There are a lot of things to take into consideration if you are thinking of getting a new tattoo. Two main things to think about are the cost and care of any tattoo.

The act of getting a tattoo in and of itself can be very expensive. The bigger ones can easily cost thousands of dollars. The cost of getting a tattoo is often the single most common thing people think about before they get a tattoo. Even though they can be very expensive, depending on what you want, many designs are still within your reach.

It's not uncommon for people to save their money up ahead of time. In this way, you'll probably have more than enough money to spare when you finally are able to get the tattoo you have been saving up for. Just be aware that in the world of tattoo designs, you often get what you pay for and depending on the location and size of the tattoo you want that you could easily spend hundreds of dollars. For example, a tattoo that covers the entire back could easily cost you as much as $15,000!

Always look for the cleanest and most sanitary tattoo parlor first. Next you should meet the tattoo artists and check out their work and the prices of their tattoos. It is true that most tattoo studios that charge expensive prices normally do so because they employ the best tattoo artists and produce only quality work but you should always be careful in what you choose, since you'll have the tattoo for the rest of your life. So don't let a few extra dollars overrule your design choices.

Next issue: caring for the new tattoo. While the tattoo design is really important, it is not nearly as important as taking proper care of it. Good tattoo artists clean and apply antiseptic ointment as they create your tattoo. Once your tattoo is complete, the artists will clean it off and apply antiseptic ointment as well as put a piece of soft tissue or cellophane wrap over the new tattooed area.

Now that your tattoo is finished, the tattoo artist should tell you how to take care of it. Many artists will talk to you and give you a detailed sheet with all of the information you need to take care of that new tattoo. Taking care of a tattoo isn't all that hard as long as you know what you should and shouldn't do.

A few tips to remember are to keep it dry for the first few days, but to clean it every few hours. Always make sure that your hands are clean when dealing with the new tattoo. Keeping your hands clean while working with the new tattoo will cut down on worrying about getting an infection.

You'll need a tube of A&D ointment or antibiotic ointment which will help keep your tattoo clean and shiny - this should be used for the first few days. If the ointment starts to dry on the tattoo, take off the old application and apply some more. Don't rub the new tattoo too hard or you could damage it and slow down healing.

After 5 or 6 days, you can stop using the A&D ointment on the new tattoo. The ointment will help keep your tattoo healthy and after you stop using it you should use something like an unscented body lotion. You can stop using the lotion too after a few days. Your tattoo may leave a scab in some areas - the best thing you can do is to leave the scab alone.

Any tattoo can be a great thing as long as you take care of it properly. Remember, a tattoo will stay with your for the rest of your life unless you get it surgically removed so taking the best care of your tattoo now will keep it healthy and infection free down the road. And the money you invest in it now will be money invested in your future.