What you need to know before getting a tattoo

Colorful, minimal, tribal, floral, old-school: When choosing a tattoo, you are spoiled for choice, and especially in summer it's easy to see a variety of bodies adorned with the most creative motifs and designs. If you've decided to get a tattoo too, have chosen a design and are already armed with the courage to proceed, here's everything you need to know before getting a tattoo.

1. A tattoo is forever. Almost.

“I know,” you say, “it's a common story that tattoos don't wear off when they're done, there's no turning back.” But no. Now there are tattoo removal methods, a real lifeline for those who made mistakes when they were young, drunk or hated their tattoo. However, these laser-assisted procedures are quite painful, usually expensive (from € 150 per session) and require several sessions. The effectiveness of the treatment is now almost always 100% guaranteed, however the number of sessions required depends on many variables, such as the age of the tattoo, the type of skin, the pigments used.

If you are not sure, use the currently widespread temporary tattoos: it can be henna, stickers (gold - required this summer) or negative on the skin and applied by the sun. These can be temporary solutions to get rid of a whim, but also tests to make sure that the design and body part we have chosen for the permanent tattoo is really the right fit for us.

2. Topic: rule of the year.

Choosing “what” for a tattoo should never be made lightly. Tattoos often symbolize something related to our life, such as an important achievement, a special event, or a precious memory. As a rule, these values ​​persist over time and often remain those objects that remain loved throughout life. For example, your boyfriend's name is not always a good example of a “memory we want to keep forever,” unless it's on our skin. The golden rule is “think about it for a year”: if after a year we still like the same idea as on the first day, you've probably found a suitable item that will accompany you throughout your life!

3. Where to get a tattoo on the body.

Once the topic is chosen, decide where to do it. Choosing where to get a tattoo is just as subjective as choosing a design. Much depends on the profession and the possible need to hide the tattoo with clothing in the workplace or elsewhere. In this case, the most suitable are the parts usually covered by clothing, such as the back, ribs, thighs, or the inner part of the arm. In short, getting a tattoo on your face, neck, or wrists isn't a winning move to curry favor with your boss.

If you're looking for inspiration on body points for a tattoo, don't miss the Placement section of the menu.

4. Choosing a tattoo artist: no cost.

A tattoo is a real work of art, forever imprinted on the skin. Getting a basement tattoo for a newbie friend will certainly save you money, but the result may not live up to expectations, not to mention the hygiene rules! A good tattoo artist knows by heart the hygiene procedures necessary to stay healthy, uses sterilized needles, and has a workshop that should at least shine. If you notice that something is wrong, trust your instincts, turn around and go elsewhere. A good tattoo artist can also advise you if the tattoo has critical aspects such as position, feasibility of the design, or any changes that need to be made to achieve optimal results.

5. Prepare your skin in advance.

The tattoo puts pressure on the skin, so it is best to prepare it ahead of time. Make sure your skin doesn't turn red on the day of your tattoo, so don't use lamps, sun, scrubs, peels, bronzers, irritating clothing, and the like. Moisturize the area with a moisturizer a few days before the tattoo: Indeed, moisturized skin contributes to the optimal result of the tattoo and accelerates its healing.

6. "When will you get old?"