Clarification/Follow-up by JeffreyBryson on 04/09/03 2:36 am:
I want to follow up with some words about the care of your tattoo. There are many artists out there that recommend "A & D" ointment or the like. However, contrary to their opinions, they are mistaken to recommend this. *Please* trust me as one who has had a substantial amount of work done and *completely successfully* that using ointment tends to obstruct the healing process- not aid it. The truth is that caring for a fresh tattoo is extremely easy and simple. I recommend that you buy a bar of moisturing soap (such as Dove which is what I always use) and that doesn't irritate your skin. Three to four hours after your tattoo is done gently remove whatever wrap that's covering your tattoo, take the bar of soap and with cold water lather your hands, then with those lathered hands gently rub and wash your tattoo for as long as necessary in order to remove whatever bit of blood that may be there and *all* residual ink so that by the end of your cleaning process you see no color in the soapy water that you're using to clean your tattoo. After all blood, ointment, and residual ink is completely removed, then use some paper towels to pat your tattoo dry. The first cleaning takes the longest, but the remaining cleanings take only a fraction of the time.

The usual time required for healing is one to two weeks. You'll know that your tattoo is healed once all the skin that's begun to peel has peeled off completely. There's just one last thing, and this is *extremely* important. *Absolutely do not* yourself peel or pick at any skin or at scabs that form. The peeling and scabs are a necessary part of the healing process that is key to a successful tattoo. Simply follow the cleaning directions above, and the simple process of gently cleaning your tattoo with your lathered hands will be sufficient to promote the natural peeling process, and do this twice per day until healed. Just don't do anything besides that to force that peeling.

That's all you need. :)

Clarification/Follow-up by JeffreyBryson on 04/09/03 4:21 pm:
It sounds as though he takes all the right precautionary measures. Really, I don't think you have a thing in the world to worry about. You sound all set. By the way, just what does your design happen to be, and where will it go?




J.

Clarification/Follow-up by netto on 04/09/03 7:00 pm:
I'm getting a tribal armband on my right arm.

The stencil he put on was higher than I want, and I told him already. I want it centered on my upper arm.

I spent hours looking at flash he had, and already had this design chosen. I found nothing that even made me 2nd guess it for a second.

I'll definitely send you a pic when it's done.

Hey, one other question - he said he gives everyone a bar of Dial soap to use to wash it...does that matter? I mean instead of Dove?

He said he does this because one bonehead went back to work after getting his tatt, and used that goo shit mechanics use to clean it -- needless to say he fucked it up.

How many you got? What designs?

Clarification/Follow-up by JeffreyBryson on 04/09/03 11:53 pm:
I'm really glad for you that he hit it so immediately on the design you wanted. That's the best.

Dial? Sure, that's nice and "antibacterial", but I maintain with you that, again, *so long as that it doesn't naturally irritate your skin, Dove is better because it has a nicely moderate amount of moisturizer in it that Dial doesn't have. Dial's great for piercings- it's what I used whenever I got one. But, it just tends to be a bit of a drying soap.

Really, there's room for a bit of debate about what soap to use because it's not of the utmost importance. But, I'm a person of extremely high standards who wants the best for himself as well as others. So, because of that I am immediate to recommend what I know to be very successful.

I have five tats total, but they largely cover my arms. I have flames that wrap around almost my entire left forearm. I have the eye of Horus on my right wrist. Above the eye I have a cobra that covers half my arm. Above that cobra I have an ankh. And, finally, back to my left arm and on the upper part- the whole upper part- I have a black panther.

The place where I went is arguably one of the best in the U.S. The guys there are all masters, and the owner and founder of the parlor is one of the most famous and historic artists in the last several decades.

Check this out.

http://www.tattoocitysf.com