Welcome! Glad you’re here, but sorry it’s because you have a booboo. 🙁

Everyone heals at a different rate, but all tattoos take a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks to heal. Injuries to your genitals and mouth heal faster. (If that doesn’t sell atheists on Intelligent Design, nothing will.) I think that’s an arm? Keeping a wound constantly damp with moisturizers, yet putting drying irritants on it like cetyl alcohol (an…[Read more]

It’s never going to be aseptic like a good old Western tattoo. While Thais are notoriously clean, this practice just isn’t like it is in the West. I don’t know much about the studio and can’t recommend, but I don’t think the humidity makes it necessarily a bad idea. In terms of infection control, you’re better off using a tattoo shop that uses…[Read more]

I’d say ease up on the Lubriderm and washing; you may just be irritating it – You really shouldn’t wash anything more than a couple times a day.

How lucky for you to have the friendly tattooed nurse available. 😉

Vicodin is just hydrocodone and APAP (more commonly known stateside as Tylenol). Tylenol is the only NSAID that doesn’t have blood-thinning properties – Narcotics like hydrocodone have no impact on clotting factors.

Why did your doctor prescribe Vicodin? If you’ve had recent…[Read more]

I like the idea of a single leaf or blossom alive, beautiful, and brightly-colored on the tree.

Looks like a superficial infection. Not dangerous, but potentially a little stinky. Looks like your artist pressed too deep and tore you up. The best thing you can do is keep it dry and clean and hope for the best.

Perennial flowers are lovely as they always come back, often brighter and stronger than ever. Anemone, literally “windflower,” is gorgeous, and the wind is ever-present, but always changing.

Butterflies are more common. I’m guessing you’re male, though. I like the idea of a strong, proud oak tree as well, a symbol of something that grew from…[Read more]

I love the flower tattoo as your profile pic. 🙂 Very pretty!

Heck, I’m foregoing a few tattoos for awhile to get my hair on my legs permanently removed! 😀

But, hey, to each his or her own.

I love the upper back/shoulder, but it’s a bit hard to enjoy as far as one’s own viewing. I like my little cherry blossom on my outer thigh, and it’s still even covered by hot pants. In a bikini, it’s clear for view. I also really like the front of the thigh as it offers a nice, smooth canvas, and it’s so nice to be greeted by a lovely image…[Read more]

I can’t grow facial hair, yet tattooing a 5 o’clock never crossed my mind. 😀

That is such a gorgeous, solemn-looking Buddha. 🙂

Like everywhere else in the world, temples are able to operate based off money. If you donate generously, chances are, you’ll get your tattoo. It is now more popular than ever. Of course, now, many tattoo shops offer similar tattoos done with guns (and, arguably, these often look nicer). Tourists would rather have something long-term for their…[Read more]

Obviously, the intelligent thing to do is ignore the advice of every professional and more experienced person in this community when you’ve had issues in the past.

Sak Yant can be done for women, but only with an assistant, and only a handful of monks will do it.

There’s no real definitive resource for finding out who will do what, though. Probably the most sensitive issue I have is the whole “assistant” thing and how that works.

But yes, tourists can and do get them – An uncle of mine lives in Thailand,…[Read more]

Pain tolerance has a BIG impact. I had a tattoo on my ribs, supposedly a very sensitive area, and I didn’t think it was that bad. There were a few moments where I chose to be quiet, but overall, 4/10 pain. 🙂 I imagine the inside upper arm is roughly the same.

It’s probably a little more sensitive, but take a Tylenol and hope for the best if that’s what you like.

My tattooist has this little special at her shop where if you spend $1000, you can get a $100 free tattoo. I cannot imagine this was something he paid actual money for.