After a person turns 16, milestone after milestone is achieved: driving, graduating, leaving the house, etc. One of these milestones can be a tattoo (with parental consent if under 18)! So now that begs the question: What do you need to know before getting your first tattoo?
What To Get and Where To Get It
So you know you’re getting a tattoo and have parental consent — what now? Well, first you need to decide what tattoo you’re getting and where you’re getting it, also known as the what and where.
When considering what to get, it’s important not to tie it to a new or recent interest. Try to pick something with a special place in your heart, like a dinosaur or a childhood game. You could also pick something with important meaning, like a symbol of a family member, or a pet’s name, or something that represents you.
“You want to be sure it’s meaningful to you and not just someone else,” DRHS resource officer TC Houston said. “They can be just art, but at the same time they can have some deep meaning and connection.”
Your tattoo doesn’t have to have a special meaning, but it’s important to ensure it isn’t something you may lose interest in later on in life. I recommend picking something that you enjoy, like a video game, and tie it to something you identify with. For example, my second tattoo will be something based on a video game, but it’s going to be a song. Not only does the song represent my love of music, which I’ve been playing since 5th grade, but the song also has symbolism that is not evident until explained. It’s almost like a secret just for me and the lucky few who know what it means.
As for the where, it’s important to know where it’s going to be painful, where it isn’t, what your pain tolerance is, and how visible the tattoo will be, etc. Remember, this is going to be on your body forever, so make sure it’s in a spot that you can cover if you’re worried about hating it.
“I think for your first one,” psychology teacher Alyson Koerner said, “it’s nice to have some type of meaning, especially since it’s your first one and you don’t know if you’ll want it anymore.”
Places with more veins, nerves, or bones will hurt a lot more, versus a place with more fat. So your leg would hurt less than your ribcage. Your throat would hurt a lot, just like your spine. I recommend getting your first tattoo in a spot that won’t hurt too much, so your thigh or arm or shoulder — places with extra fat so it isn’t as painful and you can understand your pain tolerance levels.
Listen To Your Artist
Your artist may give you a list of instructions or tell you how to take care of your tattoo. Listen to them! They know what they’re talking about. But here are the basics: 1) Ointment will be needed for at least the first week or so. 2) Apply sunscreen for the rest of your time with said tattoo to prevent fading. 3) Try to avoid getting bacteria into your tattoo.
While tattoos are fun, they can become dangerous if cared for incorrectly. If you can’t take care of it, then maybe wait until you feel more prepared, because you don’t want your tattoo to fade — it isn’t fun, it blurs the lines, and it honestly isn’t as cool.
The Sizing
The size is also important. You need to remember that the more detailed the tattoo is, the more likely your artist will want it to be big to avoid blurring the details or making blobs. A 1×1 tattoo won’t look good for a drawing of a cat, so a 3×3 will look better. Think of 1×1 as small wrist and ankle tattoos (though they can be anywhere).
“I had a 25-year-old tattoo that I had to cover up because it faded so bad,” Houston said. “Mainly because of the details, and I couldn’t afford to get bigger… (the artist) said, ‘Well it’s gonna blur and fade’ and they were right. Cause that’s what happens.”
When sizing, also consider the time and amount of pain that will occur. If a tattoo is bigger, it will take a lot longer to heal, especially if it includes color. And the more space it takes up, the more pain that will result from it. So the bigger your tattoo is, the longer you’ll be in pain.
Final Thoughts
Remember, getting a tattoo hurts more to remove and costs more than it does to apply. Tattoos are a great way to express yourself, but if done with too little care or thought, there’s a chance you’ll regret it. Think of it like getting married to the ink. It’s with you forever, so you want to ensure you like it a lot. Don’t be afraid to tell your artist about ways they can fix it or make it more to your liking. They understand this is going on your body forever, and they want you to like it as much as you hope to. And remember, no matter what, it’s going to hurt. Even if it’s small, it’ll hurt.
“I hate when people are like: ‘Which one hurt the worst?’ Like, they all hurt,” Koerner said. “It’s someone stabbing you with a needle.”
After your first tattoo, it’s a lot easier to get another, so don’t get addicted. I know I loved my first tattoo, and I’m already ready for the next tattoo, this time on my birthday. But remember the rules: it will hurt, it’s important to keep it clean, and listen to your artists.
