Tell me what to expect re: first tattoo

[TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael]

I am booked to have a tattoo this Saturday. It's going to be on my inner forearm between elbow and wrist. I've wanted one for a really long time (I'm 41!) but firstly have been put off because I am an absolute wimp (and I can't emphasise this enough ) with pain, and secondly because I couldn't decide on something I liked enough to have it on my body all the time! Well I've liked this particular design that I've chosen for well over a year now so I fucked it and booked it. Tell me what to expect!

I keep waking up thinking nope, i'm not going, i'm cancelling. Will I be the person who faints whilst someone next to me is having their eyeballs tattooed <cries>

Grateful for all and any advice. Also PHOTOS of your amazing tattoos!

DH had a very small tattoo on his inner arm some years ago. He's asked my before he went in if it hurt and I told him I didn't find it painful but I was quite good at drifting away and relaxing through it.

He came out white as a ghost uttering 'you told me it didn't hurt' 😂
Needless to say he's not heavily tattooed

My tattooist says women usually sit way better than men and nearly always remark that it isn't as bad as expected. Her three fainters to date were muscly men who were swaggering on entering the parlour. She says she wonders whether it's expectation Vs reality or conditioning ie woken know to expect pain through their biology so factor in managing it whereas her male clients are surprised by pain still. Who knows?

*women

That said, I went for some work years ago and a girl was getting a small tattoo on her shoulder.
She. Was. Howling.
In front of her on the floor sat her boyfriend, waving an iPad around with various Youtube videos on it trying to distract her, kissing her hand etc. It was extremely weird to say the least and the tattooist was becoming increasingly frustrated because all the sobbing meant she couldn't keep still.

I left before it was finished, but I often wonder if she had more.

That's a proper interesting theory.

I have 4 tattoos, forearm, collarbone, hip and side of my hand and I don't find them painful, more uncomfortable. It's an annoying feeling then becomes enjoyable for me.

It's definitely addictive!

My tips are to take a chocolate bar and a sugary drink, earphones if you want distraction? (although I like to watch mine be done and chat with my tattoo artist), make sure you eat beforehand, no alcohol or blood thinners for at least 24 hours before. I take two cocodamol half hour before I start mine.

They are normally itchy after! I find that the worst part. I buy tattoo cream from my artist. Keep as dry as possible!

Good luck, come and show us after! 🥳

I take two cocodamol half hour before I start mine

Isn't it funny how advice varies from artist to artist! I discussed this before a sitting because I have a joint condition and take it generally and was told "I don't advise the use of codine whilst being tattooed"

No idea why though!

Well i don't think it hurts. It's just a sensation that isn't pain. 😊

I've also been told that women don't wince like men do 🤣

Mind I watched a vid of a bloke getting his nads tattooed. That looked like it properly knacked that like. I don't get the more extreme tattoos, like eyeballs. How you could sit still boggles my head.

I do find it strange how conflicting the advice is. I've been told no numbing creams and don't take any sort of painkillers beforehand. Maybe the artist just likes inflicting pain

I am getting increasingly nervous as Saturday gets nearer but am also a little bit excited.

Very glad I started this thread. Hearing all the experiences and seeing the amazing tats has been brilliant.

I know it isn't going to tickle I suppose it's more just knowing what to expect. I have bought some fizzy percy pigs for the sugar and will admit to having a look at ideas for tattoo no.2 last night!

This is my fear! That I will be one of these people!

Supportive daughter has told me if I cry or faint she will video it. Horrible creature she is.

You won't be that person. I think she was probably one in a million. They'd not seen anything quite like it before 😂
Five minutes in you'll wonder what all the fuss is about and be wondering how long before you can book again.

Thats me btw, Halloween name change lol

and will admit to having a look at ideas for tattoo no.2 last night!

Thats the spirit

im booking my 4th session soon. It's addictive definitely.

Cancel your appointment. Don't be a fashion victim that you will regret years later. Do something else with your time and money.

Oh do fuck off.

Nah i'm good hun. I'm old enough to know what I want. FashionVictim4Lyfe. Ooh that should be my next namechange.

I had mine done a few months ago at the age of 48. I was really nervous about the possibility of pain, but it really didn't hurt. I love it and was planning my second before the first was finished!!
I absolutely love it!! Sorry, I don't know how to turn the photo :/

Nah i'm good hun. I'm old enough to know what I want. FashionVictim4Lyfe. Ooh that should be my next namechange.

Not if get there first

I think that there’s no real way of telling how painful it’s going to be for you until you’re having it done. You might be one of those who thinks it feels like a tickling sensation or it might be painful. And the pain will be easier or harder depending on where on your body you have it. For me, it feels like someone lightly scratching you with a needle. It’s fine at first, but after a few hours, it gets pretty tough.

Make sure you eat properly beforehand. Take a bottle of full fat coke with you. Don’t use numbing cream. If it starts getting difficult, concentrate on your breathing. I always like to find a clock to watch, so I tell myself I’ll have five more rotations of the second hand, then ask for a break, but then I always do a couple more, until it’s done. Your artist might be chatty; if they are, let them distract you!

I use Palmers cocoa butter (the really thick gloopy stuff). My artist told me to stop using Bepanthan because they’d changed the ingredients and it didn’t work well with the ink. For me, it feels like sunburn. Whatever you do, don’t pick or scratch it.

Good luck!

Thanks op. I booked mine for next month. Same feelings as you. :). Do come back and say how it went !

A quick word on Bepanthen....

Ever one to cotton on the makers have now released Bepanthen Tattoo Cream. It's twice the price but, if you look at the ingredients is EXACTLY the same as regular Bepanthen, so you're paying double for the fancy additional logo on the tube.

Op I am literally just back from the tattooist after having my first one. I felt similar to you, was nervous but didn't really know what to expect.

The first few scratches felt a bit full on but I reminded myself to relax and breathe to avoid tensing up. In all honestly it was less bad than I was expecting. I very soon settled into it and was surprised when she said she had finished!

I made sure I ate beforehand but didn't take any painkillers or numbing cream my tattooist made no mention of that. It is quite sore and red now but no worse than a bit of sunburn and I'm flipping well chuffed with it 😃

Go for it and I hope you have a great experience!

what creams do you suggest for taking care of it for the healing?
op have you bought any?
is this brand any good?
www.storiesandink.com/

Make sure you eat beforehand, an artist worth their salt will tell you to do that anyway. But I didn't before my first, and I felt really dizzy and faint afterwards. The pain wasn't bad at all, is yours going to be colour or just black? The colour needle is slightly more painful than the black! Get palmers coco-butter for aftercare, my tattoo artist recommends it and all 5 of mine have healed really well and hardly any itching!