Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
tattoo after care By Karen L. Hudson | TATTOOS FOR MEN
Tattoo Aftercare - How to Take Care of Your New Tattoo( By Karen L. Hudson)
Now, you have your fresh new tattoo, and you want to take good care of it! From this point on, your artist is not responsible for any infection or problems you may have with your tattoo if you don't take proper care of it. It is very important that you follow these guidelines. A really beautiful tattoo can turn into a disaster if the proper aftercare is not taken.
Leave That Bandage Alone!
Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason - to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. Yes, as pretty as your new tattoo is, it is still a wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Leave the bandage on for a minimum of two hours. Excitement of having a new tattoo will make you want to remove the bandage so you can show your friends, but your friends will just have to wait until later.
The only exception to this rule is if your artist covered your tattoo with saran wrap or some kind of plastic. This is extremely detrimental to a tattoo, so it should be removed immediately. You're better off not having any covering than to be suffocating your new tattoo with plastic wrap.
Wash and Treat
After you remove the bandage, you will want to wash your tattoo. Use lukewarm water and mild, liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap (Satin and Provon are my highest recommendations. Dial tends to be too harsh - generic brand antibacterial soaps are actually better) to gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma and to completely clean the area. Do not use a washcloth or anything abrasive. Your hand is your best tool in this case. (If your tattoo feels slimy and slippery, you have probably been oozing plasma. Try to gently remove as much of this as possible - when the plasma dries on the skin surface, it creates scabs.)
Then pat (do not rub) the area firmly with a CLEAN towel or paper towel to get it completely dry. Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment. A&D vitamin enriched ointment would be my first choice, but if you don't have any, Bacitracin or a similar antibacterial ointment is acceptable.
**Do not use Neosporin. This is a wonderful product for cuts and scrapes, but not for tattoos. Some can have an allergic reaction to the Neosporin, which causes little red bumps. When the bumps go away, so does the ink, and you end up with a polka-dotted tattoo.**
Specialty Products and Lotions
If you prefer, you can also use a specialty product such as Tattoo Goo or H2Ocean. It's not necessary, as many over the counter products work just fine, but it's your choice. Use the products as directed as continue for 3-5 days.
After that, continue to keep it clean, but you can use lotion when needed instead of ointment, to keep the skin soft. Whatever lotion you use, it should be dye and fragrance free. A lot of artists recommend Lubriderm, but I have found that Lubriderm stings when I apply it. Instead, I have had great success with Eucerin. See also: Aftercare Contradictions: Why there are so many views on what product is best.
Bathing, Showering, Hot Tubs, and Swimming
Yes, you can (and should!) shower with a new tattoo. It's OK to get your tattoo wet - just don't soak it. Submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, so you'll want to avoid those for 2-3 weeks, but showering is perfectly fine as long as you don't saturate your tattoo. If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, just remove it quickly with water. Swimming - whether it be a pool, fresh water or salt water - should be avoided for at least 2 weeks.
Scabbing and Peeling
After a few days, you will notice some peeling and possibly a little scabbing. Excessive scabbing could indicate a poorly-done tattoo, but a little is sometimes normal and there is no need to panic. Apply warm moist compresses to the scabs for about 5 minutes 2-3 times a day to soften them and they will eventually come off on their own. (Do not apply ointment or lotion to a softened scab - wait for it to dry) You will also start to itch, just like a sunburn when it begins to heal. The advice here is, don't pick, and don't scratch! If the skin itches, slap it. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. And if it is scabbing, just leave it alone. Your tattoo is almost healed, and now is not the time to ruin it!
Protection from the sun
After your tattoo is healed, from now on, you will always want to protect it from the sun's ultraviolet rays. These can fade and damage a brilliant tattoo very fast. Before spending a lot of time in excessive heat, protect your tattoo with a minimum 30SPF sunblock. This will keep your tattoo vibrant for many years, and it will continue to be a source of great pride.
Friday, February 19, 2010
CAREFUL WHEN CHOOSING CHINESE CHARACTERS FOR YOUR TATTOO
Hairdresser Lee Becks thought he had Mandarin for 'Love, honour and obey' etched into his skin. But the 18-year-old found out that he had been tricked when he saw the effect it had on a woman serving at a Chinese take-away.
'At first, she said something about me making people laugh and talked about a crown,' he said.
'But then I realised she was really saying clown, not crown. The young woman blushed and was very reluctant to translate for me. Then she admitted what it really said.'
A 'totally mortified' Mr Becks went back to the tattoo parlour in Southend, the next day - only to find it had closed.
He added: 'I suspect the tattooist knew he was closing and just wanted to get his own back for some reason. I always wanted a tattoo and the design looked great. Now I am stuck with it but have to keep it covered up.'
When he dared show off his arm at a nightclub, a group of Chinese girls came up - and burst out laughing. Even his friends have been finding it hard to keep straight faces.
His employer, Gary Doyle, said: 'He's a bit sensitive about the tattoos - they look very trendy if you don't know what they really mean. I don't think Lee stands much of a chance with any attractive young Chinese lady he may meet.'
Mr Becks plans to spend £600 (UK pounds sterling) to have the tattoo removed by laser.
This story does illustrate why you should take due care when choosing a Chinese tattoo. At the very least do the following:
Friday, December 18, 2009
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT TATTOOS
According to a study by the British Journal of Dermatology, figures are worse in the UK with 75% of British people who have tattoos wishing they had never 'inked'
If your tattoo has become a permanent source of regret or embarrasment to you - you are not alone - in fact - close to 400,000 people Google the term 'tattoo removal' every month! Here are some more facts and figures about tattoos....
■The Pew Research Center, January 2007
- 36% of 18-25 year olds have at least one tattoo
Original source: http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=300
■The U.S. Food And Drug Administration, April 2006
- More than 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo
Original source: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/scienceforum/sf2006/search/preview.cfm?abstract_id=1047&backto=author
■The Gallup Poll, July 2005 ■The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 2005
- 24% of the general U.S. population has a tattoo
- 5% of those with a tattoo have had it covered with a different tattoo design
Original source: http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/inst/serve?retrieve=pii/S0190-9622(04)03195-0&artType=full)
■Flash2xs.com Poll, August 2004
- 41% of those considering getting a tattoo would pay up to 50% more for a tattoo artist known to have a good reputation and who is certified by their local health department
Original source: Flash2xs.com, LLC Online Poll
■Flash2xs.com Poll, June 2004
- 61% of people say that the reputation of a tattoo artist and tattoo studio is most important factor when selecting who will tattoo them and where they will get tattooed
■Flash2xs.com Poll, September 2003
- 43% of people polled say they get tattooed to represent something personal
- 32% say they get tattooed because they are addicted to ink
- 19% of people say they get tattooed because they like the artwork
- 4% of people say they get tattooed because they enjoy the feeling of it
Original source: Flash2xs.com, LLC Online Poll
■Harris Interactive, July 2003
- 16% of all adults have at least one tattoo
- 31% of gay, lesbian, or bisexual people report having tattoos
- 36% of those with tattoos are between 25-29 years old
- 34% of people with tattoos feel sexier because they are tattooed
- 29% of adults with tattoos feel more rebellious
- Democrats are more likely to be tattooed than Republicans
Original source: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=407
- 76% of people say that the biggest issue in preventing them from getting a tattoo is Finding the Perfect Tattoo Design
- 10% of people say that either finding the right tattoo artist or having the money for a tattoo are the biggest reasons preventing them from getting a tattoo
Original source: Flash2xs.com, LLC Online Poll
■Flash2xs.com Poll, April 2003
- 32% of people prefer traditional plain black tribal tattoo designs over tribal with other design elements, texture, or color variations
Original source: Flash2xs.com, LLC Online Poll
■Health Canada, April 2003
- The number of women with tattoos quadrupled from 1960 to 1980
Original source: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/life-vie/tat_e.html
■Flash2xs.com Poll, August 2001
- 38% of people say they choose a tattoo because it has special meaning to them
- 32% say the quality of the artwork is how they choose their tattoo
- 27% of people say they choose their tattoo for its originality
Original source: Flash2xs.com, LLC Online Poll
■The U.S. News and World Report, October 1997
- Tattooing is the United State's 6th fastest growing retail business
Original source: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/971103/archive_008193.htm