What You Should Ask Your Tattoo Artist Before Getting A Tattoo

When you are interested in putting tattoo on your body, for starters, you should have a talk with the tattoo artist who will perform the procedure for you. He will give you all the necessary information about the tattoo and the procedure involved. With this information you will be in a better position to decide if you really want to go ahead and get a tattoo.

An important thing for you to find out is how experienced the tattoo artist is. Obviously you want to pick someone who has done a lot of tattoos and has a good reputation in the community. You want someone with good artistic talent as well as someone who uses proper technique so the chances for infection and unnecessary pain will be minimized. If possible, check with the Better Business Bureau to see if anyone has lodged any complaints against him. Also ask among your friends and family for a recommendation as word of mouth recommendation is a good way to find any kind of new service provider, tattoo artists included.

Ask the tattoo artist about his hygiene practices. He should use all disposable equipment on you including the gloves, needles and ink. He should use good hand washing practices. Since the tattoo needle pierces your skin, you can easily get infections or disease if good hygiene is not practiced. Be sure to ask him about the sanitary conditions he will use along with how you are to care for your tattoo afterwards to prevent infection.

The tattoo artist should also offer a guarantee if you do not like the tattoo. He could either offer a refund or the option for fixing what you don’t like about the tattoo. Also inquire about the prices. Tattoos are pretty expensive and of course the bigger the tattoo or the more intricate the design and colors used, the more it will cost. Be sure you know the total cost up front.

Be sure to let the tattoo artist know if you are afraid of needles or have a very low pain tolerance. He will appreciate knowing this beforehand and might suggest doing a small practice area to make sure you can tolerate the procedure.

Ask to see examples of previous work if you are wanting an elaborate design. The artist will probably have a portfolio of past customer photos he can show you.

Before you get your tattoo, be sure to get all your questions answered from the tattoo artist who will do the job. After all, tattoos are expensive and they are permanent so you want to make sure the job is done by someone who is highly qualified and does it right the first time.

Tattoos: A must-have for back to school

Shopping for back-to-school "basics" used to mean T-shirts, jeans, socks and some notebooks. This year, parents added a few other things with one item that really stands out: tattoos.

Photo essay: tattoos

Photo essay: tattoos - Alicia Shelton tattooed a portrait of her grandmot

Allgier tattoos won't be covered during potential penalty phase, judge says

Whether Curtis Allgier will be able to cover up the tattoos that span the entire surface of his head and body during his upcoming capital murder trial has not yet been decided.

Curious Why So Many People Have Tattoos

Tattoos are everywhere – and seem to be part of every walk of life. It's been legal in Massachusetts to get a tattoo for nearly a decade.

Tattoos becoming more mainstream

Renee Schultz of Fenton sat with her friend at Mancino’s in Fenton, during the busy lunch hour last week. The crowd is mixed — young and old, grandparents with grandchildren. Covering Schultz’s right arm is a full sleeve of a mass of swirling lines and stars — a tattoo.