a_beukeveld

This is what I do, and what was told to me by the saniderm website. I put on one piece right after the tattoo and leave it on for 8-24 hours. Then I remove that bandage, clean off all the gore with soap and water, let it airdry for 10 minutes or so and then apply a fresh bandage and leave it on for 4 or 5 days. 
You could use a normal tattoo meat bandage the first day as well, which is what tattooers normally do, but saniderm is a more comfortable option, personally. The first bandage, essentially, is to keep the new tattoo safe and to let all the blood, ink and plasma seep out, and saniderm does a good job of keeping all the juice in there and everything else out.
Atleast this is my impression. I know people that take off their first bandage within hours, but Ive always left it on atleast overnight, whether it be sanider or meat bandage. As for 48 hours Im not sure. Ive never left my first bandage on for more than 12.

I started the Kojiki - wow! I'm a bit sad I can't  read Japanese because I definitely feel that the names of the deities (of which there are many) lose something in translation. Plus the book I have has about an inch of actual translation of the text then the rest of the page is footnotes on phonetics and translation. Very dense reading but I'm going to stick with it. 

I saw yesterday that Scott Harrison just uploaded a movie he made in 2004-2005 to YouTube.  I haven't had the chance to watch it yet, but with the following description, I can't wait to make the time for it:
 
 

Retailer wise, Gomineko is a book seller that focusses on tattoo references. She's an excellent resource for purchasing books but depending on where you are at, it can take several months for books to arrive and there are no notifications of shipping/tracking. Also she is more expensive than other resources. Some people love her due to her inventory, while others not so much due to the price, lag or non-delivery.    If you are fortunate enough live near a Kinokuniya book store, their books in their tattoo/woodblock section can range from decent to pretty good. They're a Japanese book retailer and have a few shops across the US. They sell the same books as Gomineko but are cheaper. They can also order books for you if you know exactly what you are looking for.   That said, actual material wise, for general symbolism,"Bushido" and "Tattoos of the Floating World" by Takahiro Kitamura are excellent resources. I don't know the name of it but it looks like Horibenny just came out with a new book that at glance appears to be decent for introductory info on motifs too. Check out Amazon for all.   For myths, study the source material. Read books on Japanese mythology and books on Woodblock print artists. There will often be descriptions about the scenes in woodblock prints. That can often give you enough information to research further about a subject on your own.    Regarding mythology, read the "Kojiki" and the "Taiheiki". Both are translated in english and chronicle stories of the origin of/early Japan and medieval Japan. Another book I've found is called "Japanese Mythology" by Michael Ashkenazi. These books tell stories about deities and ancient heroes that are often subjects in Japanese motifs. I wish I had read the "Kojiki" sooner. Not regretting what I have but I feel I may have chosen different subjects if I had. Things I had written off earlier, I gained new appreciation for after reading more about them.   There are tons of information out there. I feel it's much easier to learn about now, than it was even a few years ago. Hope this helps. 

Appointment for early Feb made with Paul Dobleman. *squee*

Just got this hannya giesha from Jeremy Lamos on my thigh. So happy with it. The actual tattoo didnt take long but it was a long sit. Felt pretty sick by the end of it. Had allot of fun with the eyes.

Ive gotten a few sinse my last post on here.
Chest and skull/dagger are by Josh Peters.
Kingyo is by Daryl Hart.
Tiger by Shaun Martinson.
Heart and flies are by Pat Mcfarlane. (pardon the saniderm)

Since @PinkUnicorn found the Smithsonian link, I'll share the Soldier's Medal pictures with you. I don't think I've ever posted them on line before. The glare is the camera flash. It is awarded with two certificates - the award certificate as well as a narrative certificate. Most other medals only have the award certificate. I have them framed along with the eagle rank insignias that was able to recover from the locker in my office several weeks later and a picture of the Pentagon showing the destruction.

I was asked to donate my uniform and original award from that day - never thought it would be featured as a part of the exhibition. The award was the original one I received. I honestly didn't want one - I did then and still do feel that I was doing what I should have done. It was my responsibility to protect and help others. After time, people who were there submitted a request to have the award upgraded - without my knowledge - and I was ultimately awarded The Soldier's Medal at my retirement ceremony a little more than two years later. That truly humbled me.
Thanks for the kind words. It was my honor to serve and I am grateful to have been able to help that day.

Wow. This is amazing, @Devious6. Proud to know a genuine hero. Well done, sir.

It's funny. The atomic whirl was my first tattoo on my upper shoulder. It is now covered by a kickass dragon 3/4 sleeve. So that's how I feel about that particular design: future cover up.
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You are welcome! Hahaha.
Also, I'm not being sarcastic in this instance. My second tattoo was a tiny wrist doodle. It took less than five minutes. Pain was over before it fully registered.

Just got this hannya giesha from Jeremy Lamos on my thigh. So happy with it. The actual tattoo didnt take long but it was a long sit. Felt pretty sick by the end of it. Had allot of fun with the eyes.

Dont know how and where exactly i found this instagram, maybe on this site. Theres an english man who finds scrolls and paintings and i dont know what for reference for tattoo artist. why am i still babbling? https://www.instagram.com/caliseowin/ . 

I don't care for either of them.  I think it's a pretty half-assed way to express that you're a "science nerd" by going with a small tattoo of an outdated model of the atom.  It's generic and pretty blah, like people who get a tattoo of a couple of musical notes to represent a supposed huge and overwhelming passion for music.  If you're super passionate about science, take the above, very solid advice @Dan gave above about going big and get something big and bold that relates to something more specific that you're interested in.  I've seen some great tattoos of Darwin's finches, for example.  If you're interested in atomic physics, figure out a way to represent some wild quantum shit in a visually interesting way.  Take your time, look around, and above all else, do your research on artists so you can get something that shouts loud and proud that you're a science nerd.

It's an atom, right? I would find a shop / artist you like and show them the basic accepted atom drawing and ask them to draw up a version of it that they like. That's what I would do anyway. If you just want votes on A or B, I say B as it has more depth and artistic movement- whatever the hell that means. 

my wrists were not necessarily worse than any other parts for me,IMO all tattoos hurt.
 
don't let the pain level of a certain body part steer your desire to have a tattoo.

Rad! A tattooer buddy of mine just got his foot tattoed by Chad in July. He just let him do whatever he wanted. Turned out great!

Ive gotten a few sinse my last post on here.
Chest and skull/dagger are by Josh Peters.
Kingyo is by Daryl Hart.
Tiger by Shaun Martinson.
Heart and flies are by Pat Mcfarlane. (pardon the saniderm)

So I had to run to the pharmacy and bought some tegaderm. They only had the smaller pads so I had to do piece work over this tattoo on my thigh that I got yesterday. This is the second bandage. I took the first one off this a bit before applying this one.
There are allot of overlapping areas to make it fit. Should I be fine? Are the areas where its overlapping 1 or 2 times not able to breathe because of the extra layers?
Right now it feels pretty warm to the touch.

@oboogie i dig both those pieces  you recently posted - glad the negative reactions weren't coming from the LST crowd - some folks arent gonna dig your tattoos though - no matter how awesome they might be - just the way it goes you know

So I used tegaderm for the first time and really liked it. I'm a week from getting the tattoo today. Peeling a bit in the shower etc. I am going to a county fair with my kids tomorrow. My concern is going into the animal areas and on and off ride. Do you guys think putting some tegaderm to avoid any possibility of infection. Just being concerned.
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Just got this hannya giesha from Jeremy Lamos on my thigh. So happy with it. The actual tattoo didnt take long but it was a long sit. Felt pretty sick by the end of it. Had allot of fun with the eyes.

@oboogieWait, is someone being a jerk about your Johnny Cash tattoo?  For what it's worth, I think I prefer that approach to a portrait tattoo. 

Just got this hannya giesha from Jeremy Lamos on my thigh. So happy with it. The actual tattoo didnt take long but it was a long sit. Felt pretty sick by the end of it. Had allot of fun with the eyes.