Do's and don'ts before getting a tattoo...

Do not get a tattoo if you are sick or not feeling well. Wait until you're feeling better before getting that tattoo.

Do make sure you've had food and rest. Getting tattooed on an empty stomach or drunk may cause you to feel faint, nauseated, or dizzy.

Don't take pain killers like aspirin, ibuprofen, and anaesthetics, which may possibly cause cause problems, such as increased bleeding.

Do not get tattooed if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Do remember, you must be over 18 years of age to have a tattoo

Does getting a tattoo hurt?
 
We won't lie to you, we do not like the way the tattoo process feels. we'll sit for as long as we can, but when we're done, we're done.

Some people claim to feel nothing but pressure or a slightly irritating feeling and nothing more. Some claim that it is "annoying". Others admit that it is quite painful but not totally unbearable. How it feels depends on the person. Each person, and how their body tolerates pain, is different. None will report the same exact sensation.

The feeling can range from cat scratch to burning to electricity or just the feeling of being written on very stiffly with a ballpoint pen. In the end, getting a tattoo feels like getting a tattoo. Try it and find out.

Ladies please take note: You may notice that the sensation of the tattoo may be amplified if you're getting work done a week before or during your menstrual cycle...

How long does it take for a tattoo to heal?
 
Tattoo healing times can differ greatly from person to person. Most people are healed within 2 weeks, others can heal at a much slower rate. I've seen tattoos that have taken up to a month to heal. And just because it's healed on the outside, doesn't mean the tattoo is completely healed underneath.

Healing time can depend on the individual and their health. The better your health, the faster you'll heal. Skin type can also be a factor in this.

Healing time can depend on the body part. Some areas will heal faster than others depending on how much you use the body part. Joints and places that flex or bend on a regular basis can take longer to heal. This includes hands and feet, which can take up to a full month to heal because of the difference in the texture of the skin in these spots.

Each artist works differently and certain individual techniques may overwork the skin and cause the tattoo to take a bit longer to heal.

Tattoos that scab may often take a bit longer to heal than a tattoo that peels.

More information on healing and aftercare can be found here.

Does a tattoo always form a scab?
 
No. Some tattoos will scab, some will peel. Sometimes a tattoo will do both. Either is possible and quite normal. There is no way to predict whether your tattoo will scab or peel. This can vary with each individual and each tattoo as well as each body part and the aftercare used.

When I go to get my tattoo, what should I wear?\
 
Wear something comfortable... and breathable. Layer clothing so that if you get overheated, you have a way to cool down. Wear old clothes... tattoo ink stains!

Wear something that allows us easy access to the area you'd like tattooed. We need no more exposed than the area in which he or she is going to be working with a few inches surrounding to be able to wipe excess ink away.

Do you numb the area before a tattoo?
 
No. To prescribe any type of anaesthetic you must be a doctor and there is no way I'm going through medical school to be able to give a person a painless tattoo.

People have been getting tattooed (and things much, much more painful) for thousands of years with no numbing needed. In fact, it was done to prove how much the body could endure. A rite of passage to prove your worth to the tribe.

If it was painless it would be all too easy, everyone would have tattoos and it would be a worthless commitment. If you want that tattoo bad enough you'll sit through it. You'll earn it. Even if you're not proving your strength to society or your peers... you're proving it to yourself.

Does one colour hurt more than another?
 
Absolutely not. You'll hear some people saying that one colour hurts more than another colour. This makes no sense. It's not the colour or ink that causes the sensation, it's the needles. You can run water through a tattoo machine and it will feel exactly the same way.

A lot of people claim that black ink hurts more. I've heard some claim that yellow and white ink (or very light colours) hurts more. Why? Black is normally the first colour that hits the skin... and that can cause a bit of shock to the system. The skin hasn't been worked yet and the feeling is very new to your body. Once it goes on for a while you tend to adjust and get used to it.

White or other very light colours are often the last colours used. The skin has already been worked so it's a little tender by this point. Sometimes that last colour can seem like the worst, especially since you're anticipating the end of the process and enjoying your new addition. This is what you've worked so hard for.

Can I have a few drinks to loosen me up before my tattoo?
 
Not if you expect me to tattoo you. It won't happen. Alcohol is a blood-thinner so it will cause you to bleed more. The excess flow of blood can cause immediate fading. Being that we take great pride in our work, I can't see wasting our time and effort putting all our energy into a piece if the person on the receiving end doesn't care what their ink looks like when it heals.

If a woman gets a tattoo on her stomach (abdomen) and then decides to have children, will the tattoo stretch out of shape? Will it ever go back to normal?
 
This depends solely on the individual.
Sometimes the abdomen will stretch but remain smooth, unmarred by stretch-marks. Most likely the tattoo will go back to normal in this situation. However, if stretch-marks do occur, they will run over the weakest areas of skin. Areas prone to easiest stretching would be where the skin was perforated before... if a stretch-mark runs through your tattoo you have less than a 50% chance of it going back to normal, no matter what you do.

Stretch-marks from pregnancy have the potential to run anywhere from the tops of the thighs to just under the breasts and from hip to hip across.

Ladies, think very carefully about getting a tattoo in this area if you plan on having children and keeping your ink looking good. There's little to nothing you can do to completely prevent stretch-marks from occurring if it runs in your family. Even if it's skipped a generation...

Is it true that tattoos are addictive?
 
Yes, but not in the way you're thinking... It's not very often that a person gets one tattoo and quits. They may even wait years before the next tattoo, but sooner or later they get back in 'the chair'.

I know what I want, but I can't draw it. Can you design a tattoo for me?
 
As artist, we can and do design custom tattoos but can only design tattoos for people who will be clients of ours.  

Can a tattoo be done in white ink?
 
Yes. Unfortunately, you have to get really lucky for a white tattoo to stay white. The paler you are, the better off you are, but finding an artist who works well with white and is willing to do a white tattoo may be difficult.

White generally stays better in small areas like highlights. Larger areas are a bit tougher, but on some people, not impossible.

A solid white tattoo with no black outline will not be very noticeable. You may get a lot of questions asking if it's a scar, brand or some other form of mark. It will not stand out bold from your skin. If you tan, it will be even less noticeable and may be one of the first things to fade with repeated sun exposure.

After working with it in small areas, your artist may be able to better decide if white will stand out and stay in your tattoo. Normally, the deeper the pigment of your skin, the less you'll notice white.

Tattoo artists inexperienced at working with white may try to 'grind the ink in' to get it to stay. This only creates scar tissue, not brighter colour.

Why does my tattoo raise up from time to time?
 
Some scarring occurs with every tattoo. Most of the time it's not really noticeable. When the tattoo becomes irritated the scar will raise up for a bit. This can be caused by sun exposure or sunburn, slapping, scratching, rough clothing or even stress. Given time to calm down, the tattoo will lay flat again.

The same reaction commonly occurs with stretch-marks. If you have them, I'm sure you've noticed.

My tattoo is raised all the time. Why?
 
If the tattoo is raised constantly, chances are it's permanently scarred. This can happen with sensitive skin or skin that's prone to keloiding. It can also happen if the artist goes too deep or overworks the area. There isn't really anything that can lessen the scar tissue.

There's a rash around my tattoo! Am I having an allergic reaction?
 
Possibly, but probably not. In most cases, the rash (which looks like small pimples) is caused by over moisturizing the area. Chances are, you're applying some sort of ointment or lotion to the tattoo. All that moisture needs a way to escape and can do so in the form of pimples... A rash can also be caused by something as simple as clogged pores or sometimes, ingrown hairs. Once the tattoo has finished scabbing or peeling, you can apply rubbing alcohol to the rash to help dry it out. Don't try to pop the pimples... this can cause scarring and may lighten the tattoo in that area.

It is possible that you're allergic to the ointment or lotion that you're applying. You can try switching brands... but make sure you consult about the condition of your tattoo before changing anything in your aftercare procedure.

If you're having an allergic reaction to the ink, the spot with the 'offending' ink will raise up, itch and have an extremely hard time healing. At times it may 'weep' and look a bit lumpy. Allergic reactions typically occur just after the tattoo is finished, and noticed as the tattoo tries to heal. Sometimes an allergic reaction can occur years after the tattoo has been done and healed but that's pretty rare. The most common allergy-causing colour is known to be red (a.k.a. Red Reaction), but it is possible for a person to be allergic to any colour.