College students often have a sense of newfound freedom. But with great power comes great responsibility. As someone with nearly two dozen tattoos, here is some guidance I wish I had before getting inked.

Ingredients

Before you even start looking at the flash, take a look at the back of the bottle. Most tattoo inks contain harsh metallic elements and chemicals that some people may be allergic to or whose natural chemistry does not agree with. The most common ink allergens are from the metals in red ink. This allergy can cause the skin to develop a bumpy and itchy rash that can last years and ruin your tattoo. If you have sensitive skin or an aversion to aluminum and mercury, skip the red ink altogether.

Animal ingredients are also found in several tattoo inks. Glycerin from animal fat, gelatin from hooves, bone char, or shellac from beetles are all common ingredients found in most non-vegan tattoo inks. If you would be grossed out by animal byproducts in your skin for eternity, ask your potential artists if they use any of the following vegan inks.

• Eternal Ink (my favorite)
• StarBrite Colors
• Fame Tattoo Ink
• Intenze Ink
• Radiant Colors

*Pro Tip: Shave and prep the area at home right before leaving for your appointment, and bring along your razor. Your artist may use razors that have an animal-glycerin strip.

Artist

Having a good relationship with your artist(s) is one of the most essential yet simple pleasures in life. Always do your research. This person will be seeing vulnerable parts of your unclothed body (depending on the location of your tattoo), so it is critical to feel comfortable at all times. Here are some tips on how to find the right artist.

Referrals: Have some older friends or classmates that have professional ink? Ask them for their recommendation and compliment them on their work. Too shy? Visit their Instagram page; they are bound to be following their artist.

Social Media: Speaking of Instagram, scope out the pages of local shops to see their artists’ vibes. Most tattoo artists can accommodate most techniques, so pay less attention to their style of choice and more attention to their relationship with clients. Check their comments, their tagged pictures, and their reviews if the shop displays them.

Gut Instinct: Getting tattooed is a vulnerable event. If you walk into a shop or are speaking with an artist and feel something is off, excuse yourself and leave. Even if you are halfway through a tattoo and the artist says or does something to make you feel uncomfortable, thank them for their time, ask them to bandage, pay, and leave. Any tattoo artist worth their salt will never make you feel uneasy, and you can always try a new artist to have your piece finished.

Style

There are over a dozen tattoo styles to choose from. Reviewing your options before you dive headfirst is crucial to the longevity of your tattoo and your relationship with your art. The last thing you want is to fall in love with a style at 18 and get several tattoos in that fashion, only to change your mind when you are 21 and go through the painful and expensive process of removal.

It is important to keep in mind that some styles have significant meaning behind them. To ensure you will be happy with the style you choose, always do your research on the history of your preferred style. For example, tribal tattoos are traditionally earned by certain groups and are a display of cultural pride and power. In recent years, it has become controversial for people to obtain tribal tattoos without the proper association with the connected culture.

For a complete list of tattoo styles, click this link to learn more.

Pain

Tattoos have a varying amount of pain depending on the location, style, artist, and canvas. Some areas are proven to hurt more than others. If you are sensitive to pain or want to take it easy the first time to gauge your response, here are some placement recommendations.

Avoid:

• Head
• Neck
• Ear
• Armpit
• Spade
• Lower Back
• Posterior
• Inner Thigh
• Back of Knee
• Ear
• Lip
• Inner Bicep
• Ribs
• Stomach
• Hip
• Hand
• Finger
• Genitals
• Foot

All Clear:

• Upper arm
• Forearm
• Wrist
• Ankle
• Calf
• Shoulder
• Upper Back
• Anterior Thigh

Culture

Respecting the culture surrounding tattooing is just as important as every other aspect of tattoos. If you are a traditional person or like to follow the ‘rules,’ here are some things to keep in mind.

The placement of your tattoos can get you into trouble. It is considered very tacky and taboo to get tattoos on your calves, shins, hands, forearms, neck, or face before your thighs, upper arms, chest, back, and other coverable areas. If you are just starting with tattoos and the only pieces you have are visible while wearing a long-sleeved shirt, you will most likely get looked at sideways. To ensure you are following traditional tattoo culture and showing the culture respect, start with areas that are covered by a tee shirt and shorts. If you do not care about following tradition, do you. It is your body and your money.

Never ask your artist to copy another artist’s work. Reputable artists will not even consider putting someone else’s design on your body. Tattoo plagiarism is an extreme ethical fallacy and should be avoided at all costs. Your pieces can be inspired or take ideas from other people’s tattoos, but copying someone else’s unique and permanent artwork is unfavorable for all involved.

Meaning

According to Pew Research Center, over 30% of adult Americans have at least one tattoo. Most people who only have a few tattoos have designs with meaning. Deciding on a tattoo with meaning is more complicated than getting a design picked out of flash. Not all tattoos need to mean something, just like not all articles of clothing need to have sentimental value.

Meaning can change. Getting your mother’s birth flower might seem like a great idea now, but what would happen if you two had a severe falling out? Having a tattoo that symbolizes overcoming a struggle in your life may seem empowering at first, but after a couple of years, it just makes you remember the pain you went through and can put you in a dark place. With flash, or letting your artist design something for you with only a bit of guidance, takes the pressure off of you and the meaning.

It is also important to note that certain flash tattoos or ‘random’ tattoos can have hidden derogatory or offensive meanings. For example, specific numbers and symbols have ties to racist organizations and gangs. Always do your research.

Consider the Cost

Tattoos are expensive, and rightfully so. I have spent nearly $2,500 on my tattoos so far, excluding tips. The worst thing you can do, aside from going into debt because of tattoos, is attempt to negotiate the price with your artist.

Your artist has spent years perfecting their craft. Most artists have to rent their studio space, buy all of their own equipment, and tip out assistants and apprentices. Not to mention the tools they need to design your tattoo, the subscription services they have to pay for design software, and the travel costs it takes them to get to their studio.

Tipping is customary. I always tip my artist at least 25%, but often much more. I have built an excellent relationship with him, and in return, he lowers my prices. He knows I am a loyal and generous client. If you cannot afford to tip, you cannot afford the tattoo.

Consider the Regret

I got twelve tattoos before even turning 19. Five of those 19 I regret. In total, I am getting six tattoos removed, all before I am 24. I have already begun the laser removal process, and it is not as easy as it may seem.

The cost of laser tattoo removal is far more than the cost of a tattoo. Remember that. The standard cost of the removal is $100 per the size of a business card. I have started laser tattoo removal on my forearm and have already had three sessions. There is virtually no difference between when I got the tattoo compared to now.

The number of sessions needed to remove a tattoo fully can be over a dozen. The laser is excruciatingly painful, and tattoos feel like nothing to me. When I started getting tattoos, I had the naive thought that I would just get it lasered if I did not like it. I never considered the cost, the time, or the pain involved. Keep all of this in mind before setting up your appointment.

Consider the Confidence

Tattoos require a lot of confidence, not just from the attention or negativity you may receive when you rock a tank top but also during the tattoo process. Many clients, especially women, fear speaking up about their tattoos until it is too late or not at all. If the placement of the stencil is not how you prefer, speak up. If you do not like a particular aspect of the design or the entire design together, say something. This will be on your body, essentially, forever. A professional artist will never feel offended by the critiques you have about the design. This is yours forever; you should love everything about it.

If you are a non-confrontational individual, work on finding your voice before getting inked. It will benefit you not only with body modifications but also with all aspects of your life.

Consider the Lifestyle

Tattoos, unfortunately, can negatively affect your life.

You may be discriminated against in professional settings. If your tattoos branch out beyond your sleeves or neckline, you may be denied opportunities more than someone who does not have visible tattoos or body modifications. For example, a child education instructor with visible tattoos may be passed up for someone with no visible tattoos despite having the same or better credentials.

Certain countries and cultures may negatively profile you. For example, if you are heavily tattooed and plan to visit Japan, you may not be welcome at their public pools, hot springs, or gyms.

If you love to tan, know that your tattoos may warp and fade faster than someone who stays in the shade. If you plan on receiving laser hair removal, finish the treatment before starting your tattoo journey, or you risk erasing your artwork. If your family is more traditional, they could ostracize you from your household and wrongfully paint you as a bad influence.

Takeaway

Overall, tattoos are awesome. Everyone that wants to have them should have them. They teach self-love, self-expression, individuality, and an appreciation for the arts. These considerations are points that I initially gave little thought to. However, as I have over five years of tattoo client experience, I want to share my helpful tips with my fellow courageous and potentially impulsive classmates.

Thank you to Mike Attack from Taylor Street Tattoo, Chicago, for the pictures and incredible work he has done for my husband and me over the years. If you are interested in American Traditional and Blackwork style vegan tattoos, he is an excellent artist whom I could not recommend more. To see his work or book with him, click this link.