Dear Friend,

I got my first tattoo on my 18th birthday. Yup! I wanted one for a long time and as soon as I was of legal age, I headed right for the first tattoo parlor I could find. I chose one of the designs from the many displayed on the parlors walls and had one of the artists inside tattoo me. Honestly, it was a miserable experience from start to finish. While I was getting the tattoo, I was scared, half-nauseous, and feeling unsure about my decisions. But once the tattoo needle was buzzing, it was too late. The tattoo artist made fun of my fear and disregarded my apprehension. After the tattoo was done, it was bleeding so heavily that it seeped through the bandages he had placed on them. And, not to mention that I was out hundreds of dollars!

As time passed and the tattoo healed, I realized as I looked at it what I had done to myself. I didnt really like the design all that much and, to this day, I am really not pleased that I have to have this thing on my body for the rest of my life.

If I could go back in time and change my first tattooing experience, I definitely would. But, thats an impossibility. What I can do though is help others from making the same mistakes I did. Getting a tattoo should not be a rash decision. There are a lot of things that should be decided upon before you actually have the needle put to your skin, like

* How to decide on the right tattoo parlor and artist.
* Which design will be one that you are proud to display on your body.
* How to get tattooed safely so as to avoid infection and diseases.
* How much time and money the tattoo will cost you.
* How to care for your new tattoo.

Since my first tattoo, Ive gotten two more. And those experiences went very well. Why? Because I knew what to look for. I had the bad experience and was now armed with the right knowledge to ensure that my future tattoo experiences would be good ones. Never again would I rush into getting a tattoo without first knowing all the pros and cons and things to look out for.

I have assembled all my learning into one easy to read guide with the hope that other people will be able to benefit from it. Tattoos can be a wonderful, artistic expression of who you are. Dont make the experience of getting a tattoo a bad one.
Be smart about getting a tattoo! Read.