First tattoo experience. What to expect/tips

 

Hi friends! So I just got my first tattoo and I want to explain the meaning behind it to you guys and go over how it went/the healing process. I’ll talk about the process first then have the meaning of my tattoo below if you are interested. If you are curious about getting a tattoo, my only advice is make sure you love it and will 100% love looking at it and thinking of the meaning for your whole life. No pressure. Haha. But really no pressure.

Getting the tattoo

Getting the tattoo wasn’t nearly as bad as I had thought. Make yourself believe it will hurt a lot and I promise it wont! If the pain of a tattoo is stopping you from getting one, you probably don’t really want it. Expect it to feel like a hard scratch, more irritating than painful, but I really can’t describe how it will feel. Bring a companion to talk to if your session is a little longer. Mine was around an hour more or less. Make sure you shower and eat before, and I took some jolly ranchers for when I was getting it done, but any candy you like is comforting. Research the perfect artist for a really long time. All artists have different styles, so make sure the style matches what you want. This is a crucial part in getting the perfect tattoo. Make sure your vision of what you want is clear and the placement is perfect.

Healing

This is the most important part of the tattooing process. The most common thing to hear about for tattoo healing is aquaphor and unscented lotion. I chose to just use coconut oil instead originally, because coconut oil has amazing skin benefits and vitamins plus it’s organic, but a customer at my work convinced me to add aquaphor as well and I’m so glad she did. I picked up a tiny container for around $3 at Walgreens omw home and I feel like it makes the healing process much faster, plus it’s the perfect lip moisturizer in this cold weather! So wash with an antibacterial, basic soap (dove, I use dial gold bar), then air dry and use a thin later of aquaphor followed by coconut oil, (you only need to wash about once a day but reapply moisture when dry or 3-5 times a day) and make sure the tattoo gets plenty of air. No tight clothes or rubbing for sure but gently leaning is fine. Remember its an open wound and the initial healing determines how it’ll look forever, and it should take about a month to fully heal. Don’t over or under care for your tattoo and everything should go great!

My tattoo

I got a farvahar which is an ancient iraninan symbol. Each piece has a different meaning and I love each one.

1. The head of the old man represents wisdom that comes with age.
2. The three main feathers represent good deeds, good words, and good thoughts. Together these characteristics help you advance or “fly” forward.
3. The three feathers at the bottom represent bad deeds, bad words, and bad reflection. Basically our sins, we must always live with them beneath us.
4. The two loops coming out the bottom represent positivity and negativity. His head is pointing to the positive.
5. The center ring represents the eternal soul or universe. No beginning or end.
6. One of his hands points up, representing that the only way to move in life is forward with the grace of whatever god you follow. His other hand holds a ring that interpreters believe to symbolize loyalty, but this ring is open to interpretation.

 

I also got a very tiny tattoo of the three little stars that are featured on each page of the Harry Potter books, to represent the child that will forever live in me and all the things that come with the Harry Potter stories and just growing up with it. Make sure you love whatever you get done, don’t just get a tattoo to get one, because they are so worth it if they have strong meanings to you.