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Top Document: rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 4/9--Conventions Previous Document: TATTOO CONVENTIONS: WHAT ARE THEY ALL ABOUT? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Getting a tattoo at a convention poses a number of potential problems, especially if you are used to getting tattooed near your hometown. Of primary importance is the need to decrease your level of stress during your travel. Thanks go to "convention trooper" Michele DeLio, formerly of _Tattoo_ magazine for some of these pointers. VITAMINS: Begin taking vitamin supplements a few days prior to traveling to the convention. A multi-vitamin supplement is fine, although in particular, you are recommended to take vitamins B and C, and Zinc. Some people cannot tolerate zinc supplements alone--in which case a multi-vitamin supplement containing zinc would suffice. Pack enough tablets to last the duration of the trip. NUTRITION: Without sounding too motherly, eat yer vegetables! Vegetables and fruits are particularly healthy and help cleanse your system prior to your trip. Your digestive system tends to go haywire on the road, so eating fiber (bran cereal, etc.) will also help. Stay away from particularly spicy or greasy foods while you are traveling as well. WATER: Most importantly, you should drink what you might consider *excessive* amounts of water during your travel. Airplane cabins are notorious for their aridity (sometimes as low as 10% humidity), and most experienced travelers recommend that you drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are flying. This will help your body flush out toxins, and keep your skin fresh and hydrated for your new tattoo. CLOTHING: Regardless of your mode of travel, if you are going to be on the road for many hours, try to bring clothing that will let your new tattoo breathe. LEATHER: While a tattoo convention is a great place to look cool in your heavy duty black leather clothing, these do not pack well. Try to limit your heavy duty leather to just your jacket. If you must bring more, choose those which are lighter weight. Bring an extra large diaper pin (or a kilt pin), and use it to hang your jacket label up on the seat back in front of you on the plane. This way, you will have arm room in your seat, and will not have to risk having someone squash it with their vanity case in the overhead. Remember also that leather does not breathe well--if you are getting a tattoo, keep in mind that you will not want to wear leather over it. MOISTURIZER: The air in the cabin is EXTRA dry--pack a moisturizer in your carry-on bag. FRESH AIR: If you are a cigarette smoker, try to cut down on the amount you smoke while you travel. At the convention, try to get outdoors as often as possible--to get some natural light on your skin, as well as to breathe some fresh air. Unless the building is zoned as non-smoking, the convention floor will be a mass of ashtrays and smoke. POOLS & HOT TUBS: If you are staying at a nice hotel for the convention, you'll notice the swimming pools and hot tubs. Enjoy them before, but not after your new tattoo. Your tattoo is simply too fresh to risk immersing in public water. STRESS: Excitement and tension often accompany long-distance travel. Did you remember your airline ticket? Is your hotel room confirmed? Did you forget anything? Just remember that most things can be fixed in a pinch. Some stress-reducing suggestions: o Try to pack as little as possible, and take all your essentials with you in your carry-on (I always travel with one carry-on only). o Make sure to leave your complete itinerary, as well as photocopies of your tickets, with a trusted friend or relative. o Most artists will accept traveler's checks as cash. Convert your cash to these handy checks prior to traveling. Record the check numbers, keep them separate from the checks themselves. o Don't forget to confirm your flight 24 hours ahead, both before you leave, as well as a day before you go home. o Make sure to jot down your hotel confirmation number. With this you should be guaranteed a room. o Special meals on airplanes are HIGHLY recommended. These are available at no extra charge, and include things like ovo-lacto vegetarian (dairy/eggs), vegan (no dairy/eggs), Kosher, seafood, Hindu, low fat, low sodium. Airlines will differ on some things (United offers McDonald's Happy Meals with a toy for the kids or kiddies-at-heart; American offers a Weight Watchers entree). My favorite is the fruit platter. Guaranteed to be the freshest meal, these usually include sliced melon, pineapple, grapes, strawberries. Requests for special meals must be made 24 hours in advance. Special meals are served before all regular meals (remind your flight attendant prior to meal service). o Wear ear plugs on the airplane to reduce engine noise. I prefer the squishy spongy ones that snuggle right into your ear canal. Remember that listening to your walkman will only mask the engine noise, not reduce it. o Many travel stores carry inflatable neck pillows shaped like the letter "C" that crook your neck for napping. These will prevent your neck from getting stiff and sore. o Always ask for a glass of water along with your drink. Or bring your own bottled water. o Stay away from caffeine and alcohol during the flight. These will dehydrate your body and potentially give you a headache (which, if you remedy with an aspirin, would be a bad idea for getting your new tattoo). TATTOO CARE KIT: If you get a new tattoo during the convention, it may be a few days before you get back to the tranquility of your home. Take along a "tattoo care kit" with you to begin caring for your new tattoo while you are still at the convention. I have outlined what I personally use when I travel (Johnson's baby products travel pack) in the "healing a new tattoo" section in the FAQ. I particularly recommend products that are very mild and/or hypoallergenic, so you have less chance of skin problems. Many pharmacies and mega-marts sell one- or two-ounce travel bottles of soap, lotion, etc. I suggest you try some of them for a while on a test patch on your skin to make sure you are not allergic. Red, itchy swollen rashes due to an allergic reaction to skin lotion is not a nice way to be traveling with a new tattoo. If you are going to be flying for many hours, you might want to find a way to cover your tattoo so it doesn't stick to your clothes. Any barrier is fine (tissue, handkerchief), but put this on before you fall asleep on your flight. If you return home with your new tattoo and find that it is not healing as quickly, dab a little bit of antibiotic cream on it for a couple of days to see if it settles down. Whatever problems you're having with your tattoo are probably attributable to travel stress. --==*-< >-*==--==*-< >-*==--==*-< >-*==--==*-< >-*==--==*-< >-*==-- This ends "rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ Part 4/9: Tattoo Conventions." This should be followed by "rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 5/9--Artist List." User Contributions: 1 Yusuph Aug 16, 2012 @ 12:00 am I real to know much the history of tattoo, from the begin. Please send for me the all details/summary or imformation of tattoo. You can find me also on facebook as Toto mbata chico. Thank u Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:Top Document: rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 4/9--Conventions Previous Document: TATTOO CONVENTIONS: WHAT ARE THEY ALL ABOUT? Part1 - Part2 - Part3 - Part4 - Part5 - Part6 - Part7 - Part8 - Part9 - Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: stan@cosmo.pasadena.ca.us
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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