Removing a tattoo…or covering one up?

I have known many people, including myself, who decided to get a tattoo on a whim in their youth. Sometimes these weren’t the most well-thought-out tattoos, or places to put the tattoos. Also, in many cases, they become faded, stretched, or they just looked horrible (over time or from the beginning). I’ve had a few that I thought were awesome in my youth. Then, after getting more ink I realized the first few I got weren’t really all that great.

So, what can you do about it? Well, there is tattoo removal. However, there is only about a 50% chance that your tattoo will actually be removed after about 10 sessions of laser therapy at $200 a pop. Obviously black and red ink is easiest to remove, but if you have some colorful ink, it likely won’t go away. In addition, your chances go down by about 70% if you’re a smoker. I’ve also heard and seen these removal techniques end up in really bad scarring of the area, some ink still remaining after all that money spent, and just a horrible looking area on the body.

Are there other solutions? Of course!! I chose to just have the old, not so great looking, ink covered up with new and fresh ink that really means something to me. Now, you would need to find a good artist that can do cover ups well. It really should look like you never had anything there in the first place. A few things to keep in mind:

-          The new tattoo should completely cover the old tattoo, so it will have to be larger.

-          If you have a pure black ink tattoo previously, your new tattoo will likely need to be black ink only.

-          If your old tattoo was colorful, you need to think about the colors in the new tattoo and the placement of those colors.

-          Sometimes you can cover an old colored tattoo with black ink, but it depends on the size, shape, and how much filler you need.

-          Make sure you like the new tattoo you’re getting. It’ll be more difficult to cover it up in the future if you don’t like it.

Risks of getting inked

 

For those who love to indulge in getting inked, they should know that there are risks. According to Eli MacKinnon’s article The Hidden Risks of Getting a Tattoo, there was a cluster of individuals who ended up with skin infections in upstate New York from one single tattoo artist. According to the article, the artist was found to have correct hygiene procedures in place – needles, gloves, cleaning, chairs, etc. However, the ink he was using was not sterile. Unfortunately, the ink he was using held a harmful strain of bacteria. After further investigation, three other manufacturers were found to have bacteria in their ink as well. The article doesn’t discuss how many individuals were infected overall. However, according to Filip Kwiatkowski’s article Tattoos, featured in the New York Times, states that “Available in New York from almost 1,400 licensed tattoo artists, tattoos are probably better and safer now than they’ve ever been — more creative and varied, applied in many cases by serious, highly skilled body artists.”

Who do we believe? I personally love getting ink. There are risks in everything we do. We risk getting into an accident and potentially dying when we drive our cars to the store or work. We risk getting electrocuted when we plug something in at home. We risk falling off a ladder and dying when we put up Christmas lights. Getting a skin infection while getting inked is just another nominal risk. For the record, I have known hundred of people who have gotten thousands of tattoos from different artists and shops…even in prison where the sterility should be called into question. None of them have ever developed a skin infection as this article describes. For those of us who love to get ink, there really isn’t a way to ensure you don’t get a skin infection. I consider it a risk worth taking.

Above All Tattoo - highly recommended!

The best ink I’ve ever had is from Scott at Above All Tattoo in Downtown Fullerton! Beautiful colors, straight lines, light hand, and an amazing guy to hang out with. If you’re in the Orange County area and are interested in getting quality ink, look him up.

Tattoo real estate out of your body? Interesting concept…

                                                    Picture from ABC News

Ok, I, like getting tattoos and all, but WOW!! Eric Hartsburg had Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign logo ‘R’ tattooed on his face! Hartsburg posted a listing on eBay advertising tattoo space on the side of his face and took an offer from an unnamed person for $15,000. Hartsburg says that he fully supports Romney and that this tattoo is something he can live with.

For the full article, please see ManGets Romney ‘R’ Tattooed On His Face For $15,000.

Choosing the meaning, timing, and right person for a tattoo

Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, but it’s only been within the past few years that tattoos have really become popular as a way of expressing oneself. There are a few things that I have found about tattoos over the years:

It needs to mean something. You’re putting permanent ink on your body. I hope it has a deeper meaning behind it other than just ‘I thought it looked cool’.

The timing has to be right. Someone who is serious about ink will understand that the timing must be perfect for getting that tattoo. If it’s a memorial to someone you love, generally the tattoo is done after they pass away. If that tattoo is to represent a club or affiliation you are a part of, generally you aren’t going to get it until after you’ve joined that club or affiliation. I think you get the idea.

It has to be completed by the right person. For me, I can’t just walk into any tattoo shop and say ‘I want some ink’. I have to know the artist, I have to know his or her style, and I have to know that the entire experience is something I want. If, for example, I walk into a tattoo shop and the artist has zero personality I will leave without ink. For me, it’s more of a ritual. I need the whole experience surrounding the tattoo to be positive because it’s the memories that will stay with me.

Also, when I am picking my artist, I need to know that he or she really knows what they are doing. I’ve seen artists do whatever tattoo the customer wants, wherever the customer wants, and in whatever color(s) the customer wants. Frankly, I don’t like this. As the artist, you’re supposed to be the expert. Certain tattoos aren’t going to look good on certain places on the body. Certain colors aren’t going to stick well, or look aesthetically appealing, on certain skin tones. These are things the artist should know and let the customer know prior to beginning the tattoo.

Getting a tattoo is therapeutic – for me at least. I’ve even fallen asleep while being worked on. It can start out fairly painful, and some areas of the body are much more sensitive than others, but once the skin begins to numb I find it quite relaxing. The way you handle getting a tattoo will also depend on your pain tolerance. The higher your pain tolerance, the less you’ll hurt while getting the tattoo. What’s funny is that one side of your body can also have a higher level of pain tolerance than the other (mine is my right side – kinda weird).

There’s so much to learn about tattoos, but the expression can be so beautiful if done right.

Welcome!

Two of my favorite passions: motorcycles and tattoos. I’m certainly an advocate of both independently or together. I’ve been getting tattoos for far longer than I’ve been riding, but they really do seem to go hand-in-hand. This site is meant for writing, learning, exploring, and having fun with both motorcycles and tattooing. Both are certainly forms of personal expression and should be viewed as such. Please feel free to post comments, email me, etc. I look forward to hearing from other motorcycle and tattoo enthusiasts out there!