good old neon
@good-old-neon
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Actually thinking on it if they didn’t hurt we would all be covered :p
The issue is actually two-fold;
The first is that a tattooist is not allowed to practice medicine from their place of work. This means they cannot give, encourage, or condone any controlled substance especially if applied orally, anally, or intravenously.
The majority of painkillers used by surgeons are opiate based or are a synthetic morphine applied to the patient to knock them out.
The injecting of adrenaline is also monitored as it can stop the heart or damage nerves.
This leaves topical anesthetics which the ones that are bought off the net are significantly weaker than those can be used by a hospital.
The second issue is that despite the fact that humans as a rule do not like pain, tattooing is often done for a psychological reason as well as a physical enhancement.
The receptors in the brain of both pain and pleasure are closely related but the after memory is often one of achievement, courage or endurance.
The right of passage in many cultures often relates to the use of tattooing as a physical reminder of the pain and triumphs that adulthood brings.
I think that whilst pain free tattooing would be ideal many people would simply still refuse the option.
People get comestic surgery (as opposed to medically required plastic surgery) because ‘society’ ie fashion magazines or cruel bastards on the street make them feel ugly.
We get tattooed for rememberance, celebration, politics, identity, art or to put the fear of g-d into people as a few examples.
Tattooing to improve our physical appearance is usually quite far down the list or is a secondary issue.
Also lets face it – outside of the community of enthusiasts many people find ink ugly or taboo. The simple fact is we don’t give a shit.
I remember a conversation a friend of mine had with a very wealthy man.
The man was loaded with cash and said to my friend ‘I have the money to buy whatever I want women, cars, big house etc’. ‘You have no where near my money and with them tattoos I bet not a decent job’.
My mate said ‘You know that is true but it would be wasted on you as you cannot buy balls.’
The guy was like ‘Eh?’
My mate said ‘Only a pussy is scared of a few needles.’
😀
Take Care
Matthew
I understand that tattoo artists are not licensed and/or trained to administer pain medication, and they probably shouldn’t be – as no one needs that degree of added liability. However, assuming topical anesthetics do not interfere with and/or detract from the artist’s ability to work, I see no harm in recommending their use – assuming that they actually perform as promised, of course.
As for why people get tattooed, I agree that many folks do view it as a right of passage, something to be endured and cherished – and that many folks are heavily into the traditional aspects of tattooing, and that is entirely valid, and I respect that, however, I wouldn’t undersell the fact that for many folks, a tattoo is little more than a “cool” fashion accessory. Which, is evidenced by the fact that lots of folks simply walk into a studio and choose a picture off the wall, one without any personal significance whatsoever. I would like to think those folks are in the minority, but I fear they are not. Tattooing is entirely in the mainstream nowadays, and as a result, it has lost much of its edge – whether that is a good or bad thing, I’m not at liberty to say.
“My mate said ‘You know that is true but it would be wasted on you as you cannot buy balls.”
This is all well and good, but it strikes me as little more than bullshit macho male posturing – by both parties, your friend and the wealthy fella. I’m not impressed by ones ability to endure a needle, you want an endurance challenge, try childbirth. On a pain endurance scale, I’d rank the way in which my wife handled childbirth, naturally, much higher than some dude’s ability to withstand a tattoo.
Though I do not feel comfortable recommending a specific lyric – for reasons having to with assisting with such a personal choice – I did want to drop in to share my love of Bon Iver. I know it’s not quite the answer you’re looking for, but rather than solicit suggestions, I recommend choosing what “fits” you best, what speaks to your heart.
I have the last line of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest tattooed on my right forearm. Wallace, my favorite novelist, committed suicide last year – his writing was and is hugely influential on my own.
To celebrate my three-year-old daughter, Lily, I’m having a line from Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses tattooed on my left forearm:
“He thought the world’s heart beat at some terrible cost and that the world’s pain and its beauty moved in a relationship of diverging equity and that in this headlong deficit the blood of multitudes might ultimately be exacted for the vision of a single flower.”
The “single flower” being my daughter – I intend to follow the quote with a small Lily of some sort.
Anyways, focus on what makes your heart skip a beat, and there you will find the answer.
Though I (more or less) understand the whole tattoos should be painful code, I find it somewhat silly. Getting tattooed is, in my opinion, not unlike undergoing a cosmetic procedure. Both are typically undertaken to improve one’s appearance (more or less), and I cannot imagine anyone would suggest that a person getting, say, a nose job, should just suck it up and take the pain. With few exceptions, pain sucks, and I see no dishonor in taking steps to minimize its effects. I have one tattoo, and expect to get quite a few more, and though I personally would not seek the services of a topical anesthetic, I see no reason to deprive other individuals of that option. Just as I would tend to shy away from a dentist who feels as though the pain associated with a root canal is a right of passage to be endured.
First – I apologize if linking to an artist’s portfolio is inappropriate, I will remove it if doing so is against forum policy.
lady sekhmet – based on your description of your likes, horror themed tattoos and lots of little details, I thought you might appreciate this chest and arm piece. You’ll have to scroll a bit to find it, it’s the one with some fella hanging from a tree. The piece incorporates lots of detail, and it’s pretty freaking dark – in all the best ways possible.
Yikes – it reminds me of this place, Dermatat, located in New Hampshire.
http://www.dermatat.com/erics_tattoos.htm
The shop’s motto appears to be “Let’s make a deal” – which, when having something permanently etched into my skin, I’d rather not, you know, like, make a deal. In fact, I’d much rather pay a hefty premium for excellent work – even if doing so requires that I save up for several years.
I have one tattoo – all text, the last sentence from David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest, my favorite novel. It was applied to my inner forearm, and stretches from slightly below the crease in my arm, right on down to my wrist. It hurt like hell – a good bit more than I anticipated – sort of like the way an angry little hornet’s sting might feel if it were endowed with the ability to both pierce and burn the skin, simultaneously. (either that, or I’m just a wimp, which, is entirely open to debate).
And so but anyways, and this is a question for the artists, given that creams exist to dull the pain (or so they advertise), I’ve often wondered why they do not see more frequent use. Putting aside all the stuff about pain being integral to the experience, etc – which, I think is a totally valid position to take.
Do they work, these creams, or do they represent the tattoo world’s version of snake oil?
I will take my answer off the air.
Thank you.
