How To Keep Your Mind Off The Pain Of Getting A Tattoo

One of the most common questions that is asked when the word tattoo comes up is, does it hurt. Of course that answer is yes, getting a tattoo is no walk in the park. You will most certainly experience some sort of pain and discomfort when getting a tattoo. So now that, that is out of the way, one may wonder what they can do to keep their mind off the pain of getting a tattoo. The first and most important thing to be aware of is, it is not a good idea to take some kind of over the counter pain medicine before you get the tattoo. Pain medicine caused your blood to thin and it is very common for you to bleed when you get inked. If you have taken something that thins your blood you are increases your chances of bleeding more. The more blood the harder it is for the tattoo artist to do a good quality job.

Some other great tips for first timers to know to keep their mind off of the pain of the tattoo is simply concentrate on your breathing or simply count. Another great distraction is to bring an I-Pod so you can listen to music and if you don't have one of those simply strike up a conversation with your tattoo artist. Some don't like to talk while tattooing while others do. Also it never hurts to bring a friend along to talk to or hold their hand. Just remember that the pain your are enduring is completely worth it.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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Top Five Popular Tattoos

Every few years or so the fads in tattoos change, while some designs are always popular sometimes news one manage to squeeze their way into the popular tattoo fads. At this moment in time there are five tattoos that seem to be rather popular amongst men and woman. Below is a list of the most popular tattoos right now.

*New school tattoos, which is really a newer take on the traditional style tattoos that were made popular by sailors and servicemen. These new style tattoos are anchors and swallows, but with one small difference. The colors and detail are more vibrant.

*Japanese Kanji Tattoos are starting to get real popular with people, mainly women. Women are drawn to this particular style and love to have it Incorporated into a full sleeve with various kinds of kio and carp fish, as well as the popular Japanese characters.

*Floral and heart tattoos. These two tattoos are timeless tattoos that have been around since the tattoos first came mainstream. There are a plethora of designs, colors, and detail that one has to choose from to make their very own.

*Star tattoos is another example of a timeless tattoo design that has been popular for decades. Stars are also a great tattoo design to pick and not have to worry about regretting your choice. The came in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, clusters, bursts and so on.

*Tribal tattoos have been around for hundreds of years now and don't show any signs of getting any less popular. However, tribal tattoos of today's time are little more complex than they were when they first hit the scene.

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Ashley

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Misspelled Tattoos

Unfortunately, there are many people out there that have a tattooed misspelled, this awful practice happens more than one may think. The horrible thing about misspelling a tattoo is there is not way to erase it and start over. Once it is misspelled it is going to stay that way forever, not unless there is enough room to correct it or room to cover it up with another tattoo.With this being said it is pretty ironic that tattoo is one of the most misspelled words out there. So if you don't want to be like the many people out there in the world that has a misspelled tattoo follow these next steps and you should be never have this problem.

Most tattoo artist put your tattoo design on a piece of transfer paper that gets applied very similar to a temporary tattoo. Before the tattoo artist puts it on you they ask if everything looks alright and they ask the same after the have applied on you. So before they put this template on you make 100% sure that whatever word or phrases that you are getting tattooed on you is spelled correctly. If you are unsure of a spelling of a word, for heaven sakes look it up. Also after the tattoo artist has applied the transfer paper to your skin check again to make sure everything looks correct before they fire up the tattoo gun and go to town on your skin. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to a tattoo.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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What To Do Before You Get A Tattoo

One may not think that you will have to prepare yourself for getting a tattoo but you would be wrong. It is highly suggested that you get a good nights sleep the night before and be well fed before getting a tattoo. The reason for getting a good nights sleep is so that while you are getting your tattoo you will be more relaxed and able to sit still. As far as not getting tattooed on an empty stomach it could lead some people to feel faint and you certainly don't want that to occur when you are getting some ink done. These two simply things also help you feel less tense and more at ease, the more stressed and uptight you are the longer it could take for you to get tattooed and it your design might not turn out so well. So try to remain calm and be sure to get a proper amount of sleep and don't have an empty stomach.

Another good rule of thumb to follow when getting a tattoo is to make sure your body is all clear of any alcohol or drugs. Some experts say not to have an alcoholic drink for 48 hours prier to getting a tattoo. Alcohol thins your blood and will cause you to bleed more when getting tattooed and the more you the bleed the more difficult it is for the artist to do good quality work. Also be sure not to take any pain relievers before getting tattooed they have the same effect as alcohol. If you follow these few simple steps you should have a pleasant tattoo experience. Just know that it will hurt and you will experience some pain and discomfort. Try to stay relaxed and calm. If you are feeling anxious try taking a couple deep breathes and try to concentrate on your breathing. Also another good distraction is to bring an I-Pod with you to listen to music to keep your mind off the pain or simply strike up a conversation with your tattoo artist.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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Tattoo Parlor Helps Catch Gun Traders

Tattoo parlors are constantly being ridiculed for simple being opened and giving people tattoos. Well one tattoo parlor that was opened by two undercover ATF agents decided to add a little something extra to their menu. They offered the luxury for illegally gun traders and smugglers to buy and sell guns in the tattoo parlor as well. The tattoo parlor was open for nine months and fulfilled it promise to giving people tattoos as well as providing them the opportunity to buy drugs, guns and even pipe bombs.

A total of 30 people were arrested and a huge variety of handguns, riffles, and pipe bombs were all included in what was recovered from the back of the tattoo parlor. However, this also shines a negative shadow on the tattoo community because it portrays the fact that all people interested in tattoos or all people with tattoos are involved with illegally activity or up to no good. So well tons of guns and drugs are now off the street it still leaves a sour taste in the tattoo communities mouth because now the tattoo haters have even more of a reason to hate on the tattoo community.

What society needs to realize is yes there are bad apples out there and yes they may have tattoos but it shouldn't make you automatically think all people who have a little bit of body art is a bad person breaking the law. After all you can't judge a book by its cover. Give tattooed people a chance you will easily find they are just like you expect they have a little colorful and interesting body art to look at. After all if the whole world was made up of the same people it would be a boring place.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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Steve-O's Tattoo Regrets

Believe it or not the crazy Jackass star does have some regrets about the many tattoos he has. However, he has no problem with the huge tattoo of himself that covers his entire back that reads "Yeah Dude, I rock! Steve-O" nor does he regret his copy cat tattooed of Angelina Jolie's prayer for her eldest son Maddox on his shoulder blade. Or having Billy Bob name written on his arm. Not to mention the "I have a small wiener" on his arm." But he does regret a pot leaf on his wrist and the dribbling d**k on his arm.

So Steve-O has decided to get this not so great tattoos that he now regrets covered up with another tattoo. This just goes to show that even crazy guys like Steve-O make tattoo mistakes. There are a few tips that could learn from Steve-O. Number one take your tattoos seriously and think them out. Don't just walk into a tattoo parlor and say oh I want this and close your eyes and pick some random design. Also don't get inked when you are intoxicated with alcohol or drugs and lastly don't let a friend persuade you that some pot leaf on your wrist or something of equal uselessness is going to be so cool and awesome. Just keep in mind what is cool when you are a teenager might not be so cool when you are older. For example, telling your children to stay a way from pot is going to be really hard coming from someone with a pot leaf tattooed on them.

The main thing that one needs to do is just be responsible when it comes to getting a tattoo. They are forever and there is no easy way of getting rid of them if you decided your tat is no longer cool or that you no longer want it. Think twice and ink once.


Your Tattoo Friend


Ashley

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Tattoo Parlor Hours

If you have decided to get a tattoo one important thing that you need to be a ware of is the hours your tattoo parlor or studio is open. A majority of tattoo parlors open around Noon (12:00 PM) everyday and close anywhere from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM and most stay open until midnight Friday and Saturday. However most tattoo parlors close early on Sunday or may not be open at all. First thing is first drop by your desired tattoo parlor and learn the hours so you don't drop in when they are not opened. Also don't be a closer, a client that comes in 15 to 10 minutes before closing, tattoo artists really hate this. Also to be curious to the tattoo artist, don't be waiting outside the door waiting for them to open the shop up. Give them some time to get in and get settled before you bombard them.

Another important piece of information to know is a vast majority of tattoo artist will let their repeat customers make an appointment so they don't have to wait around. Ask your artist if they could do this for you as well. Also keep in mind that most tattoo parlors don't have a huge waiting line so you don't have to worry about that. The only time this could be a problem is if you are visiting a very popular tattoo parlor like Miami Ink, LA, Ink or Carey Hart's tattoo or studio in Las Vegas Hart & Huntington or any tattoo parlor that celebrities like to hang out at and get inked.

Another good piece of information to know is that some tattoo artist charge by the hour and some charge by size, design, how much ink is being used or amount of detail the tattoo has. You just have to ask your particular artist to see which method they follow and always remember to tip your tattoo artist.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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Most Common Tattoo Cover Up

As you can imagine the most common tattoo cover up is of past lovers, boyfriends, girlfriends, husband's and wives. But you may also be surprised that they are a lot of other reason why one may want their tattoo covered up with a new tattoo. However, you must understand that in order to cover up a tattoo properly you are looking at getting a new tattoo that is at least three times the size of the one you are wanting to cover up. So this is why it is so important to think before you ink. Getting a lover's name tattooed on you is literally the kiss of death. If you want to get a tattoo to symbolize your life for someone go with imaginary and not their name. If you break up you will still have to live with that tattoo but PAUL's name or whomever name will not be permanently etched in your skin.

The other common reason for someone getting a tattoo covered up is if the first tattoo turned out horribly wrong. One tattoo artist has said that a very attractive young woman came into his parlor with a cute little butterfly tattoo on her ankle. The only problem was that body of the butterfly looked like a certain male body part. The artist was able to transfer that ugly butterfly into a gorgeous one. Tattoo artist also warn people not to go to Mexico to get a tattoo because it us cheaper. This woman with the male body part butterfly learned this lesson the hard way. Also tattoo artists say they get a lot of woman come in after they have had children to get that tattoo on their stomach covered up or adjusted so it looks presentable again. Which is another great reason why woman should think twice before getting a tattoo on their lower stomach.

The moral of this story is think twice, ink once. Make darn sure that you are making the right decision about your tattoo and the location as well. Also do some research about an artist before you let them tattoo you. After all you don't want to end up an ugly deformed tattoo.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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Are Tattoos Safe

A lot of people fear that getting a tattoo is not safe because there are slight chances that you can get infected with Hepatitis B or C as well as HIV or Aids. However, the chances of this happening are rather slim. Tattoos in general are very safe, that is if you choose an appropriate facility that has the proper sterilizing and cleaning equipment and follows all recommended safety precautions you should have no worries.

If you are new at tattooing and have no idea what to look for when it comes to making sure your tattoo parlor is clean and follows the proper health code and guidelines, below is a list of important things you should look for or ask to see to ease your mind.


*Make sure you see an the autoclave and sterilization certification if you don't see it ask to see it. The autoclave is the machine that sterilizes the tattoo equipment.


*Make sure they are wearing gloves. Some sort of latex medical glove should be worn to protect the tattoo artist as well as you from any germs or anything else.


*Ask what kind of training your tattoo artist has had and what kind of certificates that have. There really are no tattoo training programs out there but they should have a license or some sort of certificate from whatever state they are practicing in to make it legal.


*Make sure ointment, ink, water and other items should not be returned to a universal container after it has been removed for use on a client. This is for obvious health reasons. Basically anything a tattoo artist uses on your should be thrown out and anything with blood on it should be put in a bio-hazard container.


*Make sure new sterile needles are always removed from an autoclave bag in front of you. This is to make sure the needle is fresh and clean.


Your Tattoo Friend


Ashley

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Kiefer Sutherland Addicted To Tattoos

If you have tattoos yourself or know someone who has tattoos you probably are aware that they have this uncontrolled power to make you want more than one once you have been inked. Well it seems that the star of the hit show 24, Kiefer Stherland is no expection to that rule either. Kiefer has openly admitted that he is addicted to getting tattoos and whenever an important event happens in the actors life he marks it with a fresh piece of body art. Kiefer has said that he has a lot of tattoos and feels that they are like a disease, once you are marked for the first time you have to get more.

Keifer explains his first experience of getting a tattoo when he was 16 years old.

"I got my first tattoo when I was 16 and had just left home. I was really scared so a couple of friends and I got tattoos as a bonding thing. From then on, anytime I went through something in my life that mattered to me I had this desire to make a tattoo out of it."

However, Keifer is quick to admit that it can be a bit of a nuisance to cover them up for work. He also admits that when he sees his tattoos all covered up he often wonders if he shouldn't have gotten inked in the first place. But he quickly justifies his reasoning's of it being a nice map for himself about the journey of his life.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley


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Having Tattoos Means Is A Result Of Low Self-Esteem

As long as tattoos are around there are going to be people putting them down, saying they are bad influences and nothing good can come out of them. Which couldn't be farther from the truth. Just because someone displays a little body art on their skin, it doesn't mean they are a bad person with no morals or respect for society. However, a new study is now claiming that if a person has three or more tattoos it is highly likely that they have low self-esteem. The study suggests that tattoos are not just fashion accessories but driven by a wide range of motivational factors that are significantly associated with self-esteem. So psychologists are warming people especially youngsters to think long and hard before they decided to get a tattoo.

Of course the 48 people that were questioned for this study, not one of them admitting to having self-esteem problems. They all reported the reason they got their tattoos was one of the following:to be rebellious, to belong to a group, for aesthetic reasons and because of a strong emotional attachment.

However, a researcher was quick to admit that people are tending to get tattoos these days because of emotional attachment. She also admitted that not everyone falls in this low self-esteem category when it comes to having three or more tattoos. She even mentions David Beckham as a perfect example of a person covered in tattoos that has a very high self-esteem.

The moral to this story is don't believe every negative thing people say about tattoos.


Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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Tattoo Artist Don't Like New Tattoo Ink

There is a new tattoo ink in town, to be quite frank the ink has been available since the fall of 2007 but the ink is just now starting to create some buzz. The new InfinitInk is being advertised as a tattoo ink that goes on permanently but can be removed easily with a single laser treatment. However, several tattoo customers who have gotten tattoos with this ink say those claims are far from the truth. They state the InfinitInk takes six treatments to remove just as many as the traditional tattoo ink that has been used for years on end.

However, several tattoo artist are completely against this new ink. Many are shaking their heads at the thought of tattooing someone with this ink, knowing the only reason they are getting this new ink is because they are not sure about wanting the tattoo for the rest of their life.

Erick Lynch, owner of Redemption Tattoo in Cambridge. "If you’re not sure about getting a tattoo, you shouldn't’t be getting one.”

Jim Quinn, who has run the Ink Jam Tattoo Studio in Arlington, received a call from a woman asking if he’d get the new ink for her so she could get a tattoo. “I told her no,” said Quinn. “I don’t really believe in it or like the idea of it.”

In essence tattoo artist feel the manufactures of this new ink are completely misunderstanding the whole reason behind getting a tattoo. Tattoos are forever, that's why it is so important to choose your tattoo design wisely.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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What Causes A Tattoo To Get Infected

There are several risks involved with getting a tattoo and infection is one of them. However, it is not very common for a person who has gotten fresh ink to develop an infection but that is also up to the person. There are a number of things that cause a person's new tattoo to become infected. The number one reason someones tattoo becomes infected is if they are not taking care of it properly. It is very important to care for your tattoo properly and follow the after care instructions your tattoo artist gives you. If you have any questions about any care steps don't hesitate to ask your tattoo artist.

Other possible reasons that may cause a tattoo to become infected is if the tattoo parlor you visited is not clean. If this is the reason you should report them to the health department so they can take the proper action. Another way your tattoo can get infected is if you do not allow it to get fresh air. Lastly, you clothing can contribute to an infection as well. If you wear tight fitting clothing and it is constantly rubbing up against your tattoo it can irritate it and cause it to get infected. So be sure to wear loose fitting clothing.

If you suspect that your tattoo maybe infected than you should head to a doctor or a clinic as soon as you can to receive proper care. Signs of an infected tattoo are as follows, redness, swelling, heat radiating from the tattoo, any discharge that is cloudy, yellow or green and a fever.
Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

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