Health and beauty

A tattoo machine is an extension of the tattooist and needs to be finely tuned to produce the best quality artwork. Getting your machine to work perfectly will make you more of a professional and your artwork will be better. There are several easy tips to avoid problems and have your tattoo machine working better.

 

1. Cover your tattoo gun with pleated sandwich bags instead of polyethylene bags. These bags are thinner and looser than the bags made specifically for tattoo guns and will increase airflow to avoid the tattoo gun from overheating.

 

2. Insert a nipple, grommet or tape if the machine is running but the needle bar is not going up and down. Excessive play will not let the needle bar move, causing the needle to be stuck. The insertion of the grommet, tape or nipple in the center of the needle housing will reduce this play and have the needle work properly and stably.

 

3. Place a layer of petroleum jelly on the area that is to be tattooed. This will help the needle glide smoothly over the skin and help the machine do its job.

 

4. Ensure your needle is set properly to avoid tattoo ink becoming clogged and not flowing properly. Insert the proper tattoo needle down the top of the needle housing. It should slide in without resistance. Take the top of the needle (the end with the loop) and connect it to the tattoo machine’s hook. Then pull the needle down about a 1/8 inch and turn it a quarter of a turn, placing the loop on the protruding vibration nub.

 

5. Clean your machine by disassembling the needle and the tube assembly and soaking in a bleach solution. Check with your local health department on regulations regarding sterilization. Besides being hygienic, proper cleaning will keep the machine running well. Here, an ultrasonic cleaner is recommended.

 

6. Change worn parts at the first sign of wear. Using a tattoo machine that has worn parts can damage other parts and quit in the middle of a tattoo. Keep your machine updated and lubricated.

 

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1. There will be some level of pain involved. Am I okay with that?

If scraped knees make you woozy or you pass out giving blood, getting tattooed may be a real challenge for you. Despite the coolness factor, getting a tattoo is like art surgery; it involves rubber gloves, some blood and bandages, needles and the process can take several hours. And, yes, most people say that getting tattooed hurts. While the pain associated with each tattoo varies, and everyone experiences pain differently, there is almost always some level of discomfort. After all, your skin is being punctured thousands of times by little needles.

 

2. Am I comfortable knowing that a tattoo will become a permanent part of my body?

A healthy body can heal most wounds — a good thing since getting tattooed essentially “wounds” your skin to get ink to its second layer or “Dermis.” Typically, anything that penetrates your skin at that level is broken up and flushed out by the body by the bloodstream, but tattoos are resilient because the ink molecules are too big to discharge. A healthy immune system recognizes that the ink is not poisonous or harmful and allows most of the ink to stay there forever.

 

3. Do I accept that, even under ideal circumstances, there may be some health risks?

It’s a sad fact that not all tattooists are reputable. Some adhere to local health regulations (if any exist at all), while others may not. Enforcement of regulations through official inspections also isn’t guaranteed. Poor sanitation or misuse of tattoo equipment can lead to more serious and even life endangering blood diseases like Hepatitis. And, while you can be tattooed in a safe, reputable tattoo studio with little health risk, the greatest risks often occur after you’ve gotten your new tattoo. Improper healing and aftercare can lead to infection and long-term skin conditions, not to mention unsightly damage to your new artwork.

 

If you have special health considerations such as diabetes, hemophilia, epilepsy or immunity deficiency problems, you should talk with your health care provider prior to being tattooed. You will also need to notify your tattooist of any conditions that could complicate the application or healing of your tattoo.

 

4. Whether people love my tattoo or hate it, can I accept potential tattoo criticisms and other “tattoo attention” as a part of my life?

Not everyone likes tattoos. Frankly, some people despise them. They are appalled that people would “deface” their bodies and they’ll let you know their opinions. And, vice versa, others who are also tattooed may feel a common bond with you. Some people may just be interested and will want to see them more closely (they may not ask for permission). By getting a tattoo, especially if it’s going to be highly visible to others, you will be drawing attention to yourself and, whether you like it or not, potentially labeled and stereotyped. Sometimes you have to have some patience and thick skin to wear your tattoo with pride.

 

5. What are my reasons for wanting a tattoo?

Do you want to commemorate a loved one or a special event in your life? Is there a particular image or symbolism that you identify with and want to express? There is no “right” reason to go under the needle and you won’t need to justify your choice to anyone, except you. Be honest with yourself about why you want a tattoo and make sure you’re comfortable with that reason. Remember that your decision may be with you for a very long time. The more honest you are now about why you want a tattoo, the closer it will be to what motivated you to get it, especially as you wear it into the future.

 

6. Do I understand that my tattoo will change in appearance over time?

Like your body, tattoos are going to change as they age. The skin is the largest organ in the body and it reproduces itself over and over. Your body will slowly break down some of the ink pigment of your tattoo, making it look dull, faded and blurred over time. Your artwork may also stretch or sag, which will make it appear a lot different than it did when new. The silver lining is that it’s definitely possible to get your tattoo touched up, rescued, covered or removed entirely. The results will vary, but it’s important to know from the beginning that your tattoo will age with you and may eventually need more work to keep it looking like you originally intended it to.

 

7. Am I willing to educate myself and do the required research needed for the best tattoo experience?

Like any type of learning process, getting a proper tattoo education can take some time and effort. You’ll want to put serious preparation in finding the perfect tattoo design, artist and studio, as well as learning how to take care of your tattoo as it heals and into the future.

 

8. Am I willing to take full responsibility for the final outcome of my tattoo and experience?

The design you choose, the artist and studio that you decide to work with . . . all of these decisions are yours. With the potential of getting bad work and, worse, a health complication, it’s important to take responsibility for the ultimate outcome. There may be other people involved, like your flash artist or tattooist, but you’re the one calling the shots and the ultimate success of the tattoo experience is up to you. Educate yourself and make smart decisions about your design, placement, tattooist and aftercare. The choices you make will have permanent rewards and consequences, ultimately determining whether you’ll have the best possible tattoo experience.

 

9. Does the decision to get tattooed feel like my own, or are there other influences that might be pressuring me?

Friends may pressure you to get one. Family may disown you if you have one. Regardless of external pressure, you should only get a tattoo if you want one. A tattoo can be one of the most personal decisions anyone could ever make. Friends, family members and even your significant other will have opinions about tattoos — whether or not you should get one, what you should get, how big and where. While trusted people can provide useful advice, put YOUR opinions first when weighing the factors and making final decisions.

 

10. Are there alternatives to a tattoo that would better satisfy my desire to get one?

If you are not sure you’re ready for an actual tattoo, there are other options. One recommendation is temporary tattoo. The natural ink can be applied to the body in decorative patterns, essentially “staining” the skin and lasting as long as two weeks and can be removed easily by just washing under the water. If you’re interested in the idea of having a tattoo and just not 100% sure about going through with it, take the time to think your options through. Your skin isn’t going anywhere.

 

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Basically, what you’ll see in this business is that our tattoo inks nowadays are using high quality ingredients and made in sterile environments. Because of this, if they’re used also in a clean environment, when you get the tattoo, chances are that you can’t get an infection or have an allergic reaction to it. Although occasionally, there are people who will claim to be allergic to such red ink. Red ink contains cadmium, and what we think is happening is that they have a sensitivity to the pigment - cadmium red, that’s in that particular ink.

 

Other types of inks may also cause problems, based on what’s in their ingredients. Some people seem to more sensitive to the pigment ingredients than others. What we see though, is that there’s not usually an illness caused by this, but it’s more like a reaction on the surface of the skin, due to the type of pigment used in that ink. Occasionally too, we will see a case where a person may get a UV black light ink tattoo. There are some inks now on the market that are made for the specific purpose of being UV reactive. When a person has this type of ink put in their skin, they now have a chance of getting quick sunburn if they’re exposed to the sun, in those areas where that UV ink is in their skin.

 

But basically, all of the tattoo inks from our shop are made in a clean, sterile environment, the pigments are high quality and the equipments are sterilized professionally by ultrasonic cleaners. If the person is a trained professional, working in a tattoo shop, chances are you will not get a reaction to the pigments which they’re using, and also you’ll not get a reaction to getting that tattoo. The big thing though is, take care of that tattoo well after you have it and then you’ll have a great looking tattoo for the rest of your life.

If you’re going to get a tattoo and have picked out the line drawing you want, you may be wondering how the artist transfers the drawing to your skin safely. Luckily, there’s a very easy technique involving tattoo transfer paper that is safe and is pain free.

Run the line drawings through a thermographic transfer maker or a thermal-fax to get an exact duplicate of the drawing. Sometimes people call these carbon copies.

Show the drawing to your client to make sure it’s what they want. Confirm any changes they want to make to the drawing.

Dampen the skin where you want to place the tattoo with either soap and water or stick deodorant.

Place the thermographic transfer paper onto the dampened skin and press gently. Do not allow the paper to shift or the drawing won’t transfer properly. If it does shift, you’ll have to remove the ink and start over.

Peel the paper off the skin, gently. If done correctly, the line drawing is now on the skin in a bluish-purplish ink that will eventually wash off.

Check with your client again to make sure the drawing is in the correct location and is the correct size.

Start tattooing, following the line drawing.

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Tattoo transfer paper is used for moving an image from one material to another. The image is printed on the paper and then, through application of heat, the image can be transferred onto skin. It is usually used to make temporary tattoos.

Transfer paper is painted with a specially formulated layer that holds an ink image but will dissolve when exposed to heat. When an iron is applied to heat transfer paper, the layer binding ink to paper releases those bonds, and the ink binds to the material underneath instead. With a temporary tattoo, the ink sticks to skin when the tattoo is dampened.

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