First Tattoo

rachyrach1234
rachyrach1234 Posts: 160
edited November 9 in Chit-Chat
so when i reach my goal weight HOPEFULLY on my 21st birthday i plan to get my first tattoo
any advice??!!!
i am scared lol
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Replies

  • clydethecat
    clydethecat Posts: 1,087 Member
    this wont be popular, but i would wait until you're thirty to even think about one. i have three, i got them in my very early 20's when i thought i knew exactly what i would want for my future. when you're in your twenties, you really dont know what the rest of your life is going to be like... life changes you, your views change with age..

    if you really want one.. then i would suggest something small and hidden, just so you know what its all about.. the only tattoo that i plan on keeping is the little flower i got on my shoulder.. it was my first one and i wish it had been my only one... just my opinion.. good luck with the tat :)
  • Ireshgurl
    Ireshgurl Posts: 559
    Drink lots of water, eat a big meal and keep candy or soda near by to eat/drink while getting the tattoo to keep your sugar levels up, first of all. No one can tell ya how it's gonna feel because it's different for everyone. Some people will say a certain place will hurt, others will say other places hurt more. Make sure that your first tattoo is something you can see yourself with 40 yrs down the line. With all of my tattoos I knew INSTANTLY that I wanted them and would be happy with them for the rest of my life, and so far, I'm not dissapointed with any of the 13 I have and plan on getting more.
  • MomsTooBig
    MomsTooBig Posts: 201 Member
    so when i reach my goal weight HOPEFULLY on my 21st birthday i plan to get my first tattoo
    any advice??!!!
    i am scared lol

    Don't rush to do it and get anything' because it looks good on their 'menu' (portfolio I mean). It should be something that means ALOT to you and always will. For example, a butterfly or ladybug you think is cute now, ....may not seem as cute when your 45 and your tastes have changed.

    The other piece of advice I have is to have it done where it won't be readily viewable to the public. A lot of employers will not hire or keep anyone who have tattoos unless they're able to be covered.

    Hope this helps! Make sure you share a pic when you have it done because you WILL get there soon enough! :wink:

    Tracy

    13680624.png
  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
    Do your research, go to the best guy in town (he'll be worth the money), and put it in an intelligent place.
  • lgoss87
    lgoss87 Posts: 30 Member
    Get something that means something personal to you :) I have 8 (got between age 16-21, now 24) and each has it's own meaning and I love them! Do your research on tattoo artists and make sure you find a really good one with a good rep, so many dodgy tattooists out there! Pick a design and then give it a few weeks to be sure :) and enjoy it! :D
  • rachyrach1234
    rachyrach1234 Posts: 160
    i already know what i want and i have been wanting it for years
    im mostly just looking for advice on how to deal with the pain
  • ♥Faerie♥
    ♥Faerie♥ Posts: 14,053 Member
    Its really not as bad as you will can make it out to be.....I am TERRIFIED of needles, but I can sit for 4 hours getting tattooed.....my very first one took almost 3 hours!

    Make sure to eat something first, and maybe take some hard candy or something....

    other than that, you will be fine, it really is not all that bad♥
  • nhughes1864
    nhughes1864 Posts: 102 Member
    I have been wanting a tatoo for YEARS but have not gotten one because of my size. My husband has one and wants another one. We decided that when I reach my goal weight, and maybe before depending on how I like my body, I'm going to get my first tattoo. I am almost 30 and have been thinking for all these years about where and what I want put on my body. This is nothing to rush into for sure!
  • rachyrach1234
    rachyrach1234 Posts: 160
    I have been wanting a tatoo for YEARS but have not gotten one because of my size. My husband has one and wants another one. We decided that when I reach my goal weight, and maybe before depending on how I like my body, I'm going to get my first tattoo. I am almost 30 and have been thinking for all these years about where and what I want put on my body. This is nothing to rush into for sure!


    SAME FOR ME!!!
    i always wanted this one tattoo but i felt like if i got it i wouldnt show it off because of my weight!!
  • nhughes1864
    nhughes1864 Posts: 102 Member
    SAME FOR ME!!!
    i always wanted this one tattoo but i felt like if i got it i wouldnt show it off because of my weight!!

    That is why I have waited. I want to be at a size where I can show it off and not have people turn away in horror. Plus, I knew I was going to be losing weight so I didn't want to get one and then have it change as my body got smaller. I am terrified of needles though so we will see if I am woman enough to go through with it once I reach my goal :smile:
  • debswebby
    debswebby Posts: 326
    this wont be popular, but i would wait until you're thirty to even think about one. i have three, i got them in my very early 20's when i thought i knew exactly what i would want for my future. when you're in your twenties, you really dont know what the rest of your life is going to be like... life changes you, your views change with age..

    if you really want one.. then i would suggest something small and hidden, just so you know what its all about.. the only tattoo that i plan on keeping is the little flower i got on my shoulder.. it was my first one and i wish it had been my only one... just my opinion.. good luck with the tat :)

    Totally agree. I had 3 done in my early twenties and I hate them so much. I wish I could get them removed.
  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,079 Member
    any advice??!!!

    Get something you will want to be seen on your body when you are in a swimsuit playing with your children on the beach. Get something you will want to be seen when your grandchildren ask you why you have it. Get something you will want to be seen when you get your butt wiped in a "retirement" home. Get something you will want to be seen when your loved ones kiss you goodbye...otherwise, don't get it.
  • sugarflywithme83
    sugarflywithme83 Posts: 13 Member
    I got my first tattoo a year ago (I'm 28) and it didnt hurt me at all. It is on the inside of my wrist and is about 2inchs in length and once in width. I thought about it for a really long time before I actually bit the bullet so to speak. I think everyone's threshold for pain is different that's why you get so many different opinions. I really didn't flinch at all and took about 45min to an hour to do my tatt.

    Good luck! I hope if you get it you are very happy with the result! :)
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    I got my first tattoo about that age, and I still LOVE IT!

    Get something with life long meaning - something special.
  • sunspotalli
    sunspotalli Posts: 46 Member
    i'm actually hoping to get my first tat here within the next week or so i agree go to someone who has a good reputation and look at their work. as far as the pain from what i hear it is different for everyone but everyone i know said it's not that bad
  • lruthruff
    lruthruff Posts: 18 Member
    Just make sure it is something that you will always be proud to wear.
  • mmuzzatti
    mmuzzatti Posts: 704 Member
    They are addicting! I have 3 and want more. I found that it is mostly mental on the pain. I just lay there and zone out and you feel it but it really is something you can control. Go to that happy place!
  • TiffaniBarrett
    TiffaniBarrett Posts: 369 Member
    Some people regret tattoo's - some people don't. But I say that you only live once, and really - am I going to care what a tattoo looks like when in 70?! I'll just be glad to be alive, not worried about a tattoo I had in the past!
    Also, my tattoo's have a story - I know when I got them done, where I was at in my life - and what was going on in my life at that point!
    I am 21 and I have 5 (small) tattoo's on my body, and one of them is on my wrist and going onto my hand. Its visible all of the time and I love it! Its a talking point!

    Its your own choice really - and a lot of people are against tattoo's - but do make sure it is something you love! !

    I eat a choccy bar or a can of coke before a tattoo - keep the sugar levels up! xx
  • ZombieChaser
    ZombieChaser Posts: 1,555 Member
    Its really not as bad as you will can make it out to be.....I am TERRIFIED of needles, but I can sit for 4 hours getting tattooed.....my very first one took almost 3 hours!

    Make sure to eat something first, and maybe take some hard candy or something....

    other than that, you will be fine, it really is not all that bad♥

    Yep, I'm petrified of needles too, and I had no fear getting my tattoo. Depending on where on your body you're getting your tattoo, the pain will vary. Not going to lie, it's not the most painless thing out there, so make sure you eat, and keep very well hydrated.

    **I'm sorry men, but women who are on their period will experience more pain (especially in the hip/pelvic/low back area). So plan to get your tattoo two weeks after your cycle is complete.
  • Amber_Kunkel
    Amber_Kunkel Posts: 52
    i already know what i want and i have been wanting it for years
    im mostly just looking for advice on how to deal with the pain


    I just got my first tattoo in december (its my profile photo). It did not hurt as bad as I thought it would. The outline felt like bee stings and the shading felt like a sunburn. During the healing process it felt like a sun burn too. Or atleast for me it did. Its really not that bad. Just make sure that you follow the tattoo artist's advice on cleaning it so it does not get infected. I jogged on the treadmill the day after I got mine, I just didnt move my arm as much. And make sure that you go to a tattoo artist that other people have gone to so you know that they do a good job. You definetly don't want your first tattoo to look like crap, lol. Good luck girlie, you'll be fine =)
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
    Just to jump in :bigsmile: I booked my consultation with the tattooist for my very first tattoo. I'll be bookmarking this thread and re-reading it when it gets nearer the time to getting the tattoo done (the tattooist has a 2 month waiting list at the moment!!) And yes I am getting it done, I've been fixed on the same image for nearly 3 years now and have been saving the pennies for it!
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
    Get something that means something personal to you :) I have 8 (got between age 16-21, now 24) and each has it's own meaning and I love them! Do your research on tattoo artists and make sure you find a really good one with a good rep, so many dodgy tattooists out there! Pick a design and then give it a few weeks to be sure :) and enjoy it! :D

    I agree. I got my first at 16 as well (never looked my age). Then I got several more in the service. My mother (who didn't talk to me for nearly 3 weeks after seeing the first one) kept telling me I'd regret it in less than a year. Almost 20 years later and I still like them. Mainly because all of them are unique. Plus you can't see any of them if I'm wearing a t-shirt and shorts. I got them for me, not public show. One of my rules was to NEVER get a tattoo off of the wall. After you get it you'll start to see it everywhere. I did take one picture out of their books for a starting reference, but had the artist modify the basic drawing and then add different things to it to make it mine.

    If you have an idea what you want but not the final drawing see if any of your friends have artistic talent that will work on the final with you. A couple different drafts is never a bad idea. that way it can also be cheaper. Some tattoo artists will charge more if they have to draw any of your ideas.

    Also, If it is a unique drawing, watch the originals be destroyed or take them with you. I had one drawn by a friend, and 2 years later I was walking down the flight line at Miramar and saw my tattoo on a ladies forearm. Not sure I was pissed, but I wasn't happy.
  • 3rdxacharm
    3rdxacharm Posts: 377 Member
    I had the same want for years to get a tattoo also. I got my only one a month before I turned 40 and plan to get another one or two. Mine only took 20 mins or so and it hurt but it was worth it. VERY important to go to an artist you can trust! Wasn't happy with my quick decision to do while I was on vacation. Good Luck!
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
    i already know what i want and i have been wanting it for years
    im mostly just looking for advice on how to deal with the pain

    Oops, left that part out. Mine felt like a cat scratching me for 3 hours. Not horrible, but not something you normally ask for. The biggest thing is to BREATHE. It also helps to have someone with you to talk with. I've seen a couple real strong guys pass out. That was because they tried to hold their breathe for 2 hours. It doesn't work. If you relax, chat with your friend and keep breathing, you should be able to ignore most of the pain. When they get to the shading part, the area kinda goes numb anyway.
  • mpossjr
    mpossjr Posts: 2
    I have the same goal reward! I have wanted to get a tattoo since I was 16 but I always put it off to see if my mind changed about what I wanted and sure enough after a year I would change my mind. Now I am 28 and I have had the same tattoo idea in my mind for 5 years. Im ready to get it inked but I figured it would be good motivation for dropping 30 lbs. I'm 10 down and 20 to go!
    Ive done a lot of research and like the others said its important to know what you want and will continue to want in the future and don't shop around for prices. Go to a shop with a good reputation and lots of experience. Also ask to see the artists personal work. Every artist has a different style and your tattoo style will reflect the artist. Good luck
  • AutieBell
    AutieBell Posts: 32 Member
    I have two tattoos and they are both very meaningful to me. Don't rush into a tattoo. Put a lot of thought into what you want since it will be with you forever. It took me almost two years to be find exactly what I wanted for my second tattoo. Fattier places are better if you are afraid of the pain. I got my first tattoo on my right calf and barely could even tell they were doing anything. My second tattoo was more in depth and in between my shoulder blades. Takes up a lot of space and not a lot of fat there so it was a little touch and go but nothing I couldn't handle. I have a pretty high pain tolerance. So if you plan on getting it somewhere non-fatty. Make it small to see how you do. Shading is a ***** lol. Good luck and you got this!! Definitely don't rush it.
  • coyoteo
    coyoteo Posts: 532 Member
    They don't really hurt. Just breathe and think about other things. Kinda like getting pinched over and over. Definately not excruciating though. Have fun. :)
  • AlbertPooHoles
    AlbertPooHoles Posts: 530 Member
    i already know what i want and i have been wanting it for years
    im mostly just looking for advice on how to deal with the pain
    Depends on where you're getting it, your skin and your tolerance for pain. Everything you read here will be anecdotal.
  • xYumzx
    xYumzx Posts: 953 Member
    I got my on a whim I think i was.... 20? My advice is dont go with something because its CUTE have meaning to it. Mines a shamrock I got for my dad because im his lucky charm.
  • Anolte76
    Anolte76 Posts: 105
    Pain is relative...some locations hurt worse than others. I have four now and getting my 5th next week. I got my first at 18 and i'm now 35. Every tattoo should have meaning to you....no matter how stupid to someone else. Like others have said just make sure you eat first and drink water.....main thing is relax. The pain is far less in real life then you probably have in your mind
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