First tattoo advice

[Tilly-x]

Hiya, I was just wondering if I could have a bit of advice about my first tattoo

I’m going to get a black key tattoo on my wrist next week and I’m a bit nervous. Some people are saying to me that it’s to clichéd and I’d regret it but I have wanted it for about a year now :/ The reason I want it is because I was homeless when I was younger and I want the tattoo to remind me of how strong I’ve been and that I can get through all the little troubles in life as they’re small next to this. I was just wondering what people think of this idea for a tattoo? I know it’s not about what other people think and I’m getting it for me but it would I’d still like to hear :P
I was also wondering about the pain? It’s going to be about a few centimetres under my wrist so has anyone else got one here? I know the pain will hurt but will it be almost unbearable? Sorry if that’s a silly question
Thank you if you read this!

[Dreamer]

Hey Tilly! Lovely name, btw. I've always liked it! ^^

Anyway; I think that it sounds like a good idea to tattoo something that means something to you, instead of just doing something random. I believe that you wont tire of it if it has a meaning to you! As to the pain; I have a friend who tattooed just on his wrist (from where his hand ends and about 7 cm (about 2,75inch) towards his elbow), and he said it hurt a lot. It was his first tattoo, and I'm not sure how much pain he can stand. But I've heard that the wrist is one of the most painful places to get a tattoo, however I might be wrong.

I hope that it works out, and that it's not too painful. Sorry if this wasn't of much help, but I don't have any tattoos myself Cheers!

[Ashes2493]

Hey Tilly,

I like the idea of your tattoo and I believe it doesn't matter what people think of the tattoo, as long as it means something to you, it doesn't matter what they think. When I got my tattoo my parents didn't like it and said I would regret it, but it means something to me and I still love mine.

As for the pain, it depend on your pain threshold. If you can take pain then it shouldn't hurt too bad, but if you can't take pain at all, it's going to hurt a lot. My tattoo is on my foot, also one of the most painful areas, I can take pain pretty well and it hurt, but I lived. Haha . I should also ask, how big is your tattoo going to be? If it's really small, it shouldn't take too long and it won't hurt. If it's bigger, it will take longer and hurt more. Also if it is a very detailed tattoo. A small and detailed tattoo will need a smaller needle and will hurt more. But a simple tattoo, won't hurt so bad since it won't need a smaller needle.

Sorry if I rambled, I just love tattoos and I know a fair bit about them. So if you have any questions feel free to ask me.

Take Care
Ashley

[Nicole!]

Hello there
As others have said, as long as the tattoo means something to you, then go for it and don't worry what others think. Tattoos hurt kind of like getting scratched by a sticker bush. If you go in thinking its going to hurt a lot, most likely it won't hurt nearly as bad as you thought. The pain can be a sharp pinch in some places, but it is definitely not unbearable, although it does depend on your pain tolerance. My brother has a tattoo on his wrist and said that it sucked, but I have one behind my ear on my skull and it wasn't all that bad.

The important thing is to just do it regardless of pain if you really want it, especially since you have for a year now

[thefirstlady]

I think it's a very meaningful tattoo and I love it! So ignore those people! If tattoos don't have a lot of meaning to people, they will often regret them.

As for pain level, I have both of my forearms completely tattooed and the wrist is not fun. It's definitely tolerable though. You should be ok. Some good things to remember though when going in for a tattoo and after, no matter how small:
1. Always always eat before.
2. Bring gatorade/powerade with you to drink. The drink will help you keep hydrated and the sugar will help you not pass out. Our shop also has sugar tablets and suckers on hand for this. The shop you're going to might as well.
3. Breathe! Sounds silly but some people forget, don't breathe, and pass out!
4. You can take ibuprofen after a tattoo to help take the edge off it's bad enough, it will also help with swelling. I know when I got my left forearm completely done, I sat for 8 hours for it and it was very very swollen and painful. Ibuprofen was a lifesaver!
5. Aftercare! Keep it clean and don't use too much lotion. You can use cocoa/shea butter lotion or unscented lotion. Never use things like A&D ointment or anything petroleum based. It's not good on a fresh tattoo since it will clog pores easily and will pull ink out of the tattoo. The shop you're going to should give you a sheet with instructions on aftercare. But that's just the gist of what we tell clients at our shop.