First Tattoo

[happymummy12345]

Hi, I'm hoping I get some advice here. So I want my first tattoo. Well I've actually wanted it since before I was 18, and I've been trying to pluck up the courage to go. I'm now 25 and still haven't managed to.
I know exactly what I want. When I was 17 I got a temporary tattoo on holiday, one of the glitter type ones that last a few weeks. I loved it, and I knew that if I was ever brave enough then that's what I'd want.
It's a rose with a stem, with a heart in the middle of the stem. It wouldn't be exactly the same as the temporary one, but I thought if I showed them that as a base guide then they'd get the idea, and I could explain the few changes I'd want made to the temp one. I've wanted it for 8 years so I know I won't change my mind.
My one issue is the pain. I'm told that if I can go through 4 days of early labour/ contractions with no pain relief and get through active labour and giving birth with not much pain relief then a tattoo is nothing. I'd be having it on the side of my thigh, so it's easy to hide. Also because I thought it's not likely to be as painful there? It couldn't be that big either. I know it's different for everyone, but is it worse than childbirth? Dh says it's like an irritating itch that just won't go away. Any thoughts welcome.

I'll add a pic of the temp one and explain the changes I'd make to see if you think it's awful or not. It's a picture of a picture on my old laptop so not the clearest unfortunately, but I can't find an actual picture anywhere, so apologies for that.

changes: I'd have proper leaves not hearts as leaves.
The rose would be a proper Rose not how it is here.
I'd possibly have it slightly straighter and not so much curve.
And the stem and leaves would be green, the heart and rose red.

Thoughts, suggestions?? Thank you xx

[Liaoyang]

I’m a complete baby with pain and needles etc and my first tattoo on my lower back did hurt but was bearable and didn’t put me off having my second, which was on my shoulder and didn’t hurt at all. I guess a big block of colour for the heart as opposed to shading could hurt.

On both I gave the artist some images of the kind of tattoo that I wanted beforehand and I was very pleased with their interpretations on the day.

Go for it...You’ll be fine

[FindoGask]

My advice is always to do your research and go for the best tattooist you can afford, having looked through pictures of their work (many tattooists post their work on on Facebook and Instagram these days) and seen whether they do the sort of style you would like. It doesn't matter what I think about your idea - it's your tattoo, on you - just make as sure as you can that it will look just how you want it.

The pain is not really on the same sort of order of magnitude as childbirth - especially in the spot you've chosen. It can be sore, especially over long sessions, but is nippy and localised rather than the intense muscular full body pain of labour. You'll be grand!

[Cocolepew]

I only found it sore when the tattoist had to go over the same place a few times. Its like being scratched or nipped. Nothing like labour!

[Cocolepew]

It's very nice btw

[ColourfulOrangex]

I actually love having them done, I only have 2 and am booked in for another one next month, the two I currently have are on the inside of my wrists which is suppose to be painful but they didn't hurt (to me) the pain after was more of a annoyance for me as I kept forgetting and stupidly sat my daughter on my arm or something

I think you'll be fine if you managed to get through labour and that :)

[MarthaArthur]

Im covered and honestly that sounds so so easy. Honestly if that hurt you to have it done i would think you were a big baby. I have ribs and hips and ankles and bony bits done and fleshy bits and honesty even they werent bad. However if i had a baby i would probably cry like a wimp before contractions even started 🙂 is a lovely tattoo btw

[FindoGask]

Looking again at your picture I think this sort of style could be what your after

www.instagram.com/p/BbDDxLfnZig/?hl=en&taken-by=amandachanfreau

folk art is the style, I think - colourful, graphic, no outline. This artist is in Sweden so presumably not convenient for you but there are people in the UK who do that sort of work really well.

[TammySwansonTwo]

Love folk art tattoos, but I’d be so worried about having a tattoo with no outline

[HarryLovesDraco]

It's absolutely nothing like childbirth. I have one on my thigh and it's honestly a scratchy feeling, it didn't even register as pain with me at all.
I'm sure tattoos near bony areas are much more painful but I can honestly say neither of mine hurt at all.
Recovery feels like a cross between a cat scratch and a sunburn. It will sting if you roll over on it in your sleep for a couple of days but then it just gets itchy.
Promise - it's nowhere near as bad as you are anticipating!

[FrolickingForklift]

Thigh tattoos are not sore :) I am a complete wimpy wimp when it comes to pain but thigh is fine. The artist will be able to draw exactly what you want with any changes and they'll check with you plenty to make sure you are coping with th3 feeling of being tattooed.

[spanky2]

I found child birth a different kind of pain. Tattooing is a 'dirty' pain. I can cope with the scratchy pain but not the heat. I got some numbing cream and I sat through two hours of tattooing. Towards the end it was like a graze being rubbed with an abrasive sponge. Definitely worth doing.

[spanky2]

I forgot about the recovery, it's like a bad sunburn. Also it's worth testing if you are allergic to lanolin as bedpanthen has lanolin and I'm allergic to it. I used tattoo goo.

[FindoGask]

Tammy two of my older tattoos (10+ years) have no outline and they've held up well. I think a lot depends on the design and the colours used (needs to be plenty of contrast - pastel colours don't do so well).

[TammySwansonTwo]

Findo that’s good to know. I see some where you can just tell it’s going to be an amorphous blob in a few years! I do love the look though when there’s plenty of contrast.

[dustarr73]

Thigh tattoos are not sore.Only thing is tattoos with no outline are a bad idea.
And its really lovely as well.

[happymummy12345]

Hi all. Sorry I haven't come back before now. But thank you for all the replies, I didn't expect so many.
My husband has several, so he knows where is good. He has a very detailed one on his leg, and the lady who done it still works in the same place (I'd prefer a lady). So that's where I'll be going.
Needles and injections don't bother me at all. And tbh I found my biggest issue with labour was more how long mine was and I was exhausted. If I hadn't been I think I'd of dealt with the pain much better than I did.
Is numbing cream worth it then or?
I've had bad sunburn in the past and a badly behaved cat who thought I was a a scratchy post, so I'm sure I can deal with that. At least it'll be worth it.
And thanks to everyone who said it's nice.
I'll wait til dh is off work and I'll go and speak to the lady and get things started.
(Tbh I swore I'd never ever have my eyebrows waxed but my lovely new nail lady convinced me to try. It was the complete opposite of what I expected, hardly any pain at all. Hopefully this will be the same).