FAQ Tattoos

[Draconian Guppy]

So based on these two threads:

http://www.neowin.ne...-your-body-art/

http://www.neowin.ne...e-with-tattoos/

I myself have never considered getting a tattoo, because of the faux idea that you couldn't donate blood EVER you got tattooed. Fast forward a couple of readings later I learned it's just for the first year in some cases.

My main beef is with the precedence of the ink. Seeing I live in third world country Honduras, there aren't many "established" and health inspected tattoo parlors. Also, I read they use disposable needles now, I doubt they do that here ( though to be honest, I haven't done that much research on how it gets done here).

Anyho... My questions are:

How can I make sure the ink is high quality?

Health concerns with the tattoo artist and equipment?

And perhaps you can post your experiences if anything went wrong, what went wrong etc. ?

I've googled tattoo health issues, but getting real feedback is a lot nicer :)

P.S. I'm thinking of getting one in my lower wrist (matching with her.. ) and shoulder/ high arm.

[scumdogmillionaire]

With the pigment there is no real way for you to tell what quality you're getting other than to see a bottle. Brand names won't really mean anything to you, but you could call ahead and ask which brand they use. Kuro Sumi, Eternal, Fuzion, Intenze would all be available (read: shipped to) in Honduras I would suspect.

If they're not using disposible tubes/needles you could ask to see their autoclave to make sure they really have one.

You are entitled to ask these questions, though I think most people here don't think about it.

You could try and find info on the health department and ask them which shops they do regular inspections on.

[sanctified Veteran]

Hi Draconian Guppy.

A professional tattooist should always show you his process. He should always open apart a new needle in front of you and show you that all their equipment has been disinfected either by a vapor box or by disinfectant liquid.

About your health concerns, most of the time is because the user did not take care of his tattoo. Avoid direct sunlight, always keep clean the tattooed area but use only neutral soap. You should keep the tattoo moisturized, I recommend you to use any lotion that has UREA in it. A very thin layer of vaseline should help too.

Power tip: NEVER, EVER, GET MATCHED TATTOOS!! :p

[Draconian Guppy]

With the pigment there is no real way for you to tell what quality you're getting other than to see a bottle. Brand names won't really mean anything to you, but you could call ahead and ask which brand they use. Kuro Sumi, Eternal, Fuzion, Intenze would all be available (read: shipped to) in Honduras I would suspect.

If they're not using disposible tubes/needles you could ask to see their autoclave to make sure they really have one.

You are entitled to ask these questions, though I think most people here don't think about it.

You could try and find info on the health department and ask them which shops they do regular inspections on.

I don't really think the health department even checks those shops, alls they need is a business permit.

What I think i'll do is ask around the most "known" ones, check out the process and post back here...

Hi Draconian Guppy.

A professional tattooist should always show you his process. He should always open apart a new needle in front of you and show you that all their equipment has been disinfected either by a vapor box or by disinfectant liquid.

About your health concerns, most of the time is because the user did not take care of his tattoo. Avoid direct sunlight, always keep clean the tattooed area but use only neutral soap. You should keep the tattoo moisturized, I recommend you to use any lotion that has UREA in it. A very thin layer of vaseline should help too.

Power tip: NEVER, EVER, GET MATCHED TATTOOS!! :p

Use neutral soap always? Or just when it got done? Because if I have to do that permanently then hell no :p

The thing is, most shops here I don't really think could be called "Professional" they're more like serious amateurs ( or so I think).

On the matching tats, we've been together for around 12 years and 5 months, so... Yeah although you never know :wacko: I'm thinking of making something generic a la "his and hers" sorta a half lotus, half skull, some random quote, black rose in mine, red in hers, etc. Not her name or something that specific, justincase...

On the process: Is getting colored that much of a hassle? (These questions I will ask to the place I get it, but the more you know).

[sanctified Veteran]

Use neutral soap always? Or just when it got done? Because if I have to do that permanently then hell no :p

The thing is, most shops here I don't really think could be called "Professional" they're more like serious amateurs ( or so I think).

On the matching tats, we've been together for around 12 years and 5 months, so... Yeah although you never know :wacko: I'm thinking of making something generic a la "his and hers" sorta a half lotus, half skull, some random quote, black rose in mine, red in hers, etc. Not her name or something that specific, justincase...

On the process: Is getting colored that much of a hassle? (These questions I will ask to the place I get it, but the more you know).

Not always, just use neutral soap until its healed.

Does not matter if they are serious amateurs, just ask them to show you their procedure (new needles, latex gloves, everything sterilized) and you're good to go.

Getting colored is not a hassle at all, it just take more time. Be careful with red and yellow inks since these can cause allergic reactions.

[Draconian Guppy]

Not always, just use neutral soap until its healed.

Does not matter if they are serious amateurs, just ask them to show you their procedure (new needles, latex gloves, everything sterilized) and you're good to go.

Getting colored is not a hassle at all, it just take more time. Be careful with red and yellow inks since these can cause allergic reactions.

That's the sort of stuff i'm looking for. If the guy/people I go to are any good, they should know/tell me all this, hopefully?

On the areas, i'm guessing any body part that skin doesn't stretch easily is best?

[sanctified Veteran]

On the areas, i'm guessing any body part that skin doesn't stretch easily is best?

Correct, it's easier to get those areas done in the first try. Areas like the elbows or the knuckles are more problematic (I've retouched my knuckle tats at least five times). Consider that you move heavily your wrist over the day.

Just a tip for future reference. The closer the skin is to the bone the more painful the tat will be.

[Draconian Guppy]

Correct, it's easier to get those areas done in the first try. Areas like the elbows or the knuckles are more problematic (I've retouched my knuckle tats at least five times). Consider that you move heavily your wrist over the day. Just a tip for future reference. The closer the skin is to the bone the more painful the tat will be.

Why have you had to retouch them? Ink fades? stretches? What do you mean by the wrist movement? It will hurt more or will it make keeping the design that before it completely heals?

[sanctified Veteran]

Why have you had to retouch them? Ink fades? stretches? What do you mean by the wrist movement? It will hurt more or will it make keeping the design that before it completely heals?

Stretches. Fingers are very problematic because is the skin that you stretch and deform the most during the day.

The wrist is similar. Tattoos made in the middle of your wrist get stretched a lot since we move our hands heavily during the day, be careful. It will not hurt more, but because the stretching it has a chance that some of the ink will get purged with the scabs.

[Draconian Guppy]

Hmmm well the issue is... I thought of the wrist, because my other half is a dr specializing in surgery, I really don't give a rats ass if having a tattoo will make people ( read as:future employers) think anything of me, but she on the other hand, does.

A lot of good tips, thanks sanctificado sea tu nombre and rev23dev!

[SiCKX]

Anything tattooed close to bone will hurt you. (wrist, ankle, chest, ribs, fingers, foot)

The ink lasts depending on the artists skill and your skin. If he barely scratches the surface, black will be green soon. I have a 2 year tat and it's still black.

Without a good artist, DON'T get colored tattoos, they will look bad.

If your skin is brown/dark, don't get colored stuff either, unless it's some epic artist doing it.

[FiB3R]

You could do worse than contacting this guy...

http://www.sacredink.co.uk/about_martin.html

As he has been to Honduras, he may be able to give you some recommendations.

[Anibal P]

One of the easiest ways of telling how good or bad a shop is, as soon as you walk in, does it smell like a hospital or does it smell like a bar? All good shops will smell Hospitalish as they are constantly cleaning and disinfecting all their equipment and any furniture the customer uses, not just the tattoo gun. Hell I got a tattoo done at the artist's home, his work room smelled and was cleaner than the rest of the house, and he would not allow his kid into that room due to the chance at infections, that's the sign of a good shop

Like SiCKX said, I have darker skin, of my 5 tattoos only one is colored, the colors are fading, all my black tattoos, including my first one that's around 20 years old is still solid black, no fading or discoloration, all the way to the last one I got almost 16 years ago

[Draconian Guppy]

Anything tattooed close to bone will hurt you. (wrist, ankle, chest, ribs, fingers, foot)

The ink lasts depending on the artists skill and your skin. If he barely scratches the surface, black will be green soon. I have a 2 year tat and it's still black.

Without a good artist, DON'T get colored tattoos, they will look bad.

If your skin is brown/dark, don't get colored stuff either, unless it's some epic artist doing it.

How do I know if the artist is good :s ?

You could do worse than contacting this guy...

http://www.sacredink...out_martin.html

As he has been to Honduras, he may be able to give you some recommendations.

whoa! how did you even... Thanks!

One of the easiest ways of telling how good or bad a shop is, as soon as you walk in, does it smell like a hospital or does it smell like a bar? All good shops will smell Hospitalish as they are constantly cleaning and disinfecting all their equipment and any furniture the customer uses, not just the tattoo gun. Hell I got a tattoo done at the artist's home, his work room smelled and was cleaner than the rest of the house, and he would not allow his kid into that room due to the chance at infections, that's the sign of a good shop

Like SiCKX said, I have darker skin, of my 5 tattoos only one is colored, the colors are fading, all my black tattoos, including my first one that's around 20 years old is still solid black, no fading or discoloration, all the way to the last one I got almost 16 years ago

Hmmm good tip on the smell!

[Draconian Guppy]

Found a place called "hunah ku tattoo studio" there facebook is:

www.facebook.com/HunabKuTattoo

Could you fellows check them out and give me your opinion on their stuff? They've got tons of images uploaded.

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

"The ink lasts depending on the artists skill and your skin. If he barely scratches the surface, black will be green soon."

No. Just...no.

Wrong ink will turn green, right kind of an ink just fades over time, I did my first 7 years back, it's fading a little bit but if done with right ink it won't turn green (maybe in 30-40 years but in that time you should have re-done it anyway)

Where do you people get that nonsense that black ink turns to green? Either find yourself a new "shop" or tell em' to use right ink.

[Draconian Guppy]

"The ink lasts depending on the artists skill and your skin. If he barely scratches the surface, black will be green soon." No. Just...no. Wrong ink will turn green, right kind of an ink just fades over time, I did my first 7 years back, it's fading a little bit but if done with right ink it won't turn green (maybe in 30-40 years but in that time you should have re-done it anyway) Where do you people get that nonsense that black ink turns to green? Either find yourself a new "shop" or tell em' to use right ink.

Which is why i'm asking !!! :/

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

I'm going to check out another one in a couple of days anyway, I can ask which ink they are using but as some said already it also depends on the artists not just the ink.

[Draconian Guppy]

I'm going to check out another one in a couple of days anyway, I can ask which ink they are using but as some said already it also depends on the artists not just the ink.

:wacko: huh?

anyway I just want feedback on the place I found, based on their uploaded photos!

Found a place called "hunah ku tattoo studio" there facebook is:

www.facebook.com/HunabKuTattoo

Could you fellows check them out and give me your opinion on their stuff? They've got tons of images uploaded.

[sanctified Veteran]

Draconian, those guys you linked seem to know what they're doing. If you check their Scars photo album you can take a look at their health measures. Everything seems legit.

[scumdogmillionaire]

Draconian, those guys you linked seem to know what they're doing. If you check their Scars photo album you can take a look at their health measures. Everything seems legit.

Yeah, I just looked too. The guy is bagging his tattoo machine which some artists even in the US don't do. I think you'd be ok there.

[Draconian Guppy]

Draconian, those guys you linked seem to know what they're doing. If you check their Scars photo album you can take a look at their health measures. Everything seems legit.

Yeah, I just looked too. The guy is bagging his tattoo machine which some artists even in the US don't do. I think you'd be ok there.

Yup, I actually went to the shop and saw someone getting tattooed whilst I was there, which is how I got the facebook profile. You can never be too safe though :p ( Call me paranoid, but hey...).

Now all I have to do is finish my design and book an appointment for saturday!

Thanks again all! Tattoo FAQs at a tech forum :p

[Draconian Guppy]

Quick update

Appointment made saturday September 1st. Design WIP.

[Draconian Guppy]

Follow up

Posting pics now at

https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1073233-official-show-off-your-body-art/page__st__45

And

https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1048473-neowin-digital-gallery-yearly-edition-2012/page__st__225

Damn the "fill" Part hurts... My SO got it near the ribs, which supposedly hurts twice as more than the arm and when I was holding her hand, well... I could tell it hurt more than mine! We definitely want to get more ink now!

[@breectattoo]

Ok lol so I know this thread is over 7 years old, but I just want to clear up a few things for people that may stumble across this thread like I did.

 

Petroleum jelly should NEVER be put on a tattoo other than it being a lubricant to help the needle penetrate the skin during the tattooing process. It doesn’t moisturise the skin what so ever, and it won’t let it breathe in order to heal properly.

 

Needles should never, EVER be re-used, and the industry standard now is generally to only use disposable grips, as autoclaves just aren’t sufficient in terms of getting everything out. When the skin is tattooed it will produce a fine mist of blood, plasma, ink, etc, that gets inside the tube and it’s just an unnecessary risk. As for needles I can’t even imagine how it would be even possible to effectively decontaminate a tight needle grouping, as well as the fact that the needles will get blunter. They should be opened new out of a sterile packet EVERY time, and the client should witness it happen.

 

As for tattoos turning green, it has absolutely nothing to do with the depth what so ever. The reason tattoos used to fade to green was due to using older Indian inks. Newer inks have more of a blue base, so rather than fading to green they’ll fade to a very dark navy after many many years, but they generally stay blacker for longer. Newer inks should never fade to green. 

 

Also, in terms of fading, it isn’t being on a ‘stretchy’ piece of skin that will make it fade. The stretching isn’t what fades it. The reason some areas fade more than others is because some areas get a lot more wear. Elbows and knees for example, get a lot more wear and tear on the skin than other parts of your arms and legs. Ankle tattoos can fade faster due to rubbing on shoes every day. Finger tattoos often fade because your fingers are constantly being used, rubbed against things, washed, and generally the skin goes through a lot more wear than other places. Has nothing to do with how stretchy the area is. 

 

I hope I don’t sound like an ass or anything, just wanted to get the information out there! I hope your tattoo is holding up well :)