All inked up. (Body Tattoos in general)

Member Name: playmate

Product:	Body Tattoos in general
Date:	13/10/08 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great looking.

Disadvantages: Can cost quite a bit.

Tattoos are very addictive, I should know I now have 7, well I've really had 9 done but I will explain that later.

I always wanted one, but wasn't really sure what to get. I started looking at different designs in some tattoo studios, and also on the internet. I really couldn't make up my mind what I wanted or where about I wanted to get it, so I decided to wait until a special tattoo jumped out and caught my attention, because at the end of the day its with you all your life and you don't want some thing that you will later regret.

I was 18 when I got my first tattoo, it all started when one of my friends came into work and was showing off her first tattoo, it was a tribal design, that was done on the bottom of her back. I was really impressed, and asked her where she went to get it done, as I had heard a lot bad stories from people who had paid a lot of money and the tattoo has turned out horrible, squint or just plain rubbish. My friend advised me that she had got her one done in Burntisland, in a tattoo shop called 'liquid ink'.

I decided that I was just going to have a look, so I went through and fell in love with one of the first tattoos that I saw, it was like my friends, tribal, but it was very much different. This one had three love hearts mixed through the tribal design, and before I knew it I was at the desk booking an appointment.

Two weeks later I was back in the studio getting prepared for the tattoo. My tattooist was called Kerry, she was the owner. She asked me if this was my first tattoo, and if I was interested in getting a numbing spray on before I actually got the tattoo, I very quickly replied with a sharp 'yes, please', this didn't cost any extra, as I really didn't know how much it would hurt being tattooed. The spray was put on the area that was to be tattooed, which I had finally chosen as the bottom of my back. I was advised that It would take about an hour to take effect, then it would be my time to be tattooed. My brothers ex girlfriend was also there with me getting a tattoo done, so she went first , as she already had one done before. By the time her one was done it was time for me.

Let me tell you I was really petrified, but with all of my strength I bravely went through into the room. All of the implements were sterilised first before they were used, this has to be done so that it is safe, Kerry showed me all of them coming out of the steriliser and showed me how they all went together and what each part was used for. We then discussed the colours that I was after for my tattoo, I decided that the three hearts would be a lilac colour, but they would be graded, so that they went from a dark purple to a light purple.

After the decision making was over it was time to get started. I was lying on the couch nervously and Kerry told me not to worry, she explained what she was going to do then asked me if I was ready, she told me that if at any time I need her to stop just to say. Kerry did a test line to let me know what the pain would feel like, and it was surprisingly not that sore. Kerry advised me that the sorest part would be the outlines, as they have to go deeper into the skin. But the bit that I found the most uncomfortable was the grading of the hearts, as the lilac was added first then white was added over the top to give the right effect, this was so uncomfortable because it was piercing the skin over again that had already been done. It must have taken about an hour and a half, and cost approx £40. After Kerry was finished she let me see the tattoo, and it looked beautiful. Kerry was also really surprised as I didn't bleed the whole time that she was doing the work. After your tattoo is done they put Savlon on it to keep it nice and moist initially. It was then that I started to bleed, as soon as I stood up. And I really couldn't help but laugh it just seemed to flow.

I was advised that the best after care to use on my tattoo was either Savlon cream or Savlon antiseptic spray, and I was advised not to pick the scabs once they had formed, as this can take the colour out of the tattoo. But it was really difficult as the more scabs that formed the itchier it got. But I did devise a way to stop that. When I felt the need to claw at my back, I dipped a face cloth in warm water and left it lying on my back for about 30 minutes and if any of my scabs were ready to come off then they just wiped off with the face cloth.

I then found that it was really addictive , and before I knew it, I wanted another one. The next tattoo that I got was the one on my shoulder, I actually designed this one myself, but Kerry decided that it needed changed a little bit to make it better, which I was fine with. It actually kind of looks like Batman's plane! This one cost me £45 as it was hand drawn on the day.

I then decided to get a Playboy bunny on my ankle, but before I got it done I forgot to tell Kerry that it was meant to face left, as all Playboy bunnies do, and the rule of thumb for tattooists is that if the tattoo has a face or is looking a certain way it faces forward, the way that you walk. So it ended up facing the wrong way. It didn't bother me to start off with, but eventually it got the better of me and I had to get it covered up.

Kerry then gave up her tattoo business in Burtnisland and moved to Edinburgh, and I really didn't want to travel that far for a tattoo. I then decided about 6 months later that it was time for a new one. On the advice of another friend at my work I went to a place in Leslie called Incantation. Which I later discovered that they trained Kerry, so I knew that the work will be of a high quality.

The rest of my tattoos were all done at Incantation. I have one on my ankle over the Playboy bunny that was done facing the wrong way, this was hand designed and drawn to specifically covered the Bunny. I have a three leaf clover on the other ankle, each leaf is a different colour of the Irish flag. there is also a butterfly above the first tribal one that I got done. And I have two on my stomach, one is a seahorse and the other is the Playboy bunny facing the right way this time. But my bunny had to be done twice as the first time I didn't go to Incantation, I went to a local one in Kirkcaldy called Angel Art and it was a really shocking mess.

All of my tattoos after my first one were all done with out the numbing spray, and to be honest there wasn't any difference in the pain side of things, so I wouldn't bother with it then next time.

I would advise however that even though tattoos look nice, they are with you forever, so take your time and find the right one, don't rush into anything that you might regret.

Summary: Have a think before you go ahead and make a life time commitment.