Need safety recommendations for safe tattooing/body piercing

[Paz]

Are you surprised to see this thread on a homeschooling board? The reason I'm asking is that my 18 yo ds who has always been an ultra-conservative, short haired, baseball playing kid turned 18 and became a surfing, longboarding, guitar-playing rock star. LOL! He now has a little mowhawk growing and is joking about tattoos and a lip ring. I think dh would be upset and ds is being respectful to dh's wishes but once he is out on his own this summer (he'll be gone for 2 months) I'm not sure if he won't be convinced to get one. It's not really that big of a deal for me but if he does get one I want to be sure it is at a safe place. What kinds of questions does one need to ask to be sure they are safe and sterile? I will interject this in conversations over the next month so at least son thinks a bit.

[Needleroozer]

I am glad you asked this, as I am contemplating a small tattoo. Actually, I have been contemplating one for 23 years, and I am ready to get one. I am designing it now. My Dude told me that nowadays, *ALL* tattoo places use sterilized, autoclaved equipment, and it shouldn't be an issue. I still have a bit of niggling doubt, though.

What I have been doing is finding folks (that I know, not strangers on the street,lol) who have interesting tats, and asking them about their experiences. I have been given 3 recommendations for one place, and 2 for another, so that tells me that they are reputable and reliable. So now I have 2 to choose from.

About my personal decision to get one: I would not normally be a tattoo kind of gal (and can't do piercing due to metal allergies), but I have a very cool birthmark on my upper arm, that is shaped just like a turtle. The turtle has always been my "totem animal" My birthmark is upside down, so it is only clearly visible to me when I look down at my arm, and it has really faded over the years. So I want to have a turtle tattooed over it, so that my birthmark looks like its' shadow.

I don't know if that helps,
LB

[Mrs Mungo]

Are you surprised to see this thread on a homeschooling board? The reason I'm asking is that my 18 yo ds who has always been an ultra-conservative, short haired, baseball playing kid turned 18 and became a surfing, longboarding, guitar-playing rock star. LOL! He now has a little mowhawk growing and is joking about tattoos and a lip ring. I think dh would be upset and ds is being respectful to dh's wishes but once he is out on his own this summer (he'll be gone for 2 months) I'm not sure if he won't be convinced to get one. It's not really that big of a deal for me but if he does get one I want to be sure it is at a safe place. What kinds of questions does one need to ask to be sure they are safe and sterile? I will interject this in conversations over the next month so at least son thinks a bit.

I would ask people local to you. They will be able to tell you the best places in your area. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo (I've actually considered a turtle too since I'm from the turtle clan of the Lenape) andthat's what I'm doing. I've received some really good advice from people.

[Paz]

Thanks for your replies. I think the stories about both of your turtle tattoos are cool! My ds says he wants to get the words born again in Latin for his tattoo.

[Mekanamom]

All the tattoo places I've been were "clean". They will tell you how they sterilize everything and they make a big deal out of opening packages of unused ink, etc.

Tell your son to pay the extra $$ and go to a really clean place. If he asks around he'll get recommendations.

Same with piercings... most tat places do piercings too anyway. They are better and more accurate with their placings (overall) than beauty salons... IME. Besides, Beauty Salons generally don't have the equipment for anything but ear piercings.

(I have two tats and a belly piercing. Oh, and double piercings on my ears. If my nose was cuter, I'd have a nose piercing too. :tongue_smilie: DH has two tats and an earring for every dd that has gotten her ears pierced...3 so far... step-dd and our two oldest. Youngest has decided against having her ears pierced for now. :))

Where I live tats really don't detract much from having a lucrative career. BUT. Tell your son to think carefully about his tattoo placement. I think it's prudent to have it in a place that can be easily covered up if needed.

[GothicGyrl]

Having 5 tattooes and 6 peircings I can answer this :)

Firstly on tattooes--he either needs to draw the image himself or find one he REALLY wants, they are permanent you know. :) I've done all but one of mine myself.

Most reputable tattoo places should NOT give you hassle if you call up and ask for a "safety tour" of the place. If they do, ditch them. Tat parlors are required(and are frequently checked) by law to autoclave everything, nothing is resuable, etc... And of course, ask around.

On piercings, I've got 3 in each ear, and to be honest with you--I would not reccommend a peircing other than there or the nose. Belly button piercings(men do get them and not just gay ones), are dangerous because of the "rip out" factor and they are the most frequently infected. Eyebrow piercings are cool, but only if you get a small bar and they are done correctly. Nose peircings are the safest.

Tongues, la brea(the area right below your lip and above your chin), lip, cheek, etc.. are all horrible. They break away enamel on teeth, they make it so you can't talk properly (and if he's got a large tongue, his tongue will swell his mouth shut as it is healing), lips tend to "sag" with the piercings, la brea's eat into the gums, etc...

I would only ever recommend, in order: Ears, Nose, small eyebrow, and MAYBE a belly button IF he could take care of it. Otherwise, everything else is off limits.

hope that helps.. oh and google "tattoo photos" for him to see the work done. I've done comissioned tats before (I did one for someone's back--an entire "nightmare before christmas" scene).

[Michelle T]

I love my tattoo! I got it when I was 35, I'm 43 now. It's a blue bird lifting up in flight. It holds a small heart in its claws, and is surrounded by a small vine with purple flowers. Right next to it is the Chinese character for "strength."

I had it done by a tattoo artist who used to work out of a skin spa in our town. Unfortunately, she's gone now, as I would love to have another tattoo on my other ankle.

Just be sure the place is clean, that they have an autoclave for the equipment, and you see them open the packages to show they are sterile. That's all common practice anyway, so should be no problem.

Getting my tattoo felt like being stung by bees over and over, but was not unbearable. It felt a little sore afterwards, like a mild sunburn for a few days.

I've never regretted my tattoo, although DH is not really thrilled about my having it.
Michelle T

[Mekanamom]

Getting my tattoo felt like being stung by bees over and over, but was not unbearable. It felt a little sore afterwards, like a mild sunburn for a few days.


Oh yeah! And summer is a good time to have one done, because you need to keep it uncovered as much as you can while it heals.

I don't regret mine either. I have one on my ankle that was designed by a good friend. One of a kind. (Got that one at 22 yo.) I'm thinking of adding some vines around it to embellish a bit.

My other tat is a fairly typical tribal/celtic design on my lower back. DH and I got tattoos together for our 10th anniversary. Heh, anyone who is going to see my lower back is not going to mind the tattoo... lol.

[GothicGyrl]

The other thing to keep in mind is placement. I have two right above my ankle bone. I wouldn't recommend ON the ankle due to close proximity to an artery leading to the heart. I also wouldn't touch feet for that reason (though the chances of him getting a blood infection are nil, just in case).

Also, I'm not sure of the exact restrictions, but if he's thinking of military or donating blood, he might want to check how a tattoo can affect that. I know for blood, you cannot donate for one year after getting the tat. I don't think the military would say anything about his tat, but just to check. And someone already mentioned the "where" part. Most jobs take into consideration tattoes and make you cover up. Some won't even consider you if you have one. If he has one that cannot be covered up in any way, his job options could be limited.

I also would tread carefully on the neck. So, neck, feet, ankles and sometimes hands or wrists. Those are "nil chance" places, but it has happened. OH! I would also definitely NOT recommend genitalia piercings. :) Prince Alberts (that's what it's called when you pierce the hood of a penis) are PAINFUL and 9/10 do NOT heal correctly. I have seen pictures of unhealed PA's and botched PA's and it is NOT pretty.

[Parabola]

Oh yeah! And summer is a good time to have one done, because you need to keep it uncovered as much as you can while it heals.
I think tats are supposed to be kept out of the sun while healing. I covered mine up for awhile. I have a Grateful Dead dancing bear on my ankle. When I got it, and showed it to my mom, she was like "oh Sheralyn, thats not real" and then she reached out and JABBED it. She almost died that day. :tongue_smilie:

That was in my 20s when I got that one, I've got ideas and places for more, but there are so many things to spend money on, I haven't gotten around to getting another.
I do, though, have a belly button piercing and 7 ear piercings. Want my nose pierced too, but like someone else said...not to sure of the attractiveness of my nose enough to draw sparkly attention to it. And besides, I don't know how obvious the hole would be if I decided to not wear it for awhile.

[Jenny in Atl]

OK, we need pictures! This thread is no fun w/o pictures but only if family friendly.

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/char155.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

[Needleroozer]

That was in my 20s when I got that one, I've got ideas and places for more, but there are so many things to spend money on, I haven't gotten around to getting another.

That has been my main reason for not getting one. What do they run, anyhow? The one I have planned is small, 2 inches or so.

[Needleroozer]

I have seen pictures of unhealed PA's and botched PA's and it is NOT pretty.
Eeww. I met a young man, who was nearly completely covered in tats, who had one here when I was traveling in Europe 23 yrs ago. He showed it to me, and I just thought that was a horrible place to be pierced! Wouldn't it hurt (both parties?) when having s*x?

[Classicalmom2six]

As for the tatooes, just make sure your son keeps in mind they are "forever" and it's wise to get them where they can be covered. My husband has tats up both sides of his arms and on his back. He has to wear long sleeves even in the summer to cover them up for work.

He should also remember that alot of places will make you take out your piercing for work (if it can be seen). It won't heal if he has to keep taking it out. If he's going to get one, it should have plenty of time to heal before taking it out. I've had my nose done twice, my belly button done three times, my eyebrow once, and my tongue once, and the tops of my ears on both sides. I think out of all those, the nose was the easiest to heal. The tongue can get infected easily if you don't keep it extremely clean.

Most guys get the nipples pierced, the lip, or below the lip, or the eyebrow. I've never seen one with a belly piercing. My nephew did the nipples and the eyebrow with no problems. :0) Cleanliness is the main thing with piercings. With the tats, you want to keep them covered in Neosporin (sp) and keep them covered from the sun.

[GothicGyrl]

Eeww. I met a young man, who was nearly completely covered in tats, who had one here when I was traveling in Europe 23 yrs ago. He showed it to me, and I just thought that was a horrible place to be pierced! Wouldn't it hurt (both parties?) when having s*x?
It is supposed to enhance things :) But if it isn't done correctly, it enhances nothing. :)

And Neosporin is bad for tattooes. Very bad. You want nothing more than a good body lotion. They don't even recommend AD ointment any more. Just a regular lotion--I use Vaselin Intensive Care. And you only cover them for the first few hours. After that, a good sunblock protects them enough.

[Classicalmom2six]

I guess different places do things differently. My son-in-law just got a tatoo on his back and they GAVE him a tube of neosporin to put on it. (And this is a very, very reputable place in Dallas) They also told him to keep it covered for about 1-2 weeks from the sun. But yes, after it heals, you do need to keep sunblock on the tats to keep them looking good as far as the color goes.

[GothicGyrl]

I guess different places do things differently. My son-in-law just got a tatoo on his back and they GAVE him a tube of neosporin to put on it. (And this is a very, very reputable place in Dallas) They also told him to keep it covered for about 1-2 weeks from the sun. But yes, after it heals, you do need to keep sunblock on the tats to keep them looking good as far as the color goes.
Keep it covered from the sun, yes. But keep it covered all the time, no. It should only stay covered for about 1-2 hours afterwards, usually until the bleeding stops.

(I have a link, but I'll only give it if you ask for it, it had a picture on it that some might chew me out for)

I am just going to say that every tat artist I know (some in the business for a LONG time), says to never use antibacterial ointment, only lotion.

If his healed well enough, good.

[lynn]

Just a thought....do health departments inspect tatoo places regularly if so, can you call them to see who has the best rating.

[lindaO in Va]

I have a 2 small tatoos that I got back in 1976. I did an application for life insurance back in 2000 and was turned down because they said I had Hepatitis C. You can have it for years and years and never know it .... I remember having to hold my 2yo down while they drew blood from her arm so that she could be tested ...since it can be transmitted via birth...but, thank God, she was unaffected .....it's something worth considering tho'..... definately make sure they are sanitary.

HTH

[Mamagistra]

And besides, I don't know how obvious the hole would be if I decided to not wear it for awhile.

I haven't worn my nostril piercing in several years. The hole remains, but it is not noticeable. :001_smile:

[Paz]

Thanks everyone. I have learned a lot here.

[Mekanamom]

I think tats are supposed to be kept out of the sun while healing.

Yeah- neither of my tats are in a place prone to sunburn... I'm sure it would be bad news to expose a fresh tattoo to the sun with no protection at all.

I'm sure a lot of the proper aftercare depends on where the tattoo is, and what type of clothing would be covering it.

While it's still raw, you really don't want anything sticking to it... a friend of mine got a tat on her ankle and thought it would be ok to wear nylons over it... nylons are breathable afterall.

She had to get it re done. The nylons stuck to it and ruined it.

Once it has healed enough to scab over, it's not so bad to wear *loose* clothing over it... something that isn't going to rub on it until it's fully healed.

[GothicGyrl]

Right. I've got a "bald spot" on my boob where my one tat is because when it scabbed over, one small piece just would not heal and the scab ended up ripping off when I took a shirt off. I have to go get that tat redone anyway, but yeah--you gotta be careful what you put on it and watch carefully how it heals.

The one I just got a few months ago, on my right shoulder/right below the shoulder blade, on my arm--healed absolutely beautifully with minimal scabbing (perfect) and nothing but Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion and good old fashioned soap and water.

Now my next one is going to take some work as it is going on my back, right in between the shoulder blades. I'm going to need DH's help on caring for that one.

Here's the one I just had done:
http://electricbarbarella.homeschooljournal.net/files/2007/09/mytat.jpg
http://electricbarbarella.homeschooljournal.net/files/2007/09/100_0652.jpg

And here is what the outlining looks like, before color:
http://electricbarbarella.homeschooljournal.net/files/2007/09/100_0648.jpg

I put these in so you can show your son exactly what it looks like. In the first one, you can see the needle pricks and the bleeding. The second is all cleaned up, but the last one you can see my skin already starting to rise with all the needle pricking being done.

[Ravin]

Everyone else has put in good tips. Ask to see examples of the artist's work. If he wants a piece of flash, it's pretty straightforward, but if he wants the artist to draw something out it's going to cost more, and a custom piece made based on his own drawing may or may not be compatible with the artist's style.

Get someone experienced. They should have been tattooing or piercing for several years. My best looking tats after years of wear are the ones I got on Saipan, where the artist had been in business for, oh, twenty-odd years. An experienced hand is also going to be a gentler hand.

As far as cleanliness...is the shop clean? Ink in new sealed packages? Autoclave clean and clearly used regularly (a layer of dust or using it for storage is a bad sign)?

With the routine procedures for cleanliness used in most tat parlors these days, your risk of something like a Hepatitis infection are slim.

Oh, and someone mentioned military service. I got all 7 of my tattoos while in the Navy. The general rule is don't get anything that will show in a short-sleeved uniform shirt and pants. So no neck, forearms, etc.\

For his first I strongly recommend not getting one too large, and going for a meaty spot, not close to a bone because it'll hurt less. Calf, upper arm, thigh, chest, etc.

[Amy in NY]

but wanted to put this out there just in case it hasn't been mentioned all ready. Here in NY, tattoo parlors are not regulated/monitored. Apparently, there has been an increase of MRSA associated with tattooing and health care providers are now being asked to voluntarily report any suspicious infections post tattooing.

Also, and this is just my observation, body piercing has increased the number of people coming in with associated infections as well. I can think of one (severe case, of course) instance where the young person was actually worked up and had a biopsy done for inflammatory br**st CA when it was a horrific infection secondary to a piercing in that area.

So my advice to anyone contemplating tattooing or piercing is to make sure that the place where you are getting it done has very strict sterilizing practices and then, in the case of piercing, make sure you keep it clean.

Amy