 3-4 times daily
- do not pick any scabs that form
- do not scratch the new tattoo
- do not soak tattoo in bath water for one week
- do not swim for four weeks
- do not allow any chemicals, detergents, oils, greases, etc to come into contact with the new tattoo
- do not expose the tattoo to direct UV rays, e.g. the sun or sun beds

 

[EllyDicious]

how much expensive is a tattoo over where you guys live??
i'm not a fan of tattoos. i don't have any.

 

[AnitaKnapp]

I have one, it was a custom design that my friend drew for me. Mine hurt a lot, but it's halfway on my pelvis bone, so I expected it to. I found that the shading in hurt worse than the outlining...but then again, I had about 7 different colors being blended together in mine. What hurt me worst was after he would tat, he would take a napkin and wipe away the stray blood/ink. I arched up off the table every single time he did that. :S
And it was a little painful healing as well, since it was in an area that was rubbed by the waistband of my pants. I had to constantly keep it bandaged...but that only last for about a week. After it started scabbing, I was fine other than a little bit of skin pulling here and there.

I do plan on getting another one, and it will more than likely be fairly large. I don't really have the money for it at the moment, but I do have the design ready, for when I am able to afford it.

 

[Scissorhands]

Hey guys! Just got out of the parlor again! I got another 5 hours of work done on my arm. (Mostly my underarm, ouch!) I got to sit through Armageddon and one other movie that I don't recall, lol.

- apply healing cream after washing
- do not pick any scabs that form

Bacitracin is the healing cream he is talking about. And MY advice would be to shy away from it. My reason being that it is mostly just to keep infection, but if you just take care of it right you won't have to worry about infection! Also, it is very thick and does not allow the tattoo to breathe. And it has to breathe to heal correctly. (You will know it is fully healed when it looks so, but also when the shininess is gone. Your tattoo will shine kind of, it will reflect light. When that is gone it is fully healed.)

-Do not pick at the scabbing -IF- it scabs. If you take care of it right it will not scab over. Keep a light layer of Lubriderm (or similar) on it. Lightly though, so it can breathe.

There is no escaping the pain! The worst areas are going to be your hairline, underarm, armpit (yes, people get tattoos there!) and foot. You just have to bear through it! About thirty minutes in today I was just trying to focus on Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis trying to save the world and forget the pain. But I endured it for another 4 and a half!

Good luck to you, once again. It's worth it. =)

 

[AeonFlux]

I have one tattoo, and it is between my shoulder blades. I really didn't find the experience to be painful, and in fact enjoyed the high it gave me while getting it done. I was pretty much in a trance through the whole thing and was shocked when it was over and realized hours had passed. I would like to get another one at some point, but they are a bit expensive and I haven't decided exactly what I want yet.

I designed my own tattoo, and have also designed tattoos for others. In fact, a co-worker of mine got one of my designs done just this last week. There is really nothing more flattering than knowing someone has chosen to have your artwork displayed on their body FOREVER.