10 Things to Consider Before Getting a Tattoo

Proceed With Caution, But Without Fear

In my experience, many people spend a lot of time worrying about the pain of their first tattoo and about the image. These are two important things to consider, but at least you can be fairly sure your tattoo artist will discuss them with you in detail before you begin. If you spend all your time thinking about the image and the pain, you're missing out on a lot of other important considerations that I discuss here. So browse through this article and make sure you've gone over everything important.

1. Meaning

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the most important thing to consider is the meaning behind your future tattoo. Not the image, so much: the MEANING. The pain, the cost, the time, the look, and everything else will literally be meaningless if you don't take the time to consider WHY you must have it on your skin.

There is no "right" reason to get a tattoo. Whether your tattoo has a small meaning or a large one, your reason is good, as long as the meaning is there.

Having a reason is important, not just because the tattoo will mean more to you, but because it will help your tattoo artist understand your motivation for getting this tattoo. That understanding will help them get the art just right, so that you'll never regret getting that tattoo.

2. Cost

After its meaning, the cost of your tattoo is what you want to consider next. If money is not an issue, move right on to the next step. Though, for the rest of us who are not made of money, it's important to consider the cost of your tattoo. Not doing so can result in a tattoo that has to be scaled back to fit into your budget—and that is one of the most common reasons for a person not being that happy with their tattoo.

Another reason you want to consider cost is that an expensive tattoo may not get finished for a long time. Many people who are low on cash will get their outline started first and then wait until they have enough money to finish up the tattoo. This is fine for the most part, but it's better to get your tattoo finished all at once, so your artist won't lose focus over long periods of time while you are saving up the money to pay him.

If you find yourself in this position, consider asking your artist if they barter. Tattoo artists often charge $50 per hour and more. If they are true artists, they may understand that you have a passionate need to get a tattoo, and they may work out some trade with you. Not all artists are like this, but most will work with you.

The most important thing driving up cost is the detail. The more detail you want to include in your tattoo, for example in 3D tattoos like the one above, the longer it will take to get it just right. In general, most tattoos bigger than a quarter take at least an hour to finish up. On average, most tattoos take three to five hours per session. If you need more sessions, it will take more time. Ask your trusted artist for a time estimate before getting anything done.

3. Size

As you see with this awesome dragon, some tattoos are very large. Other tattoos are very small, sometimes smaller than a dime. Size is important for many reasons.

First, the larger the tattoo, the longer it will take, and the more areas of your skin are going to have a needle traced across them. That means more ink, more time, and more detail.

Second, if you want a lot of detail in your tattoo, you'll want it to be bigger rather than smaller. Many people come in with intricate designs that they want to fit into a very small area, and the artist may turn them away unless they agree to make the tattoo bigger or remove a lot of the detail.

Third, the size of the tattoo affects where it will fit on your body. Large tattoos tend to be done on the back, chest, or stomach, with large wrap-around work ("sleeves") done on the arms and legs. Smaller tattoos can be done just about anywhere, which is part of their appeal for people getting their first or second tattoo.

4. Location

As you can see with the bold man above, LOCATION is everything. Now, as we said above, the location you choose may limit the size of your tattoo, but more importantly, the location of your tattoo can make a big difference in the impact it will have on your life.

I know from personal experience that tattoos that are out in the open have a big impact on the way your family, friends, co-workers, and employers look at you. This makes a difference if you work in a profession where it's important to look professional. Having a large eagle on your head might not look so great for a lawyer. Likewise, tattooing your face up like a zombie will work best if you're a mega-rich rockstar and already have a loving spouse.

5. Permanence

Obviously, tattoos are permanent. Trust me, the methods they use to remove them are not worth it. If you're thinking, "I can just get this removed later," DO NOT get a tattoo. Having them lasered is worse than having them put on in the first place.

Another reason it's important to consider permanence is that your tattoo becomes a part of your skin. So when that skin grows and stretches, your tattoo will grow and stretch too. This is often why people will get larger tattoos that can be easily touched up later in life. Small tattoos have a way of blurring and becoming obscure blobs of color over time, especially if they are on your thighs, arms, stomach, butt, or breasts.

6. Pain Tolerance

Honestly, the pain of a first tattoo is usually not as bad as you anticipate. YES, it does hurt; there is no doubt about that. Even if you have your skin numbed a little bit, it still hurts. Though it hurts like a cat scratching you, which is easy enough to tune out with a calm mind.

That being said, we all have different pain tolerances. I've had plenty of tattoo work done on my hand, elbow, and ankles, all very sensitive areas, and while they hurt, I was able to tune it out. That surprised my artists, who had dealt with big biker dudes who couldn't handle that same type of pain in the same areas. That I've had two kids and plenty of other pains in my life probably puts things into perspective and increases my pain tolerance.

Now, if you're getting your first tattoo, here are some things to think about regarding pain.

• The more fat and muscle in the area where you're getting tattooed, the less pain you'll feel during the process.
• Any areas over bone will hurt the most.
• Hidden tattoos will hurt more later, as you heal, because they have to be covered up.
• The smaller the tattoo, the less the pain you'll experience.

Now, there are some important things you can do help minimize the pain:

• Take a non-aspirin anti-inflammatory pain reliever about 20 minutes before you get started.
• Get your tattoo in the morning when your body naturally has a higher pain tolerance.
• Have your artists use liquid witch hazel on your skin while working.

And here are some things NOT to do to deal with the pain: 

• Do not take any aspirin or pain killers before getting a tattoo. They will make you bleed more, and potentially ruin your tattoo, along with your artist's attitude.
• Do not drink alcohol before getting a tattoo. It makes your blood thinner, and furthermore, no artist wants to tattoo some drunk fool who is likely to mess up the tattoo.
• Do not take any other mind- or body- altering substances before getting tattooed. Most artists will kick you out if they notice that you are high.

7. Your Artist's Experience

Make sure your artist has the experience, training, artistic talent, and attitude that sits well with you. Don't just rush into the nearest artist and get started. You might end up working with someone who doesn't understand you and what you want, or you might get ripped off in price because they don't like to do the kind of work you want done. Likewise, going for cheaper tattoos might mean your artist has less experience than you'd prefer.

Take the time to find and get to know the tattoo artists you want to work with.

8. Your Own Experience

The less experience you have with getting tattoos, the more you'll want to rely on your artist's experience with them, which is another reason it's so important to choose an artist you trust. If this is your first tattoo, ask around about the places that your tattooed friends and family have had a harder time or easier time with. Ask where it hurts most and least, and where it might tickle a little bit (yes, sometimes tattooing tickles!).

Alternatively, if you've already had plenty of work done on your skin canvas, you probably already know what it feels like, and can gauge what your new tatt will feel like wherever you decide to ge

9. Social Impact

Seriously, it's way too easy to go get a tattoo done in some open space where you think it will look cool, without considering what others might think. And while it's your body, your art, your time and your money, you can experience some serious social impacts from getting a tattoo, especially if you choose one that cannot be easily covered up.

Having tattoos can affect your ability to get a job in the future. Whether you have a good job now or not, consider what might happen if you need to look for work in the future and you have a huge pot leaf on your neck, or a gruesome ghoul all over your arm.

Tattoos will also change the way your family and friends look at you. Consider what they might think, and decide how much you care about their opinions, before you get your work done.

10. Potential Addiction

Pain and art, like most things in this shared reality, can become addicting very easily. So if you're going in for your first, make sure you consider whether or not there will ever be a second. Usually by the time you get a second tattoo done, you know you're already hooked.