The answers to some of the common tattoo questions seen in this area?

Blood donations - In most states, you must wait a year after getting a tattoo.

Cancer - No known risk.

Tips - Varies from artist to artist and shop to shop. Most shops seem to have a comment up on the wall if they like tips, otherwise see if any other customers do so. Amount is 10-20%.

Foreign languages - Generally recommended against unless you know the tongue. Otherwise, ambiguities are possible to arise as it doesn't state quite what you want ("blood & intestines" instead of "blood & guts").

Boyfriend/girlfriend names - Generally recommended against unless you've been together a long time & don't foresee a breakup. For most people this means marriage.

Age - 18 in most state. Generally recommended that you wait until this age due to changing tastes as well as growth issues.

The three most important questions: 1. Does the studio follow hospital-grade sterilization procedures or better? 2. Is my artist experienced (at least experienced enough to give me a great tattoo?) 3. Am I really sure I want to have this design on my skin forever? Cost should not be considered as a primary factor, but sadly is by too many people. A classmate at my alma mater came into class sporting a tattoo and when my professor (who has 13 tats) asked what the meaning was, he literally answered "It was $20 and I've always wanted a tattoo." Yikes!

oh wow...good info.

I would throw in stay out of the damn sun. Too many questions about sun tans and tats...lord this one girl had a tattoo 2 days old and was ready to lay out in the sun...omg..so horrible!!

To the people that want to do that laser stuff to get rid of your tattoo...just a waste of money. Lay out in the sun and watch that sucker fade away to nothing.

Also, I hardly ever hear anyone using bacitracin or something to make sure they don't get an infection the 1st 3-5 days. Infected tattoos seem to scab and peel and take alot longer to heal.

My tattoos never itched, hurt got red or peeled excessively. They were "healed" in a week or so.

PIERCING!!!!!!

No, it is not good to let anyone pierce you unless they are a professional, and all of the equipment has been sterelized. It is not safe to pierce with the kits they sell on Ebay.

Please tip your piercer. Just because it is the right thing to do.

You can stretch your lobes at home, but only go one gauge at a time, and allow a month to pass before you taper again. You can buy tapers on-line, but please do not just use bigger jewelry, your skin will tear, and it is not pretty.

Piercing guns cause blunt force trauma to the skin. They are scary, but for some reason, they are allowed at malls, and such. They make me sick. Plus, the people that pierce with guns are never trained to use them.

What should I get pierced?? Well, the answer is, what do you want pierced? A piercing needs to heal before you can safely take it out, so remember, that lip ring needs to stay in your lip for at least 6-8 weeks before you can decide you do not like it and you can take it out.

Point of no return for tapered lobes? Some say 2g, but it depends on your body. I had 0g, and I healed back no problem.

How much will it cost?

Every tattooist and every tattoo is a different. It could even depend on how the artist is feeling that day

Where should I put my new tattoo?

Do they really want to know......

To the Ladies .. Tattoos Dont Hurt any more than child Birth !!

You forgot price! Tat prices are determined by the artist (most charge around $100/hr but not all!) Time, detail and size all factor into the price as well as things like shop minimum

thanks a bunch.