How Does a Tattoo Work? Everything You Need to Know About the Process

Tattoos are becoming more mainstream with every passing year.

It wasn’t long ago when some people thought the only people who got tattoos were sailors or bikers. These days, though, you can go into just about any professional office and find at least one person in the office has a tattoo somewhere.

Tattoos are nothing new. According to Smithsonian Magazine, people have inked their bodies for over 5000 years.

Despite being around for so long, there are still people who aren’t really sure how tattoos actually work. This lack of knowledge can dissuade people from getting a beautiful piece of art placed on their body.

We feel the more you know about this art form, the more comfortable you’ll be with having it done. So, we want to explain how tattoos work and how to choose the right tattoo artist in Atlanta.

The Tattoo Process – How Tattoos Actually Work

We’re excited more people are choosing to invest in this type of body art. A beautifully placed, well-designed tattoo can flatter just about anyone.

But before you make the decision to get a tattoo, let’s look at how they work.

Basically, ink is implanted into a person’s skin. An electric powered machine with a grouping of fine needles are used to perforate the skin and implant the ink. The needle moves up and down up to 3000 times per minute.

The tattoo machine has an electric motor, and some people have said it sounds to them like a dental drill. With newer technology rotary machines barely make a sound.

The needle delivers the ink to the dermis, which is our second layer of skin. When you look at a tattoo, you’re looking at a design through the epidermis, or outer most layer of skin. It’s almost like looking at a painting through a clear window.

Why do we deliver the ink to the dermis? The cells of the epidermis replace themselves approximately every month. If we were to place the ink in the epidermis, it wouldn’t be long before the tattoo would completely disappear. Putting the ink in the dermis ensures a permanent result.

The skin has the incredible ability to heal itself quickly, partially due to the fact the cells regenerate every month. Because of its healing power, the tiny perforations made from first layer of skin to the second heal really fast. This ensures the staying power of the tattoo.

Getting a Tattoo: Safety Always Comes First

If you’re going to invest in a piece of art, you want to make sure the artist knows what they’re doing.

The same can be said of tattoo artists.

Oftentimes, though, people end up focusing solely on whether or not the artist is talented.

We agree talent is important, but so is their commitment to their clientele’s safety.

Any tattoo studio you go into should, first of all, be clean. If it looks dingy and disgusting, you can guarantee their tattooing practices are going to match. As soon as you enter a place like this, you should turn around and walk right out.

Besides overall cleanliness, you want to make sure they practice hygienic tattooing. This means they use sterile needles and wear disposable, one-use-only gloves; and change them often.

The studio should also dispose of their needles properly, which is in red sharps containers.

To ensure you choose the right tattoo studio and artist, watch them work on another patron. See if they wear gloves, use a new needle, dispose of the needle, and clean up their space once they’re done.

Tiny droplets of blood can fall onto their workspace during the tattoo session. If it’s not cleaned up, the next person to get a tattoo is at risk of contracting a bloodborne disease. The same goes for needles and gloves. Everything needs to be clean and sterile to ensure client safety.

Mystic Owl Tattoo – Award-Winning Artists Concerned With Your Safety and Comfort

Now you have a better idea of what happens when a person gets a tattoo, are you ready to get one?

This is a big decision – we’ll basically be putting permanent art on your body. But we can guarantee you this: The quality you get at Mystic Owl Tattoo is second to none. Our artists have won countless awards and we collaborate with other top-notch tattoo artists, inviting them to work in our shop.

We want to give you options and to assure you your happiness, safety, and comfort are in good hands. When you’re ready to take the plunge at get a tattoo – we’ll be here for you.