The feeling of a tattoo is a very personal experience that varies from person to person. If you ask someone else, it very likely won’t be the same for you. They most likely will not have the same feelings because every individual has different pain tolerance and experiences things differently. Here’re some frequently asked tattoo questions, so you can make an informed decision.
What Does It Feel Like Getting a Tattoo?
The feeling of getting a tattoo is different for people, but the tattoo pain can be controlled with specific measures. If you are nervous about how your body will react after getting inked, you can ask for a topical anesthetic before or after the tattoo. This will numb the area getting inked and make it feel less painful until the numbing effect goes away in about an hour and a half to two hours.
Everyone has a different pain tolerance, but in general, tattoos do not cause long-term pain. Even people with low pain tolerances usually get over it by the end of the session and then feel fine after an hour or two. If you are too nervous about getting your first tattoo because you’re anticipating how painful it will be, you can take Tylenol an hour before the session to help with any pain.
How Long Does It Take for a Tattoo to Heal?
Tattoos heal much quicker than people think they do. In just a few days after getting inked, it is okay to get back into regular activities and routines without experiencing too much tattoo pain.
There is usually pain after getting ink that can be controlled with the proper aftercare. A reputable tattoo artist will give you instructions on how to take care of your fresh tattoo so it heals up nicely without getting infected or developing an unsightly scar. The tattoo pain can last for a few hours, but some people feel discomfort even two days later until their skin toughens up and becomes less sensitive.
For some, it can take much longer than this, but these are rare cases. So long as there are no complications in the healing process, the pain will fade eventually. While it can take as long as a month to heal completely, eventually, the pain from getting one will go away, and you won’t even notice it anymore.
What Are the Risks of Getting a Tattoo?
The most considerable risk of getting a tattoo is making sure you are healthy enough to get one. If an individual has any types of infections, allergies, or open wounds on the skin that can become infected with bacteria from outside sources, it may not be safe to have a tattoo done. Some people are more prone than others to develop infections after being inked, so make sure there aren’t any underlying conditions before walking into the parlor.
Some individuals bleed excessively during their first session. The blood loss varies between people, and some might need extra bandages while others lose only a few drops every hour until tattoos are fully healed.
An artist must be gentle with your body when tattooing because the skin is sensitive, and it can lead to chafed, scabbed, or scarred areas if they are too rough with their needles during the session. Getting a tattoo will affect your skin permanently, so make sure whoever does this for you knows how to do it safely without causing more damage than good later down the road.
How Long Will Tattoos Last?
Tattoos usually only fade depending on where they are located on your body and what type of lifestyle you live, and genetics might play into how quickly some colors dissipate overtime after getting inked. If an artist uses different pigments like reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks that are light in color on top of the skin, it will fade faster than blacks, blues, or greens.
Underneath your flesh where tattoos are located might not be as sensitive after getting one done. This is because there are no nerve endings surrounding this area of the skin since it’s deeper down at about two millimeters under your epidermis layer.
However, some people get pain when touching certain areas of their bodies long after the sessions have finished because the needles may go through thicker parts near bones or joints, making them feel more discomfort if they aren’t used to it.
Tattoos are meant to be permanent, so you have to live with the ink on your skin for a long time until it fades or erases from memory, depending on what type of design was inked into place and how well you take care of them after getting a tattoo done.
Ask Tattoo Artist
Tattoos are a huge commitment for most people because they have to live with them on their skin forever. Make sure you do your research before getting inked anywhere and ask your tattoo artist questions if you’re unsure.