Family Encyclopedia >> Beauty & Style

Tattooing:what you need to know before getting started

True fashion phenomenon, the tattoo has, as we know, strongly democratized. Indeed, in 2010, if 10% of the French population was tattooed (according to a study conducted by Ifop at the time); eight years later, still according to the polling institute, 18% of French people over the age of 18 have already gone under the needles. Maybe you will inflate the next statistics, but you are still hesitating. Read this to narrow down your decision.

Not everyone can get a tattoo

For medical and health reasons, tattooing is not recommended or prohibited for certain people. This is particularly the case for insulin-dependent diabetics, people with epilepsy, people prone to chronic alcoholism, pregnant women, hemophiliacs, people with moles or freckles at risk, but also people carriers of a pacemaker or pacemaker, people allergic to the components of the inks… The list is long and it is therefore better to inquire twice before taking the plunge.

Sensitive areas

A tattoo, in any case, is still a needle that injects ink under the skin... the term "pleasure" is therefore perhaps not the best one to describe this act. And if some tattoos can be less unpleasant than others (in particular by their positioning or their size), certain areas of the body are not recommended for the most sensitive:where the skin is thinner for example, such as the flanks / ribs , the neck, the feet, the hands and the armpits.
On the other hand, the calves, the buttocks, the shoulders and the upper back are milder places if the pain is apprehended. But in addition to the positioning of his tattoo on the body, it is also necessary to take into account the aging of the tattoo. Indeed, it will age less well (to popularize:the pigments will spread and the tattoo will lose its clarity and shine) on areas subject to friction or sun exposure, such as the wrists.

A tattoo is never final…

If the tattoo is an act that we do to indelibly inscribe a message that is dear to us, some people may later regret it and wish to erase what they consider to be a mistake. It is always possible to have a tattoo removed, thanks to laser treatment. But it takes several sessions, which are expensive (from 50 to 300 euros on average per session) and the process is more painful than going under the needles, for a result that is not always perfect. Hence the importance of thinking well before acting...

Care and precautions to take before taking action

The decision to get a tattoo must be carefully considered, and thought out in all its aspects; getting a tattoo on your stomach or flanks if you want to have children means taking the risk that the tattoo will deform and that the pattern will never really return to its beginnings. For work, we keep in mind that in some trades, this can hinder a potential employer. Finally, the tattoo that we do at 18, we may no longer wish to expose it to the eyes of others after a certain age... So think about it!

Some practical advice

Before getting a tattoo, it's a good idea to do a little test, to be sure that the pattern you want to engrave on your skin is the right one:it's a matter of keeping your pattern with you (wallet , or in a place visible daily) for 3 to 4 months and see if you don't get tired of it. If we find something to complain about, a modification to make or that we can no longer see it in the painting, then we forget it! Once the decision has been made and recorded, it is recommended to go to the tattoo parlor (chosen carefully for its reputation and strict compliance with hygiene standards) with a close acquaintance, who will be able to relax and reassure us.

Some info

Good to know:a tattoo never costs less than 80 euros, whatever its size. This cost includes, among other things, the price of sterile equipment (EVERYTHING must be vacuum-packed:gloves, needles, etc.), inks, and the depreciation of the dermograph. If we are offered a tattoo below that price, we find out more about the salon in question. You only get tattooed by an approved tattoo artist, not by an individual, and even less by a friend. This pattern will be anchored in our skin for a good number of years, so we might as well take the maximum precautions...

If you are a minor, you can also get a tattoo (very rarely under the age of 16, however) only if you have parental authorization accompanied by an identity document from our guardian to present to the tattoo artist. Those who don't demand it are to be avoided!

There you go, now you know everything!