Before Getting a Tattoo, Few Things To Consider

Tattooing is not just about "expressing" yourself.. in fact when traced back to its history and its bonding with cultures, like in Samoa for instance, their Tattoos represents a huge portion of their culture and is also being used as a way of spiritual healing as well. For male and females, Samoens have different versions of Tattoos.

Tempting .... but...

This is not a disrespect for anyone but the division between male and female (did you know that over 65% of the individuals that get Tattoos are women!, way to go gals :D)  in these ancient cultures are beyond getting a "Rabbit" on your back if you're a girl or a getting a "Dragon" as a male. And they empathize it so much that getting a Tattoo in their culture, according to Australianmuseum.net , means that...

...you are ready for life, for adulthood and to be of service to your community.

which I find to be quite beautiful and adds more meaning to the whole process. But amazingly some cultures such as where I come from does not approve Tattoos at all (they're only for the "Thugs" ... they think!), sometimes it's amazing to see how perception controls us.


Why people get Tattoos?

Well, there should be a thousand reasons but according to experts there are two main reasons that can be seen.

1. To express the individuality of oneself... yep which fills most of us (including meeeee).

2. As a way of getting into a certain "group" in your community (as with the Samoens).

Anyhow, if you don't care about these so called "values" blah blah blah... just wanna get a Tattoo just because then you'd look awesome! ;-) then please consider the following things.

*. "Went for a Lion, end up with a Goat!" - Get the help of a professional 

Even if you're not serious about getting a permanent one still you should consider a professional to do that for you. Because Tattooing involves getting a certain ink under your skin using a pin thus when done unprofessionally (you know uncleaned pins, etc) there is a risk of getting an infection easily.

And on the other hand, if you're serious about getting a personal Tattoo, for instance say that you have a certain figure inside your head that you want to be your Tattoo, then only a professional Tattooist would be able to understand what's inside your head rather than an untrained one... seriously, avoid the Goat :P.

So, the first rule, go to a professional.

*. Calculate the Risk 

As said before, although it's a bit sad, but even if you want a Tattoo so bad yet depending on the size and the "visibility" (location :) ), a Tattoo can be the decision maker whether you're gonna get that job or not, to put it into simple terms. So... remember you'll have to make certain sacrifices, think about the community and their perception about what you're going to do and how it affect your life.

And also as mentioned before, there is a more concerned health issue as well. For instance, when not done properly you can easily get demonic infections such as AIDS! (thanks to those pins/needles). So be very careful and selective and make sure the Tattoo shop has a certain license issued by your local government.

Also there is a bit of a risk of your skin reacting against the ink/s that's being used (being allergic).

*. A little about the removal...

Although there are tools available for removing Tattoos but most of the time, even after a removal, the skin would not be restored to its original color! (see the below pic).

And most importantly if you want to remove your Tattoos, do not go to a Tattoo artist, you must go to a doctor. And never use those DIY Tattoo removing products because sometimes due to their acids, etc you can easily end up damaging your skin.

And after removing a Tattoo the skin may look pale (white, etc) for sometime but the skin should grow to its natural color as the time passes by. Sometimes after trying to remove Tattoos via lasers (which is one of the recommended methods actually), you may get an allergic reaction from the skin as well. So it is very important that you go and see a doctor.

An allergic reaction from the skin while trying to remove a Tattoo...

*. What about Temporary Tattoos are they "scary" too?

Yes, although the name temporary adds a certain comfort yet they also can be allergic to some. It is advised by the experts never to use Black/Blue Henna Tattoos.

So after considering all these you still wanna get that Tattoo, then make sure to...

1. No drinks - The night before you're gonna get your Tattoo, do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs (especially aspirin).

2. If you're sick then postpone it until you get better.

3. Make sure the studio (including the artist) are approved by the government and have sterilization equipments.

4. The artist must wash his hands thoroughly.

5. Get a list of the specific pigments used, including color, manufacturer's name, and lot number.

6. Now finally after getting that Tattoo make sure to follow the proper "healing" steps which involves in taking antibiotic ointment, etc.

Although getting a Tattoo seems pretty easy but when considering the health risk and the cultural attitude... it is not a simple process. But for those of you have the courage to do it, go for it and good luck :). Hope this was helpful.

Source:webmd.com