PRE-TATTOO PANIC
the difficult love story between tattoos and hypochondriacs
I know… the world installs a lot of paranoias in our heads and the game of “telephone” is one of the greatest tragedies of humanity
the world of tattoos is a dark world and, as we know, legends —and thus paranoias— proliferate like mushrooms
amidst all this chaos, however, there’s me:
a tattoo artist with a hobby of asking “WHY?!?” I ask a thousand questions about everything I hear around and try to find out if the legends are true or false and, above all… WHY?!?
so, here’s a collection of answers to questions that we’ve all heard sooner or later circulating in the ether or just buzzing around in our heads
let’s start with complex questions that deserve their own dedicated mini-series, like:
can you get a tattoo while pregnant? Can you get tattooed while breastfeeding?
is ink toxic? can I be allergic to the ink?
can I get tattooed if I’m allergic to nickel?
is this your first tattoo and you’re afraid of everything?!
then let’s move on to the classics of the mind:
could I be allergic to tattoos?
can you get tattooed during menstruation?
if I tattoo the inside of my wrist, is there a risk I’ll cut my veins?
are tattoo needles sterile? are tattoo needles reused?
can you tattoo fingers? or does the tattoo disappear?
can I get tattooed on my hands/wrists/fingers if I’m always in water?
finally, I’d like to say a few words about:
if you’re experiencing POST-TATTOO PANIC instead, you’ve read the wrong article, READ HERE
very well, let’s begin
now airing in your mind:
PRE-TATTOO PANIC
a love story between tattoos and hypochondriacs
the prequel
could I be allergic to tattoos?
certainly yes!
but you should already know you’re allergic to something that may be used during a tattoo, because these are commonly used materials readily available in many other situations
if you are an “allergic subject” contact your allergist and ask for information
if you’re afraid of being allergic to inks, READ HERE
P.S.: the tattoo artist is not an allergist. the tattoo artist cannot know for sure if you may or may not be allergic to something. don’t ask your tattoo artist, ask your doctor ^_^
can you get tattooed during menstruation?
yes, yes, yes, and more yes
there are absolutely no side effects
menstruation is just a small, physiological hemorrhage, so you’re not hemorrhaging, and a tattoo certainly won’t cause you to hemorrhage, in fact, sometimes only a few drops of blood come out in total
in any case, your cycle doesn’t interfere with the blood’s fluidity and therefore doesn’t interfere with the process and quality of the tattoo ^_^
does it hurt more during menstruation?
not necessarily, pain during the cycle is very personal
logically speaking, no, you should actually feel less
menstrual cycles occur during the reproductive cycle’s renewal phase, so these are days when we are richer in hormones favorable to us
the days just before the cycle, however, are the lowest point of the reproductive cycle and may be the most painful days for a tattoo
Can you use anesthetic cream?
no, absolutely not, it is forbidden in Italy
if you read the package insert for anesthetic creams, you’ll notice they’re meant for use on “intact skin” during a tattoo, the skin is obviously no longer intact, it’s wounded, and the active ingredients intended for external use are instead introduced into the body and can trigger undesirable side effects
even anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal
if you’ve ever had any type of anesthesia (even just at the dentist), you know if you could be allergic to something, but I wouldn’t risk it without a doctor nearby… up to you!
moreover, using these creams makes the skin as tough as leather, making the “canvas” more difficult to tattoo
in some cases, tough skin prevents the tattoo artist from executing certain techniques or fine details
in all cases, tougher skin requires more invasive work, leading to a more difficult healing process
then, there’s a big difference between theory and practice, so I know that many tattoo artists use or even recommend it
however, it remains illegal and remains dangerous
I don’t approve
If I tattoo the inside of my wrist, is there a risk I’ll cut my veins?
no, absolutely not
Can you tattoo over veins?
yes, absolutely yes
How deep does the needle go?
very little
the tattoo is the introduction of colored pigments into the skin—reiterating: INTO THE SKIN
it goes about a millimeter deep, sometimes less, sometimes 1.1 mm
the tattoo must remain within the second/third layer of skin to look good, last over time, not fade, and not blur—within the skin
after the skin starts the flesh, and within the flesh we find the veins
so, the veins are much deeper, even if the skin and flesh may seem translucent enough to glimpse the underlying veins nonetheless, they are underneath and far from the skin
Are the needles sterile?
absolutely yes
are tattoo needles reused?
absolutely not
I can assure you, even if you wanted to be a criminal and reuse the same needle for multiple people, it’s not physically possible: the inks dry and cement themselves between the needles, rendering them unusable
moreover, it is illegal and regulated by the local health authority
Can you tattoo fingers? Or does the tattoo disappear?
normally yes, but it depends
in most cases, yes, the only exception is if your
hands are super calloused, for one reason or another
maybe because you’re an avid athlete and eat iron for breakfast
maybe because you do a very physical job
in that case, no
because the tattoo is there, but it’s beneath the calluses, which are very thick, hardened skin and obscure the view of the tattoo
Can I get tattooed on my hands/wrists/fingers if I’m always in water?
no, no
unless you find a way not to soak the tattoo
and no, gloves don’t count
the problem lies in the fact that for a tattoo to heal, it must dry out, if the tattoo spends too much time soaking in water (or in the humidity of gloves), it won’t heal properly
ever
you can touch it up, but there will always be some imperfection, and you can’t predict its severity
so, if you want to get tattooed on your hands/wrists, you have two options:
- either find a way to stay out of water for 7-10 days
- or settle for an imperfect tattoo
finally, I’d like to say a few words about:
Can I search the web for a design I like and bring it to my tattoo artist to replicate?
NO, you can’t
plagiarism is a crime, even in tattoos
I know it’s common practice to do so, but it’s a crime, even if it’s a common practice
and if you copy a design found on the web, you’re literally a forger (if you’re the tattoo artist) or you’re buying counterfeit works (if you’re the person getting the tattoo), even if the tattoo is partially modified and personalized
in any case, you’re in a mess ^_^, more info can be found HERE
With love, but always irriverent