So there are a lot of myths that float around about tattoos, let's address some of them.
1. I heard that color hurts more.
Color does not hurt more than black and grey. Tattooing is the same process no matter what is being done. Needles poke ink into your skin. Yes it is uncomfortable, and even painful sometimes, but it is almost always completely bearable.
2. I heard that green, blue, yellow, etc., etc., hurt more than other colors.
No, one color does not hurt more than another. Once again tattooing is tattooing, regardless of color.
3. Color fades faster than black.
If properly tattooed into the skin most colors last as long as blackwork. Only the very lightest colors (i.e. pastel colors, yellow, white) have any tendancy to fade faster, and that is generally due to a lack of contrast as they age or to sun exposure. Most people don't notice that their black tattoos are faded until they are redone whereupon it is completely obvious that they needed it. Typically fast fading color falls back to it not being put in right, poor aftercare, or something to do with body chemistry.
4. I heard that I can't go drinking after a tattoo.
Yes you can drink alcohol after getting tattooed. It is before getting tattooed that it can lead to problems. When you consume alcohol it thins your blood and if too much alcohol is consumed you can actually bleed enough to push some of the ink out of the skin as it's going in. Poor decisions are also an obvious side affect of this choice.
5. I just let my tattoos scab up. If they're done right they will stay.
No you shouldn't let a tattoo scab. Though a well done tattoo might survive the scabbing process it will not look as good as if it hadn't scabbed. Scabs have a tendancy to draw some of the ink out. There are even risks of having scabs ripped off and completely removing ink. This is obviously bad.
6. Linework hurts more than shading.
This is only a partial myth. It is completely different from person to person. Lining is a slower process so for some people it is worse. Shading is a faster moving process so for other people that is worse. Your body starts to release pain blockers once you start getting your tattoo so some people even go completely numb and don't feel the shading at all. That is generally in smaller more localized tattoos and where the myth stems from.
7. I heard that the inside of the arm is the worst pain ever.
There is no one part of the body that hurts everyone the most. All of our bodies are different in some small way. Everything that we do makes little changes to them. What hurts one person may make another laugh. The truth is that you never know until you get there. You should never pick placement of a tattoo solely on the amount of pain that you might endure. If it is what you want and where you want it you will make it through.
8. A spiderweb on my elbow means that I commited crimes for the Aryan race and a tear drop means that I killed some one.
As far as the general public is concerned placing a certain design in a certain area has absolutely no other meaning than what it means to you. For example, putting a star on your kneecap doesn't make you an assassin, or mean that you sleep with goats. Cryptic tattoos only have meaning to those individuals involved in organizations that recognize very precise symbolisms. They can tell the difference between "gang" tattoos and people that happen to have tattoos that are similar in nature.
9. I've heard that you have to set the ink by slapping it.
This is pure ridiculousness. If anything smacking the tattoo will cause irritation and possibly spread germs from the hand to the open skin. This is mainly an old, old, old joke on unwary newbies to the tattoo community. It is so old that we almost forgot to add it.
