Hi All,
I guess like most people I was a little nervous about sitting through a six hour session on my first piece. Black and grey whole upper arm.
Well the advice I got from this forum was real helpful.
Overall it really wasn’t that bad. I realise that everyone has a different pain threshold and I reckon I have an average pain barrier. I sat six hours straight and had two very short 5 minute breaks. I felt fine throughout. My arm went kind of numb after a while. The upper arm I am told is probably the most pain free spot… it was only when I was getting inked near the back of my arm it started to bite a little but still bearable.
The main things that helped me was this forums advice. For anyone about to have their first tattoo I would definitely advise eating about 1 to 2 hours before sitting. I drank a bottle of isotonic drink every couple of hours and a couple of cereal bars and it really helped. Also if your artist talks with you like mine did then that really helps take your mind off things.
One word of advice though that I think doesn’t get mentioned enough….. If you have a long sitting don’t drive after.
I didn’t feel ill after at all, just felt very tired and day dreamy. I was told it’s the body getting like a mild shock.
That was on Tuesday…. It’s Friday today and my tattoo is starting to flake mildly like a mild sunburn, but the piece looks clean with no fluid/plasma loss.
I am washing it with a non perfumed soap and applying the orange waterbased Tattoo Goo 4 times a day. The tattoo feels a little tight and the skin is starting to wrinkle in places. Does this sound like normal healing to you guys who have been inked before?
Thanks in advance.
I am now planning my next piece on my other upper arm.
Hi
Yes that is perfectly normal and I am glad you got through it ok. 5 hours on a first tat is a big piece and I take my hat off to you for having the guts to do it.
The light-headedness is because of the amount of endorphins that your body has pumped to the bloodstream to stave off the pain – creating that numb feeling.
I would hate to think how much it would hurt without them.
Just keep the tattoo clean and follow the aftercare from tattoo goo and you will find it starts to peel in a few more days. Sometimes expect some scabbing this is also normal – just no picking.
The skin can feel tight for a couple of weeks but will lessen with time.
Looking forward to seeing that ink and welcome to the long path of ink addiction 😀
Take Care
Matthew
Tanx Matthew,
I tried to put a pic up on here but I don’t get the option to add an attachment… I am using a mac… could that be the reason?.
Anyhow…. The whole tattoo is flaking soft white skin and tightening up so I will probably try again to post a pic when it is healed as it will look more attractive.
Have you got any new work planned?
Hi
I am still finishing off my backpiece.
Due to a medical problem with my blood it does not clot or produce the same amount of effective white blood cells I have been advised to give up on tattoos.
The backpiece requires me to have some very expensive shots every 2 weeks which although boosts my immune system the side effects are vomiting, nausea, headaches and internal bruising.
If I do get anymore (which is sadly unlikely) I am gonna need at least 6 months to a year to recover from this one.
That said it makes me appreciate the art I have a lot more.
Take Care
Matthew
Matthew…
sorry to hear that… you gonna be ok I hope?.
Butterfly_Kisses
I haven’t been able to post a pic as I havent been able to get the option to “add an attachment”. Not sure why. At the moment the tattoo is flaking and so I will give it a few more days of “shedding” before I take a pic. I got another hour or so work left on it. Been using the orange tube waterbased tattoo goo with good results on black and grey.
ArniVidar
I really didn’t feel fit to drive…. For anyone reading this post and about to have their first long sitting, I would be aware of how you feel before getting behind the wheel. I’m not saying that I felt really ill because I didn’t. I Felt tired and very day dreamy and quite good about everything, but my responses were slow so I am glad someone drove me home. Anyone else felt like that after a long sitting?
I know what you mean. For me it depends how relaxed I am getting tattooed. I did an hour on my chest once and my knees were wobbly as afterwards, partly because I’d psyched myself up, thinking it was going to hurt a lot more than it actually did.
I did five hours on my arm and felt absolutely fine afterwards, so I guess for me, it’s all in my head :p
My first was only 20 minutes too, nowadays I don’t really do anything below 4
Thanks… Obviously everyone is different but I think everyone should be aware of how they feel. Before I went in I was kind of nervous… no so much about pain, but if I could physically sit that long. As I mentioned before I had two small 5 minute breaks. After about 3 hours I started to get tired but I did what I read about on this forum… topped up the fuel tank with sugar and I was ready for another three hours.
I respect anyone having back chest or ribs who can sit for long periods because mine was in an easy spot and to be honest felt numb for most of it. My friend just had three hours on his ribs (another 3 to go) and he said it was real tough to get through.
Anyone had real long sessions in painful places?
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