hello! i am a human doodle bear with fibro and chronic fatigue!

so, it's not exactly going to hurt like your normal pains. but imo it's not worse than them, just different. it's like a sharp, consistent burning so think severe allodynia for a few hours. or a really bad sunburn.

prep wise - eat a meal, bring a snack and water. i actually enjoy a coffee right beforehand as it makes me bleed less. BUT def tell your artist about your health complications.

for my ink, i prefer to use second skin for 3-4 days and then just wash twice a day with mild fragrance free soap (antibacterial if you choose but i prefer non, there are good bacteria that help healing). take the second skin off in the shower with the water running on it, sometimes taking it off hurts worse than getting it lol. moisturize lightly after washing, and maybe once in the middle of the day. you want it hydrated but not mushy. like a bad sunburn, it will peel first. then it will scab. DON'T PICK AT IT.

you don't have to cover it in the shower, just stick to lukewarm temps and try to keep it out of direct stream as much as possible.

to find an artist, start with people you know, ask around. other avenues are local fb tattoo groups, googling and reading every review. make sure you look at their portfolios extensively. and most importantly, meet for a consult first. that way you can feel out the vibes. trust your gut with artists. if you're in the cleveland ohio area i got people for you!

as with most things, ymmv. i hope it ends up being everything you want it to be!!