Number 75 - Get a Tattoo

August 18, 2011

I know it's really trendy now but, when I was growing up, tattoos were just for sailors (or really trashy girls). All of my siblings have tattoos and both my children, as well. It's seems that now everybody has a little sumptin'. I went with my son to a tattoo parlor once when he was having one done and there was an grandmother bringing her  teenage granddaughter for her first tattoo. She turned to me in the waiting area and said, "I never thought I'd see the day." I understood completely.

Daughter's butt

Son's arm

The whole tattoo thing is just so...permanent. What If, down the road, I wasn't into whatever I had put on my body? I put the question to my son about his Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos. He asked my what tattoo I would have gotten at his age. Easy. Kermit the Frog. And today? I was still thinking Kermit the Frog. Or maybe a claddagh, or maybe one of those breast cancer ribbons. I was still trying to decide when I read about  something some cancer patients were doing -permanent make-up! This is where you have your make-up tattooed onto your face. Although I was never a big make-up person (except for that creepy Human League period in the 80's),  I was having to use make-up now to cover up the fact that  my eyebrows and eyelashes had come back in random patches after the chemotherapy and radiation (I also still have no leg hair or hair under my arms but I don't mind that so much.) Wanna see my history in make-up? Here are passport and ID photos that show my journey


As a teen- too cool for make-up






 
 
 







 





In college- a little much



Now - the minimalist

 I went to Sandy at The Locks and Lashes Salon and explained what I needed and found out out that she had helped many others in my situation.  Our plan was to tattoo the eyebrows and a little eyeliner to give the impression of eyelashes and after that healed, she would hook me up with some semi-permanent lashes made from the hair of minks (harvested by brushing them, not killing them). So, I was joining the ranks of the tattooed!!

Here are the before and after pictures from the day of the the tattooing. My eyes are still swollen in the after pictures but I was extremely pleased with the results!

Took this pic right before the procedure.

Swollen but happy!

I'll post again after the lashes are attached so the finished (and unswollen) product can be seen. the tattooing hurt like a son-of-a-bitch but it went quickly and I like the way it turned out. I'm not giving up on a possible Kermit tattoo in the future but it won't be the near future; I need time to forget the pain!

UPDATE - August 9, 2011. All healed and semi-permanent lashes applied: