Los Angeles has a rich array of wonderful tattoo parlors. Of course, it’s also home to quite a few shady joints. So, how do you find the best Los Angeles tattoo parlor?

Knowing What You Want

It’s important to have a vision of your perfect tattoo locked down before you make any drastic choices. This also helps the artist out tremendously, as it saves them valuable time and creative energy when you already have a general idea of what you want your design to be. There’s no problem with being indecisive with such an important decision, but you should be dedicating a lot of time to making sure your design will look exactly like you want it. Ultimately, you’ll just be doing both yourself and the tattoo parlor a favor when you know what you’re gunning for. After all, it’s not going to be cheap or easy to get it removed or covered up if you end up hating the design down the line.

Getting Referrals

Tattoos give you entry into a whole new community of aficionados. You should be looking to people with tattoos that you admire to see what their opinions are on the best shops to choose from. If you like their art, then finding out where they got it done should be the next logical step. It's not just about the shop either. Different Los Angeles tattoo artists have different styles. You'll want to seek out their specific artists to meet with them if you're looking to get the same results. Some shops even have incentives for referrals, so make sure you’re getting the word of a person who you trust. If you don't know anybody with tattoos, there are countless online forums to refer to for advice. By doing your research and reaching out to people who have been to these parlors before, you'll have a much better chance of finding the right artist who fits your unique set of needs.

Finding a Tattoo Artist from a Trustworthy Tattoo Parlor

You want to get to know your tattoo artist and shop as much as possible. Many parlors in Los Angeles offer multiple services like piercing alongside their tattoo services. This can add to the general ambiance of the establishment. The more you feel comfortable with them, the smoother the process will be. If you find yourselves constantly butting heads, then it may be time to part ways. If they all seem like dedicated professionals who you can get along with, then they may be worth adding to your list of possible parlors for your new piece. Another important area to consider is how much they’re trying to change your design. If you can’t see eye-to-eye on the artwork and they refuse to budge or help you see your vision through, then they may not be the right shop for you. The overall feeling of the shop is an integral part of the tattoo process as you’re trusting them with your body. Not to mention that you’ll be sitting in a chair surrounded by the artists for hours on end.

Tattoo Parlor Cleanliness

While it may slip your mind, the cleanliness of the tattoo shop is one of the most important choices in the entire process. It is very important to make sure your tattoo shop of choice is running a tight ship because if they aren't, you could find yourself with serious health concerns. It won’t always be clear to the naked eye either. There are subtle indicators that maybe the shop isn't as safe as it seems. Here are some questions to ask yourself.

• Are the tattoo artists wearing disposable gloves, and are they being thrown away in between clients? These will help keep the entire process sanitized.
• How much training does the staff have on keeping their clients safe from diseases and infection from the needles?
• Are the needles being used from sealed boxes? This can lessen the chance of cross-contamination.
• Where do they get their ink? Counterfeit or unauthorized inks can lead to serious health concerns as there is no system in place to check their safety.
• Where do they keep the sterilization equipment, and how often do they use it to clean the shop? This is important to note, as you would want them to frequently be using it to clean the equipment that they don’t throw away (such as chairs, tables, counters, etc.)

Keeping these things in mind can save you a world of trouble down the line. If a shop is unclean, you're not only putting your tattoo at risk but your overall health as well. If it looks unsafe, it probably is.

Tattoo Parlor Licensing

There are certain measures in place to make sure tattoo artists operating at legal businesses in Los Angeles and West Hollywood have some form of certification to do so. In general, it is an important practice to make sure the business has the proper licensing to operate in the first place. When a Los Angeles tattoo shops aren’t licensed, it presents new risks that can make it hard to give you peace of mind with their services. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a tattoo parlor in Los Angeles, make sure to reach out to the closest health-standards authority to see if they check out. If that sounds like too much work, simply ask the shop to show you their paperwork.