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I have had my fair share of experience with getting tattoos having 3 now and having started my love affair with tattooing when I was 16. My first encounter with tattooing was when I was in Thailand volunteering. It was the summer before my senior year in high school and while passing a tattoo parlor on the way to my elephant trek (lol), I ran in quickly with hopes of getting my first tattoo. Why? I'm not really sure, I wanted to say I had a crazy summer in Thailand I guess.

Stepping through the threshold of the tattoo shop was both exciting and intimidating. But after some time I decided on a design and a place on my body for it. I guess this was the beginning of the end, because I have fallen in love with the art form.
The point of the story I guess was to exhibit just how little thought I put into getting my first tattoo, and while I do not regret the experience, not thinking through a tattoo decision can leave you with a permanent mark on your body that you are not necessarily proud of. I think the most important things to consider before getting a tattoo would be:

1. Placement: Placement encompasses many things. If you are an ad exec. and want a
tattoo, putting it on your neck might not be the best idea. Whether we
like it or not, tattoos are not the most socially accepted phenomena.
And if your lively-hood depends on this cruel world,lol, making
decisions about placement are important.
2. What to get: Whether it be a family name, or a portrait of your dog, I think that
the content of your tattoo should reflect something that is meaningful
to you. My body art makes me proud and I absolutely love giving the
explanations behind them.
3. Permanence: Just keep in mind that tattoos are permanent, and while this may seem
obvious, I have met quite a few of body art wearers that had to have a
tattoo redone to cover a girls name, or get rid of their favorite
child-hood cartoon character. Chose a tattoo that is time-less, or just
one that you will be OK living with when your skin starts to sag and
the colors start to fade.

Overall, I think that any one interested in a tattoo should give it some serious though and then go for it!

Learn more about this author, Tamara Sinclair.
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