The pigments are injected into the middle layer of the skin at a rate of 15 to 3,000 times per minute. In other cases, tattoo artists apply the tattoo by hand dipping a needle into pigment, without the use of an electric instrument. Depending upon the complexity of design, the process takes anywhere from fifteen minutes to several hours or sometimes months to complete. Remember, a tattoo is forever. Some people may think that it is a way to express their individuality.
Some people see it as an art form.
But before you walk into a tattoo studio, you should know exactly what you want to put on your body. After you have decided, you will need to find the right artist to do the work. State health departments in Texas, Oregon and Wisconsin monitor and inspect tattoo studios. However, tattoo studios operate in many states in the U.S. but are NOT inspected by a local health department. New York City currently has over 400 licensed tattoo artists.