Have you noticed that there are a lot of people that have Tattoos these days? In the past, you may have only seen tattoos on people such as sailors, outlaws, and biker gangs but now tattoos are a very popular body decoration for many people. And it’s not just those who have them, thanks to all of the tattoo inks and accessories the style and options are nearly endless.
The types and styles of tattoos have also come a very long way. It is no longer crude pictures of pinup girls, skulls, and anchors. Tattoos have developed into very sophisticated artwork ranging from Celtic crosses to very personalized symbols. People have found and created designs that express themselves in a very personal way.
What is a Tattoo?
Very simply a tattoo is a puncture wound made in the skin that is filled with ink. Although done differently today than in the past the technique is still somewhat similar. Today, tattoo artists use a tattoo gun that has one or more needles that penetrate the skin and delivery the ink into the skin. Tattoos last a very long time due to the fact that the ink is placed deeply into the skin.
The top layer of skin is known as the epidermis and it is continually shedding and being repeated. In case the ink from a tattoo was in this layer of skin it would not keep going extremely long. The layer of skin that the ink is infused into is known as the dermis, which is a more profound layer of skin that is truly steady and makes the tattoo stay noticeable forever.
Tattoos in the past were done manually with a tool that they tapped on the skin to make the puncture wound and then the ink would be injected by hand. Most tattoo shops today have tattoo guns or machines to do this today, although you can still find areas around the world that still use the older style of tattooing.
The tattoo guns make tattooing much more quickly today because the machine is able to deliver the ink into the skin as it is puncturing the skin. The tattoo artist can change the tip of the machine to contain one needle or group of needles depending on if they are drawing the outline of the design or shading part of the design.
Most tattoo specialists today are exceptionally gifted and know exactly how far to drive the needle into the skin to create a decent tattoo. Not diving deep enough can bring about worn-out tattoos and diving too deep can bring about unreasonable dying, also the agony would be a lot more regrettable.
Does It Hurt?
Getting a tattoo can hurt and can take several hours or even days to complete depending on the size and design of the tattoo you are getting. The amount of pain can and will very depend on the location of the tattoo. Everyone has a different threshold to pain also. The art has a bit to do with it also. A good tattoo artist can provide less pain than a new or less experienced tattoo artist.
So you want a Tattoo!
Most importantly, on the off chance that you will get a tattoo, make it happen securely! Keep in mind, a tattoo is a stabbing that should be dealt with actually like some other scratch or cut that you might get. By dealing with your tattoo you will be less inclined to have it get tainted.
It may sound a little silly but you need to make sure that your immunizations are up to date. Tattoo shops today have implemented steps to help you avoid infections and disease but it doesn’t hurt to take an extra step for your own safety. Have a plan to get medical care if your tattoo does get infected. Some signs of infection are excessive redness, prolonged bleeding, pus, or changes in your skin color around the tattoo.
If you have a prior or existing condition such as heart disease, allergies, diabetes, or a condition that affects your immune systems by all means consult with your doctor. He may be able to recommend precautions that you can take before getting your tattoo.
Picking the spot to get your tattoo is vital. You need to be certain the tattoo shop is perfect and safe. Things like needles, gloves, covers should be generally dispensable and ought to never be utilized on more than one individual.
The guns themselves and other equipment that is not disposable should be sterilized after every use. You can contact your local government agencies(county, city, local health department) that can inform you of licensed tattoo shops, standards, or complaints against a specific tattoo shop.
Here are some things to look for:
Does the tattoo shop you are looking at have an autoclave to sterilize equipment? An autoclave is a piece of equipment that uses steam, pressure, and heat to sterilize with.
Is the shop authorized? You can check this through your neighborhood government office and the tattoo shop you are taking a gander at ought to have the option to give you references.
Make sure the tattoo shop the regulations that outline procedures to be followed when dealing with bodily fluids that are provided by the Occupational Safely and Health Administration’s Universal Procedures.
Just keep in mind, if the tattoo shop you are considering looks dirty or just doesn’t feel right to you for any reason it would probably be best to find a tattoo shop you are more comfortable with.
What to expect
First of all, you will need to find the design that you are wanting to be tattooed on your body. The tattoo shop you are going to will most likely have thousands of designs that you can look through. You may also be able to have the artist create a unique design for you.
There are likewise many plans to browse on the web. Whenever you have settled on a plan you should settle on an area. You may as of now have an area as the main priority and have the option to pick the tattoo you will get for that specific area.
The tattoo artist will then clean and even shave if necessary to the area getting tattooed and apply a type of stencil of the tattoo on that area and allow you to see it. This will give you a good idea of what it will look like. As the artist is getting the ink and gun ready they will explain things about the needles and the procedures in order for you to become more comfortable with the whole process.
When you are both ready they will begin the outline. Once the outline is finished the tattoo artist will once again clean the tattoo area and most likely change the needles in the gun to do the shading or fill in.
Subsequent to completing the tattoo the craftsman will again clean the tattoo region and apply some kind of anti-infection treatment and afterward it will be covered with a swathe. Congrats! You presently have another tattoo. It will require a couple of days to recuperate yet soon you will actually want to eliminate the wrap and hotshot your new workmanship.
Tattoo Care
The last step you will need to follow is very important. That is taking care of your new tattoo until it is fully healed. The tattoo shop will give you instructions that you should follow and will most likely give you ointment to use on your tattoo.
Just remember to contact your doctor if something about your tattoo seems out of the ordinary (as discussed earlier). Make sure that you keep your tattoo bandaged for the first 24 hours. This will help in the healing process greatly. You will want to avoid touching the new tattoo and picking at any scabs that may form.
All things considered, it is an injury and will undoubtedly frame a few scabs in places. At the point when you wash it interestingly attempt to utilize an anti-infection cleanser and simply wipe it off. Re-apply some anti-microbial balm and furthermore re-swathe it. This will just assist your tattoo with mending.
You want to avoid getting your new tattoo wet (pools, hot tubs, long showers) until the tattoo has fully healed. The other important step is keeping your tattoo out of direct sunlight. Even after it is fully healed the sun can cause fading of your tattoo a great deal. So it is suggested to use sunscreen on your tattoo for quite some time so that your new tattoo does not begin to fade too soon.
