Can you give yourself a tattoo at home?

can you give yourself a tattoo? I’ve heard about people doing it and I want to know how its done without the gun and everything

Answer #1

I agree with what ‘thefuturefades’ says–it’s time-consuming and you have to be careful (I use the same technique, but I only do small stuff–I’ve got quite a few tiny stars…and yep, it does take ages) …if you make a mistake, the tattoo has to be well-healed before you go in and correct it (uneven borders for e.g.). The main things, of course, are sterilize, sterilize, sterilize. I’ve read of people using pen ink and marker ink and making ‘ink’ out of burned-up styrofoam cups (THAT sounds especially bad) but India ink is the only thing I’ve heard of being safe; it’s available at any art store for about four bucks. Anything else, well, imagine how embarrassing THAT trip to the emergency room would be. So it’s a personal thing (although all tattoos are). I’ve got a few great ones that I got done professionally and I’ve got a bunch of tiny stars I’ve done on my arm and feet that I did myself. I’m happy with everything. Just–be careful. It’s easy to get an infection, and it’s also easy to botch the job if you rush it, so take your time and be careful.

Answer #2

I have just getting a tattoo kit I am 39 years old. are you allowed to do tattoos at home I am a coucil tenent I live in the uk.

Answer #3

in a way I want to do this regardless of w/e everyone says… Butt I have already took my pocket knife && wrote somethings I wanted. I never went over it with pen or ink or anything && it turned into a scar && faded away && you cant see anythingg. So I thinkk basicly if you tried && put ink in it.. the ink is just gona fade && turn into a scar && faded away completly. I’ve got this beautiful temple, && I do so many things to it my own percings write with permanent marker.. Im honest to say.. I dont trust anyone but myself with needles. I really dont think its okay to use pen ink though.. I would use a blade, && alcohol swabs from walgreens && this liquid bandage stuff. && of course something to clean up w/e blood, [if you use ink] etc.

Answer #4

Go ahead if you want it to look like shit. Rememeber, you get what you pay for!

Answer #5

Well of course you can, but if I was you, I wouldn’t! So many people make home-made tattoo guns these days && some just use a regular needle && some ink… IT HURTS lol I’ve had someone do it to me, I have a small “K” in between my index finger & thumb && over the years it’s faded a lot && it just wasn’t worth the pain!

Answer #6

Most home done tattoos will fade and turn into something that looks like a big booger on your skin. Save your money and get a professional tattoo. It is well worth the wait.

Answer #7

THIS DOESNT HURT THAT BAD!!! I DID ONE THIS MORNING IT WAS A STAR ON MY HAND (unless you freek yrself out before) get a dis infectant wipe and wipe the place and an exacto knife take the knife and cut the pattern in (make sure it bleeds) break open a pen blow the ink on the cut let set for 5 min wipe excess ink off cover w/ band-aid

Answer #8

don’t bother. get one at a well-respected tattoo parlour. its really, really dangerous to do home-made tattoos.

Answer #9

I do tattoos from my house…but im a professional tattoo artist with professional equiptment…I did one once on myself when I was 14 with a needle and homemade ink…all my friends did…they are shit, I covered mine up with a pro tat…you can infect yourself with the wrong inks,and hurt yourself if you goto deep. find a pro and get one.if your not in jail…if you are then fck it get one done in jail…lol

Answer #10

I have an earth cross on my hip I did myself months ago. I like it, but it was a dumb move, I acknowledge, but I have no regrets. If it fades, it fades, and if I think it looks stupid in the future then I say it was just who I was at seventeen, and it was a part of my journey in life. I did my tat with a lot of paper towels, India ink, and a sewing needle. If you are damn determined to do it, then there are things you need to know about tattos at home:

  1. It is extremely time-consuming. This is basically pointlism. You will do the whole thing dot-by-dot. My tat took hours and I can cover it with my thumb. I sat there, having to very frequently dip my needle in ink, clean the spreading excess ink, wipe away blood. I covered maybe the outline in two hours.
  2. It is painful. You’re sticking a little needle in your skin over and over and over. Like I said, it’s pointlism. You’re doing this dot-by-dot. Eventually your skin might go numb from all the needlework, but that’s just means you need to stop because you’ve wounded yourself enough for the day. After it’s done and during actually doing it, it will swell hugely. I thought my earth cross would be permanently raised, but the swelling went down after a few days. It would swell so much just from so many needle pricks that it would get in the way of my being able to see where the lines would go. It will be extremely sore to touch for a few days. It has to be worth all that trouble.
  3. It is dangerous. Doing my earth cross was a religious ritual, but even that doesn’t keep it from being one of the dumbest things I’ve done. Professional tattoo artists know more than how to make it look prettier than you could at home. They know how to sterilize everything properly. They know how deep is too deep to put the ink. When you do this, you risk ink poisoning and infection. You have to really want it to be worth the risk.
  4. The results will not be professional. You don’t have the equipment, even if you do have the artistic talent. It will be a crappy tattoo. My earth cross is splotchy because it peeled a little, but it has very profound meaning for me and I have no regrets. It might fade. It will probably be splotchy because it is so time-consuming, and it is so hard to see past the messy ink and swelling that chances are you’ll have crooked lines and splotchy patches. It’s very imprecise.
  5. It’s extremely messy. You’ll bleed. The ink literally gets everywhere. You’ll be using paper towels to clean up excess ink every few minutes. You’ll have to clean the needle several times during the procedure. Here’s what to consider with the design and the placement:
  6. It must me something deeply meaningful to you, that’s as symbolic as it is aesthetic. Chances are it won’t be half as pretty as a professional one, so it might as well be special.
  7. Pick something really simple. Don’t be ambitious. Both of my home tattoos are very easy to draw: one’s just two lines and the other is just two lines with a circle around it. If you try to do a little flower or a word, then it’ll be worse if you mess up.
  8. Put it somewhere discreet, and be open to getting more tattoos. If it fades, or if you hate it, you can get it tattooed over professionally. If you end up at a job that frowns on tattoos, then you need to be able to easily hide it.
  9. Make it very small. My earth cross can easily be covered up by my thumb. Why? Basically you’re doing pointilism with a needle and ink. I spent about two hours a day for five days inking in my tat. It’s a tiny circle with a cross in the middle. It will take time, and a lot of it.
  10. You have to WANT this. And I mean want this tattoo. It will take hours. It will hurt. It will bleed. It is dangerous and it will probably look like a home job. You have to love what it stands for and take pride in the time and blood that went into it because chances are people will say you’re stupid and it won’t look good. It might fade. You can’t just have superficial feelings toward it because it’s too dangerous and too much work for what it looks like. My tats were done as religious rituals and mean a lot to me for that reason. Here’s how:
  11. Sterilize everything before you begin. Everything. Wash your hands. Soak the needle in alcohol. Swab the site of the tattoo with alcohol. You’re wounding yourself and you need to take the proper precautions. Cleanliness is the key to preventing life-threatening problems.
  12. Outline the tatto. This is obvious. If you freehand it, you’d better be aiming for abstract expressionist art because it sure as hell won’t look like anything.
  13. Only put the needle in deep enough to make yourself bleed a little. It will fade, but you’re not a pro and if you try to put the ink in too deep you will get ink poisoning.
  14. This is basically pointlism and it will take time, so move the needle quickly in and out of your skin. This is because it hurts and because the dots are really, really tiny.
  15. Clean the area frequently of excess ink. This is a messy procedure. You’ll get ink on your hands. You’ll get ink on your clothes. You’ll get ink in the way of your needlework and you won’t be able to see what you’re doing if you don’t wipe it off. Afterwards,
  16. Keep a bandage over it for a few days. This will keep it clean and prevent infection.
  17. For about a week, clean it every day with antibacterial soap
  18. Stay out of pools, don’t irritate it, treat it well for a few weeks. Take better care of it than you would a pro tattoo, because it’s twice as dangerous. It’s not a good idea, but if you do do it then it’s best to be cautious, be certain of what you want, and be proud of your ink no matter what it looks like.
Answer #11

JUST DONT FREAKING DO IT. It’ll look like Sh!t. just save up your money & wait until you can get a pro to do it. I’ve got 3 and paid $50, $65, & $100 for them & mine are all larger. If you want something small enough youre going to do it yourself, you could probably get someone who knows what they are doing to do it cheaper than that

Answer #12

I think all of these are awsome! I want a tat really bad. because I want one and just to be rebelious im sure I wont regret gettin hi as much as a tattoo tats are perminent weed is gone in 30 days!

Answer #13

Oh, Lorddd. I’ve done all my tattoos myself, and I have nine. They look pretty damn good if I do say so myself. I’ll upload pictures eventually, but really. I’m only fifteen, and I like them. I’m no artist, but I have patience. I’m no professional, but I’m not an idiot. If you want a tattoo, freakin’ do it. It’s not that hard, it doesn’t hurt that bad, and if you hate it, well, too damn bad. You wanted the thing. To everyone who says not to: Grow the !@#$ up. Reallyyy. It’s your body, do whatever you want to it. (: Laterr. XO

Answer #14

I think its really cool. I really want a small tattoo that doesnt show up too much, but I have no tattoo studios near my house… so I was thinking of doing it by myself. Well, I guess the point is that I should be careful not to make it too deep? I’m thinking of having a small heart on my left boob, and then get a rose on my neck by a professional someday…

Answer #15

so check it out, I was your age and I did this there is nothing worse then a home made tat…you’ll think its cool at first,or for a year, but then it will sink in how dumb of a move it was. Your friends will be shocked that you did it and everybody will want to see the thing. and most people wont tell you to your face but they are coming to see it so they can talk to each other about how dumb you are and that your going to reget it for the rest of your life. but you’ll just say that you can get it covered up if you dont like it, well you might, or you might think that your making the same mistake twice but this time that tat might look cooler, but its going to be BIG just to cover you home made tat, and cover up work sucks. dont do it, and if you just need to have a tat so you can stand out social manner, then just go to a pro, plus you wont need to worry about going to deep with the pin and die from ink poisoning( keep a close eye out for the red line going or you heart)

Answer #16

yes you can but it wont look as good as a professional one. I got a tattoo of a cross I did myself that look aight… I got my girlfriends name on my arm that was done in some dudes garage that looks really good because he had all the equipment and he was a professional… and I got rip mom mom andf rip pop pop done on my arms also done in a professionals basement… the point is homemade tattoos never look as good as professional tattoos but you can do them…

Answer #17

NO NO NO NO NO you should NOT give yourself a home done tattoo (or kitchen job). there are blood borne diseases, not to mention scarring, and horrible home jobs that people think they can do because they can draw a straight line witha pencil. DON’T DO IT,.

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