Taking the plunge on your first tattoo can be intimidating. You might be worried about how much it will hurt, or whether you'll regret having your design-of-choice as a permanent part of your body. But if you go in with a plan (i.e. not spontaneously after a night on the town) and you're in love with your art choice, it'll be worth the stress.
You'll hear different things about how much the needle will hurt — and it does vary based on where you're getting the tattoo and how colorful it is — but the short-term discomfort will likely be worth the joy of an ink job well done.
So, if you're considering getting a tattoo, you're going to want to keep reading. We asked around the office to find out what R29 staffers wish they had known before getting their first tattoos. Some of them are more practical (a sanitary shop is crucial), while others are a bit sillier (ink is a gateway drug to more ink), but we think you'll find comfort in knowing that everyone worries about the same things. Click through to read our advice.
"Now that I have acquired almost 40 tattoos over the last 18 years, I'd say I wish someone had told me NEVER to choose something off the wall of a tattoo shop. Be original — choose something with meaning, tweak a design the artist has, research online, talk to the artist about what you want, and have them draw something original.
"Always go to a reputable artist and one that is proficient in the style you want. Don't ask a New American artist to do a tribal design. Sure, they could do it, but would you ask the chef of an Italian restaurant to make you a Mexican meal? Probably not. (Although an enchilada-pasta combo does sound good!)" — Elyssa
"I wish I'd known more about aftercare! I was a lifeguard during summers in college, and the morning after getting a tattoo, I had to teach a swimming lesson. I kept the cotton patch taped over it, but it was still drenched in chlorine. This immediately made my tattoo more faded than it should have been. I never even thought to ask about how the pool water would affect it." — Hayley
"I wish I had known just how important decisions about color are. There are many factors to consider, including your skin tone, how tan you may or may not be, and how the color will change over the years. I recently got a tattoo touched-up because the color had faded and changed so much with age. The new color is a little bit better, but still not exactly what I'd originally envisioned." — Arianna
"I'm a wimp in general, but I was determined to get a tattoo — and I told people at the office I was getting one so I wouldn't chicken out. I freaked out when the tattoo artist brought out a razor, but it turned out he was just shaving the hair off my arm for an arm tattoo. I was more scared of that razor than of the needle, but I didn't like the buzzing sound of that, either." — Meghan
"It doesn't really hurt! That's all anyone told me about it. I kind of liked it, TBH." — Victoria
"I went alone to get my first tattoo. When I started freaking out, I said to the tattoo artist that I should have brought a friend along, but he said it was better that I hadn't. If you're by yourself, you just have to suck it up and go through with it — and for me, that ended up being better." — Meghan
"I wish I knew my first tattoo could be considered a gateway drug. I've got quite a few now — they really are addicting." — Lauren
"You WILL want more. Once you cross the bridge with the first one, they become more like a fun thing you like versus something you commit to." — Victoria
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