The Process of Getting a Tattoo!

Getting a tattoo can be a very personal and special journey. It involves several steps to ensure the best possible result! I recently just got my first tattoo and this is a brief over view of the process. The first step to take is deciding on a base design and placement, I chose to do a vine of jasmine flowers on my left shoulder blade. Next, you should look into multiple tattoo artists/shops to find one with a work style you like the best. Its also important to take reviews, proper licensing, and cleanliness into consideration. Schedule a consultation with the desired artist and tell them ALL of your ideas, the more specific you are the better. If you find a piece of work you like on something like Pinterest or Instagram, your tattoo artist may want to slightly change it for personalization. On the day of your actual appointment your artist will start by sanitizing the area, as well as shaving it. Then your stencil will be placed, but in some cases artists will freehand it onto the area. Now for the fun part, your artist will start the ink! The first initial pain feels like a cat scratch on a bad sunburn. It took me about 15 minutes to get used to the feeling but everyone is different and certain areas of your skin are more sensitive. Once your artist has finished, a layer of Saniderm will be placed on your tattoo to protect it. Its important to follow all aftercare steps instructed by your artist. The process of getting my tattoo made me realize I can handle pain better than I thought. Don’t let the common fear of the tattoo hurting stop you from getting one! Go get that tattoo!