I got a tattoo!

[Brigeyboo]

I'm sure no one really cares too much but I'm absolutely thrilled right now. I got my first tattoo last night!

it's possesed by luke chueh. I <3 it
I'm just slightly annoyed because the care sheet said to wrap it with cling wrap the first few days while you sleep. So I did that and then woke up with ink and sweat all up under there. ugh. That is pretty lame.

[VoltaireBlue]

I would only sleep with the cling wrap the first night. Actually, I prefer to be bandaged with paper towels. I sleep with them on the first night and then take them off in the shower the next day. I don't use ointmets either. I go directly to lotion. Original curel is a long time fave of mine, as I am allergic(like major) to lanolin. Just keep it clean with mild soap & water, keep showers quicker & cooler. You don't want to submergeit; ie: no pools, swimming, baths. No tea tree oil, aloe vera, or vitamin e, as they have a tendency to leech ink. Keep it out of the sun.....
feel free to ask me any questions.

[Brigeyboo]

Thanks so much! I bought a tattoo care kit of tattoo goo (I'll be using the ointment in it simply because I have psoriasis and want to make sure it stays super moist) I definitely don't plan on putting cling wrap back on it though, I felt like it pulled ink out of it. And thank you so much for the info (I ADORE your tattoos!) If I want to know anything I'll definitely ask you though thank you

[Raza]

Cute! Are they bears or cats?

[Brigeyboo]

It's a bear, but the red dude is just a little devil
I love itttt

[mystoo]

Cute!
And as I'm sure it won't be your last, there's this stuff called TattooDerm. It's sort of like a thin layer of film that sticks right onto your skin. it keep everything out but it breathes and you can shower and everything. Keep it on for 2 days, peel it off and the tattoo is almost completely healed. I use a teeny tiny bit of Vaseline just to keep the area moisturized. Don't ever use Polysporin! Tons of people do but it just pulls the ink out.
Also, my friend/artist uses Neuma machines. They're way less traumatic on the skin than traditional machines and healing time is way fast.
Voltaires advice is pretty right on the money, I just thought I'd throw in my two cents.
Any thoughts to what your next one will be?

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

I have that sticker on my laptop! Awesome choice!

Luke Chueh is an amazing steed of awesome.

[Brigeyboo]

mystoo: That stuff sounds awesome, I'll definitely have to look into that. The guy who did my tattoo used two different machines, the first was really loud and painful and the second was super quiet (he said he was oldschool and the first one did amazing outlines while the other was less traumatic and shaded better)
As for my next one (which I wanted to be my first one actually) It will be a Labyrinth inspired tattoo I drew up
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...0/DSC00094.jpg
"quotes: it's only forever...Not long at all.
It's a crystal. Nothing more.
I ask for so little just fear me love me do as I say and will be your slave."
it's been my favorite movie for like...ever. SO I figure why not, I love the quotes as well. That's going to go on my right side hopefully.

Cafe_Post_Mortem: Awesome! He's one of my favorite artists and I've loved this piece for a few years now. I was also considering getting guardian of the grail because monty python would be an amazing tattoo reverence haha

[Morning Glory]

VB's advice is probably the best. I'd say that less is more, as in the less you do to it, the better. If it's dry, then moisten and not too much. If it's not, then leave it alone.

Usually your first tattoo is going to be shitty. Hopefully it won't. If you get more, then you'll learn what works best for you. It seems that everyone heals differently.

I have a few myself and pretty much all of them have healed differently. Some have looked immaculate, and others fell out all over the place. There are a lot of factors, from location on the body, skin conditions, exterior environment, movement, the act of getting tattooed itself (different tattoos are going to be done differently depending on the design), the equipment used (different needles, different machines) if the artist sucks or actually knows what they are doing, the ink (some people react to different materials in the ink), and of course what you put on it.

[Morning Glory]

Sorry to be a dick, but your friends machine sounds like crap mystoo. The reason that "old" machines are made out of heavy cast metals is because aluminum is weak shit that breaks easily. Yeah a tattoo is going to hurt, it's a needle stabbing into your skin repeatedly. But it hurts more when the person doing it doesn't know what they are doing and they are digging too deep into your flesh and it's going to heal all scarred and fucked up. Someone who knows what they are doing knows how to set the needle and calibrate the machine to the right speed. Air powered machines are easier to use, but that doesn't mean that they are better. Usually they are worse precisely because of that fact. They are used by people that need an easy to use machine because they are not good at tattooing.

Maybe it is just a prejudice by the old-schoolers to use electric because they believe in tradition, but so far the results speak for themselves if you do a comparison of the work.

Also the reason that most tattooer use custom built machines is because most of the market assembled ones are made by people that don't actually tattoo and don't work very well.

[RubyViolence]

Love your tat! Super cute and hot placement.

[Brigeyboo]

Morning glory: I'm pretty much just letting it be and putting tattoo goo on it when it feels dry, it's starting to scab over right now and that part makes me nervous, I pretty much don't let anything touch it (boyfriend makes fun of me trying to get in and out of the car and whilst sitting there) Also the guy who did it has been tattooing for 16 years and his portfolio looked awesome so I think I'm safe with the artist I chose ;D

RubyViolence:Thank you! I wish my boy had gotten a better picture of how it sits, he's being a dick about the whole thing really (he HATES tattoos and poked it like 2 hours after I got it done) I kept asking him to video and take pictures and he just sat there and played my dsi @_@
Ah well. I'll whip out the tripod and take a picture of it myself ;3

[ZIRO cool]

In my friend all in a tattoo
It not by time did not complain, but always this question sounds, I have in the chapter, that for this purpose have made to myself so
I in general only in сергах and strips, all! And a tattoo possibly, I shall not do it, you will not delete

[Brigeyboo]

Hmm...You don't say?

[mystoo]

Sorry to be a dick, but your friends machine sounds like crap mystoo.

You're not being a dick. It's your opinion. You're allowed
And yea, of course it still hurts. I don't remember saying it didn't.

[TheDeathKnight]

The main thing is to leave it alone, and don't pick at it.
Just rub a very minimal amount of ointment and/or lotion.
You want the ink to stay in the skin. If you put too much
lotion or ointment, and it gets all wet and soggy, then
a lot of ink will come out. The hard part is not picking
at it or touching it for the next two weeks. Just let the
old skin and scabs fall off on their own. If you pull
at them or rub the skin, you will yank out some of
the ink inadvertently.

[mystoo]

And when it starts to itch, pat, don't scratch.

[Brigeyboo]

TheDeathKnight: yea I started off using tattoo goo salve but I've switched to unscented curel (seems to work better.) It's doing ok I suppose. We'll see eventually :P
Mystoo: yea... I'm a sleep scratcher @_@ many times I've woken up with my hands all bloody D:

[RubyViolence]

I like Curel for my tats also! It works the best for mine and it's not too greasy or heavy.

[Brigeyboo]

it seems to be working awesomely :3

[TheDeathKnight]

[mystoo]

TheDeathKnight:
Mystoo: yea... I'm a sleep scratcher @_@ many times I've woken up with my hands all bloody D:

Oh no! Maybe you need to start wearing mittens to bed

[Brigeyboo]

Haha maybe

[Spike]

I realize this is an old thread, but I'm new here and as long as we're discussing tattoo aftercare... I'm a tattoo artist. (www.khaosink.com to judge whether or not I know what I'm talking about. Check out the "landscape tats", that's where my faves are.)

Has anyone ever tried Aquaphor? It's better than tattoo goo or any of that crap they sell you specifically for tattoos, those are just money makers for the shop, though they do work. Aquaphor is available in any Wal-Mart or pharmacy, usually either with the lotion stuff or the baby stuff. I usually recommend using that for the first 3 or 4 days, the trick is to use it VERY sparingly. Maybe twice a day. If it's shiny, you've got too much on. Put it on, blot the excess off with a paper towel or you'll clog your pores and get pimples. After 3 or 4 days, switch to unscented lotion. I usually use Curel or Aveeno. Avoid direct sunlight, submerging, scratching, tight clothing, etc. Keep in mind you have open pores for a couple days, so avoid leaning on dirty surfaces, public areas, etc. This is actually where most infections come from, getting a fresh tattoo dirty. Some artists use gauze or paper towels to wrap the tattoo when it's done, I don't like this because while it does soak up blood and plasma, it also sticks to the tattoo and can pull ink out (unless you wet them and take them off in the shower like Voltaire suggested.) but they're also porous, so germs can get in there, and protecting the fresh tattoo is the whole reason for wrapping it in the first place. I use saran wrap. It may be slimy and gooey when you take it off, but... well, deal with it. It's the best way to protect a fresh tattoo and doesn't let germs in. You can take the wrap off after a few hours, or when you get home, just remember you'll still be seeping that night, so use sheets/clothes you don't mind staining. About a month is what most artists consider healed, that's when it will look how it's gonna look.