Valerie Vargas

that gastron technique is intriguing, i will look more into it. a friend recommended putting an elastic band around your fingers and stretching it open , this uses the opposite muscles that you use to grip your machine or stretching hand muscles. i've used it a bit and helps but so far hasn't done much other than alleviate the issue.

id never thought about the diet, but i guess it makes sense to look at that.

i have 2 weeks off soon (a holiday you say??! haha) and i hope the time off will help. keep the replies coming guys!

i sincerely think, keeping it clean and dry is the best way, for me.

i leave the wrap till either bedtime or the morning, depending on the area tattooed or the size of the tattoo.i wash mine with fairly hot water and soap for the first few days to stop it from weeping, the first wash is the most important and i will take a while to wash it. if towards the end of healing it feels a bit dry thats when i might use a pea sized amount of unscented moisturizer.

i get too many customers believing its the cream that heals the tattoo and look at me funny when i tell them, its not the cream doing the healing, its the skin, so take care of it and dont smother cream on hoping for a miracle.

my other half, stewart, has a beard of some description at all times. i think i saw him clean shaven once but that only because I never had and pestered him till he shaved. it didnt matter cos by evening time he already had visible stubble haha!

I'm a huge fan of facial hair on men, it's manly, and thats a good thing on man, well, to me anyway. moustaches can be good too, handlebar ones are best but not the waxed, curly ones. too many hipsters in london wear them these days!

so my right wrist (my tattooing hand) has been giving me a heap of trouble recently, ive had to switch to lighter machines and get acupuncture twice a week to help it, but it still kills.

I guess if im not tattooing, im drawing at home or the shop, so i dont really get a chance to chill and not use it.

do other tattooers suffer from something similar and what other suggestions do you have?

i have 3 and i use my favorite sylvia shader on nearly every single tattoo i put out

when i joined i almost expected a tattooer's only section actually, was surprised when i noticed that there wasn't. i think it'd be good, even if its simply for advertising machines for sale etc

hell yeah, its expected and its a good thing. i SO wish i was going to the show, its not even real, but prior commitments have to be met alas. really hoping to make it next year and get tattooed a bunch!

thanks guys! im looking forward to more interviews being added :)

i really recommend it, its fricking busy and so much fun, full of some awesome folk and london is just beautiful. anyone considering going next year should also think about sticking around london for a few days after and see the sights and visit some tattoo shops.

thanks guys, its been a while since ive joined a forum so be kind haha ;) 'mon the brits!!

I'm valerie and i tattoo at frith st, london. been there 3 and a half years and call it home.

im usually quiet to start off with but im sure youll gradually see me joining in!