Millions of people, in recent years, have tuned into the very special art of tattooing as a way to have something of permanent meaning placed on their bodies. You're one of them, and you think having a tattoo would be absolutely mind-blowing, but you just don't know enough about what kind of tattoo to get, or even more importantly, which part of your body you want tattooed.
The first thing you should decide is whether you want a tattoo that can be hidden. It depends largely on your own personality. If you approach the world with an ?in-your-face? attitude, you may want a tattoo positioned so that will be visible most of the time.
On the other hand, if you are somewhat shy or just like to keep secrets, having a tattoo on a place you normally keep covered may make you feel unique, and even a little sexy.
And keep in mind that a tattoo which seems perfect to you when you are in your twenties may leave you asking ?What was I thinking?? in later years. So don't commit to a first tattoo positioned where you will be forced to look at it every day for the rest of your life.
Think about your social life. If it calls for you to attend very many upscale events, and you are female, are you going to want your tattoo visible when you wear a strapless dress?
But even if you are aristocracy, you can still can manage a tattoo. Lady Churchill sported a wrist tattoo which she simply covered with a diamond bracelet on state occasions!
Will having a plainly visible tattoo cause friction between you and someone close? For example, would you husband or wife see your tattoo as a come-on to others? If so, put it where it will be a secret for just the two of you.
Then there's the work situation. Will your current or potential employer be OK with you sporting a visible tattoo? Many of them aren't.
And then there's the problem of weight gain or loss. The odds are strong that you will not remain at the identical weight you are the day you get your tattoo. And even if you do, the human body has an unfortunate tendency to reshape itself during middle age.
A tattoo which looks great on the flat stomach of your 20s may be an embarrassment when you get middle-aged spread.
The same holds if you lose weight after your tattoo is in place. Your skin may become loose; how will that affect your tattoo?
You should also consider your pain threshold when deciding where to place your tattoo. The most painful tattooing occurs on designs close to the bone, like shins, elbows, and knees. If you are someone who breaks into a clod sweat at the thought of going to the dentist, you should probably limit you choice of tattoo locations to the more padded areas of your anatomy.
But once you've sorted through all the tattoo positioning pitfalls, you can get some visualization help at http://www.bmezine.com. They have several pages with photographs of recently completed tattoos which will give you a much clearer picture of how you might end up looking.
The photos cover everything from foot and ankle to breast and collar bone designs of every possible size and intricacy.
Where you position your tattoo says nearly as much about you as your tattoo itself. So be sure to choose a spot which will let you enjoy your tattoo for the rest of your life!
As soon as your tattoo has been finished, the tattoo artist will offer you some advice on the right ways to take good care of your fresh tattoo. Some tattooing outfits will provide an information sheet which will list out instructions that you should follow. Two basic rules are essential when it comes to taking care of a new tattoo, moisturize but do not over moisturize, DO NOT pick at scabs when they start to form.
If you choose to do otherwise and neglect these rules, you run the risk of getting infected and you also run the risk of ruining your new tattoo. As long as you keep to these bits of advice, you should be alright. Forget what other people say about taking care of new tattoos and only stick to the rules which are known to work.
A lot of people get one tattoo and decide to mix up the rules when they get another one. Regardless of whether you have used something which you developed a reaction to, you are better of contacting the tattoo artist and asking for what you can substitute it with. A patch test on your skin before you get a tattoo may be a good idea to see whether you develop a reaction.
One problem is that the recommended ways that you should properly take care of your tattoo may differ from one tattoo artist to the next and this can become a problem. One tattoo artist may instruct you to use Neosporin several times a day whereas another may suggest that you powder your bed before getting into it (this avoids you sticking to the sheet), a mild baby soap to wash the tattoo, baby lotion to moisturize the skin, and diaper rash cream to apply to any areas that might rub against the bra, waist of pants, socks, etc.
Certain other individuals will suggest that you use a number of different ointments and lotions. Some will say that the Tea Tree Oil (toner) from the Body Shop is the best because of its healing powers or that the cheapest form of tattoo treatment is Vaseline Intensive Care.
If you stay in an area that is dry the chances are that you will be using a lot of lotion anyway so you can opt for a large pump bottle of lotion in order to get the best bargain. This will help you forestall any problems and take proper care of your tattoo.
Varying opinions are held from one studio to the other when it comes to the issue of body art healing and this can become rather confusing. Despite this fact there are many legitimate reasons why so many differences in opinion exist. Some of the means through which you can take care of your tattoo have been covered already and there are many other options such as ointments and lubes designed simply for tattoos but most of them are really just commercial versions of most products listed above.
There is a plausible reason for the variety of ways to take care of your tattoo; this is because of various improvements in technology and a variety of products that have become available in the marketplace. Petroleum jelly was a largely popular product in the past due to the fact that it was widely available, inexpensive and did the task rather well. However ever since then it has been discovered that products which are petroleum based tend to drain the color from tattoos and they possess no healing powers.
Both Matt Garrett & Kelvin Ho are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Matt Garrett has sinced written about articles on various topics from Limited Liability Company, Family Concerns and Marketing. Author: Matt Garrett - ? 2007 Don't Be The One In Four Who Hate Their New Tattoo! Grab Your Copy Of Our Free Tattoo Guide: -. Matt Garrett's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
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