Getting Started with Tattoos and Piercings (And Aftercare!) (Patreon)

Tattoos and piercings are a fun way to express your personal style and with more and more workplaces accepting ink and jewelry, this 5,000 year old art is becoming an even more popular form of expression. I am a big fan, with nine tattoos over eleven sessions, and seven piercings so far and no signs of stopping, I thought it would be a great topic to get you started with!

Piercings
Piercings are a bit less of a commitment than a tattoo mostly because jewelry can be taken out and depending on how fresh the piercing and where on your body it is, the holes will eventually heal over, leaving nothing more than a pinpoint scar in many cases.

Finding a piercer is the most important part. I prefer to go to tattoo shops for a professional piercer. I always look through their portfolio and check out their social media to see that they have at least done the piercing that I want. Even if I am getting a simple ear piercing done, I will still go to the tattoo shop because I know that they have better hygiene practices. Never ever get pierced with a piercing gun, only hollow needles. Piercing guns are used mainly by jewelers and not licensed professionals, these guns are usually not cleaned thoroughly and if used for an upper ear cartilage piercing, will break the surrounding cartilage around the piercing.

The cost of a piercing is broken down by labor and cost of jewelry. Usually the labor cost for an easy earlobe piercing will be around $20 and up to $100 or more for something more difficult like a dermal or genital piercing. If you also want specific jewelry with precious gemstones also be aware that your jewelry can also make up a significant chunk of your bill, some piercers include the cost of the jewelry into the full pierce price and usually this jewelry is a no frills surgical steel. Remember to factor in tip for your piercer as well!

Upon arrival at your appointment, you will fill out paperwork then discuss the piercing and pick out jewelry while your piercer prepares their area for you. Once you are taken back and seated comfortably, they will disinfect the piercing area and measure/mark where they will be piercing. You will have a chance now to take a look and make adjustments on placement. I encourage you to speak up about anything you want changed now. Once you have confirmed placement, they will open up new tools and a needle, disinfect the jewelry, and then use a clamp to isolate the piercing area if necessary. Usually if it’s just an ear lobe piercing, they won’t need a clamp. Then they’ll pierce you, place the jewelry, clean up and give you a mirror to check out your new bling! Usually the piercer will give you jewelry with an extra long post to heal in so that the jewelry can account for any swelling during the healing process and they will ask you to return when the piercing is done healing so they can replace it with the correct size of jewelry.

Your piercer will go through best piercing aftercare practices for your specific piercing, but the general piercing aftercare rules are to always wash your hands with disinfectant soap before touching your piercing, try to avoid touching it as much possible, clean it 3 times a day with salt water, being sure to get the water into the piercing hole itself. If you find any dried blood or plasma, wet a paper towel with warm water and hold it against your piercing for a minute or two to soften up any crusty bits and wipe it away before doing your salt water wash. Healing time varies depending on where you get your piercing. For example, my ear cartilage piercings took about ten months to fully heal, but my lip piercing only took a few weeks to heal.

Tattoos
The first step of getting a tattoo is deciding what you want to get and where you want the art on your body. Do some research online and find some images that you like. Decide if you want that exact piece or if you want something similar. Many tattoo artists don’t particularly love plagiarizing other artist’s work, but in the end the art will be on your body forever, so the art is up to you! I like to suggest that those getting their first tattoo or if you are on the fence about the art, print out the image (or draw it yourself if you have the skills!) and tape it to your bathroom mirror where you see it every day. If you still love the image after a year, you’ll most likely love it forever. An easy way to figure out where you want art is to get temporary tattoos and place them where you would eventually want your tattoo. Even if the image isn’t the same, you can get a good idea of how to show off your new ink and how the piece will move with your body.

Like with a good piercer, finding the right tattoo artist is the most important part. Do your research and carefully look through their provided portfolio and online portfolio/social media. You want to be sure that they have the artistic skill to do what you want. For example, if you are looking to get a portrait of a loved one, look for artists that have done portraits and avoid an artist that has only done lettering. It isn’t uncommon to travel (some even go international) to an artist who you really love and want work done by.

Costs will go up by quality, size, and amount of sessions required. I usually expect to pay around $100 - $150 an hour if there is a very large piece. I will generally avoid artists that charge less than that, as I feel quality matters most when making the decision to get a tattoo. At that price, I can feel comfortable knowing that they will not only be a good artist, but also will adhere to good hygienic practices as well. Remember to factor in a tip for your artist.

Upon arrival at your appointment, you will start off with paperwork and the artist will either chat with you about your design or show you the final rough draft. They will take a few measurements to make sure that the art fits in the area and you will wait for a bit while they print the art as a stencil and prepare their tattooing area for you. When you are led back to their space, they will start by disinfecting and shaving the area, then they will place the art stencil, and give you a moment to take a look in the mirror at the placement before beginning. You can and should move around to be sure you see it at every angle and that the placement is exactly where you want it. Do not be afraid to tell your artist to make any adjustments to anything including size or angle. Once you have agreed that the art and placement is correct, you’ll sit back down, and get comfortable while your artist opens up new needles and gets all the ink colors ready. Then it’s tattoo time! I usually like to chew on mints all through my session to distract myself from the pain with the added benefit that I have nice breath while I deep breathe. Once your body art is done, your artist will have you take a look at your new piece, and take some photos of their work, before covering your piece in plastic wrap and sending you off!

Your tattoo artist will provide you with personal aftercare tips for your particular piece. But generally, do not unwrap your piece for at least 4-6 hours to stop bleeding and give the tattoo some time to heal and the skin to close. Wash your hands with disinfectant soap before unwrapping your tattoo. If you find that the wrap is sticking, do not force it, jump into a warm shower and let the steam loosen it. Wash your new ink with warm water and a gentle unscented soap. Pat dry with paper towel, and once completely dry, apply a thin layer of A&D Ointment or Aquaphor. I personally prefer Aquaphor as I find it easier to spread, and less heavy feeling. It will feel fairly sore and hot that first day, so be sure to not to sleep on your fresh tattoo the first night.

After that first day, you should be moisturizing it with that A&D or Aquaphor a few times a day, washing it gently twice a day until it is fully healed. After a few days, it will start to feel like a sunburn and the skin over your tattoo will begin to peel and itch. Do not scratch it, as this can actually ruin your tattoo. If it begins to itch badly, apply some ointment. Once your tattoo starts to scab, switch from the A&D/Aquaphor to Lubriderm unscented lotion. You can switch back to your regular moisturizer once the art is fully healed.

Remember to wear sunblock, at least an SPF 50+ for your tattoos to keep them looking fresh!

Mind your Mistress and remember to always stay beautiful!

Read this post for a full list of Getting Started Articles! 

xoxo,
thelibrarian