Mental Health Awareness — Apr 09, 2025
I had a call with a tattoo artist who seemed kind and empowering. I wanted a black armband tattoo to symbolize my melanoma cancer …
I had a call with a tattoo artist who seemed kind and empowering. I wanted a black armband tattoo to symbolize my melanoma cancer and the dark path in my life, with a semicolon in my skin to show I still exist and my story isn't over. It meant a lot to me, especially since the artist seemed to understand my struggles. But during the session, there were red flags: constant hints about money, a break to get Kratom pills, and the smell of marijuana from his vape. I told myself people struggle with mental health in 2025 and deserve grace, which ties into the tattoo's meaning. However, he snapped at me randomly, even when I waited politely to ask about aftercare and touch-up costs. At home, I saw uneven lines, a tattooed-over semicolon, and big unfilled gaps on the backside. I texted him, and he claimed I'd said I had to leave for my kids and would return-something I never said. He offered to fix it, but I'm 40 minutes away, and it needs weeks to heal first. Another shop said they can fix it later, but it'll be bigger, and the semicolon might be lost. I want to show love, but his back-and-forth mood and lack of care for permanent art is depressing. I'll pray for him, but I can't risk my mental health. I'm sharing this so others avoid a similar experience.
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I had a call with a tattoo artist who seemed kind and empowering. I wanted a black armband tattoo to symbolize my melanoma cancer and the dark path in my life, with a semicolon in my skin to show I still exist and my story isn't over. It meant a lot to me, especially since the artist seemed to under…
I had a call with a tattoo artist who seemed kind and empowering. I wanted a black armband tattoo to symbolize my melanoma cancer and the dark path in my life, with a semicolon in my skin to show I still exist and my story isn't over. It meant a lot to me, especially since the artist seemed to understand my struggles. But during the session, there were red flags: constant hints about money, a break to get Kratom pills, and the smell of marijuana from his vape. I told myself people struggle with mental health in 2025 and deserve grace, which ties into the tattoo's meaning. However, he snapped at me randomly, even when I waited politely to ask about aftercare and touch-up costs. At home, I saw uneven lines, a tattooed-over semicolon, and big unfilled gaps on the backside. I texted him, and he claimed I'd said I had to leave for my kids and would return-something I never said. He offered to fix it, but I'm 40 minutes away, and it needs weeks to heal first. Another shop said they can fix it later, but it'll be bigger, and the semicolon might be lost. I want to show love, but his back-and-forth mood and lack of care for permanent art is depressing. I'll pray for him, but I can't risk my mental health. I'm sharing this so others avoid a similar experience.
Read more
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