Hi Sally
The pain is a cat scratch upwards (everybody is different).
As for do’s do have a meal beforehand and take a bottle of water and a coke or similar – it helps with the shock. You also ant to see them breaking out sterile equipment in front of you and fresh ink pots.
As for don’t’s No weed, speed, coke, aspirins or alcohol all of them will make your tattoo bleed out badly.
Keep it clean and no picking.
Enjoy your ink and post up when done.
Take Care
Matthew
Breastfeeding and tattooing….now there’s an issue I’ve never thought of before.
Well, one thing I can tell you is that you can’t donate blood, bone marrow, or any other desirable body parts for one full year after getting ink. The reasoning behind this is that a year gives time for blood bourne diseases, Hepatitis, and HIV to show up. I would imagine that those same diseases could be passed through mother’s milk.
But, on a personal level, those regulations are made because alot of idiots go to scratchers who reuse needles, inks, and generally don’t know hygiene from their asshole. If you’ve done your research and are going to a sterile, reputable shop, it isn’t something you really need to worry about because you’re not going to get any of those anyway. And, if you follow Matt’s advice and watch them breaking out the sterile equipment and the new ink pots, then you’ve pretty much confirmed they’re sterile.
Hope that helps.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
Are you breastfeeding?
You should not get a tattoo while breastfeeding for the exact same reason that you shouldn’t while you’re pregnant. This is coming from a mother who waited until she stopped breastfeeding for the reason I’ll explain below:
Basically – the risks of getting a tattoo for a pregnant or breastfeeding woman are no different to the risks for anybody else – ie extremely small. BUT the risks are there, however tiny. And in the incredibly unlikely scenario that you contract something from the needle, this can be passed through your breastmilk to your baby. I have a friend who recently passed MRSA though her breastmilk to her baby, this wasn’t from a tattoo, but her baby is still incredibly ill and she isn’t forgiving herself any time soon, even though she fell ill through no fault of her own. I’m sorry to use scare tactics, but how would you feel if that was you, and it was all because you got a tattoo? Once again, I stress that the likilihood is so so so tiny. I am perfectly aware that these things are virtually unheard of in reputable studios these days, they do occasionally occur. The fact that they do not let you donate blood for 6-12 months after getting a tattoo is proof of this. They do not want to take the risk with patients lives. And you should not take the risk with your baby’s life.
I know there is a fair bit of stuff out there that gives the thumbs up for tattoos while breastfeeding. Yet, interestingly, most stuff says it’s wrong to get a tattoo while pregnant. But I’ll reiterate – the risk to your baby is exactly the same, whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Presumably you wouldn’t have had one while pregnant? Well the exact same rule applies. Advice is only given that it’s okay because the risk is so tiny. It is tiny, but it is there. And any decent mother wants to eliminate any risk, even the tiniest, which I’m sure you’ll agree as I don’t doubt you’re a good mother!
Sorry if any of this sounded harsh. It wasn’t meant to sound harsh to you, I know you’re just asking. But it’s something I feel very strongly about. Don’t toy with the health of a child just to get a tattoo a bit sooner. It will be on your skin for a long while, you can wait a few more months.
Indeed! Sorry if my reply came across as overly opinionated/rude. That wasn’t the intention. And we both know realistically, it’d be fine. But I just strongly believe that it’s a mother’s job to eliminate even the tiniest fraction of a risk wherever it is possible. Maybe that’s just me being overprotective ha. It’s your choice but as I said, I don’t think a few more months would hurt!
I completely understand where you’re coming from.As a mum also that only wants the best for her children this isn’t a decision I’ve come to lightly.
As far as cleanliness goes,I have no concerns there whatsoever.I was more curious to the ink “bleeding” which I have heard is perhaps a link with bfeeding mums.
I have no intention of causing harm to my babies,both while pregnant and after birth.
I guess another way I’ve looked at it is I had both babies at home,to me there is FAR less risk to baby and me at home than there is in hospy,but I’m sure everyone on here has their own opinions of that too!!
I genuinely appreciated your answer and value your opinion Thanks for taking the time out to reply.
Oh I’ve heard some people worrying about the ink bleeding into the bloodstream and getting into the milk supply – is that what you mean? That one’s bollocks haha, you don’t need to worry about that. The ink is injected into your dermis, which is your second layer of skin, so it gets nowhere near your veins or milk! 🙂
Haha the hospital point is a good one. I considered home birth but decided against it because I was so scared something would have gone wrong! As it happened I would have needed a hospital because after about 90 hours (yep :() they said I’d need a caesarian, at which point I guess they’d have carted me off, but amazingly he crowned as they were scrubbing up haha, twas like a movie :p But I digress… I know what you mean though. Far less scary bacteria at home! Free birthing on the other hand… don’t get me started! I just think that’s plain irresponsible! Anyway, ramble over!
Hi Sally
Do you mean blurring with age – yes that can happen to any tattoo which is why they could always do with a reshade every 10-15 years.
Or do you mean blurring because of changes in the breast size after breast feeding?
The changes are not usually enough to blur a tattoo – this can happen if you have extensive breast augmentation (implants) which can stretch the skin or if implants are removed – reducing the skin area hugely.
Otherwise it should be fine. I would advise against tattooing near the nipple (eg flowers off the edges) if you are breast feeding as you do not want to put an open wound near the mout of the baby but apart from that things should be ok – with the obvious hep HIV issues already discussed.
Take Care
Matthew
What has been described to me is a “bleeding”effect of the ink,causing a bruised look instead of sharp lines and definition of a tattoo.Having elaborated now it sounds kind of impossible? Although it was claimed that perhaps this happened due to hormones in a bfeeding womans body,ah sounds ridiculous to me now!
No,I’m not getting a tattoo on my breast or nipple and absolutely not while I’m bfeeding!-But thanks for clearing that up!
Just a 3cm by 3.5cm dragonfly on my upperback/lower neck.Plain black,kind of tribal looking(sort of ;))
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