F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt?

Let’s start with the classic. I tell all my clients there are three things that determine whether or not a tattoo “hurts.” The first is your personal pain threshold. Everyone is different. Some people can have a root canal while talking about the weather while others faint at the thought of a dentist. Next will be where on your body you’re having the tattoo done? Obviously some parts of the body are more sensitive than others. In other words if someone offers you a choice between punched in the lips or on the shoulder most people will opt for the shoulder. Finally is who is the artist. Some artists are famous for sticking the needle in hard and working fast and hurting. Others (I for example was voted the lightest touch on the Eastern seaboard by a tobacco magazine survey) have a lighter touch.

So, to recap, if you are sensitive to pain, get a tattoo in a painful place and have a heavy-hitter do it, you’ll tell everyone it hurts to get tattooed. On the other hand, if you have a high pain threshold, get it in a non-sensitive place by an artist with a light hand, you’ll be telling everyone it doesn’t hurt a bit.

The pain, if you could call it that, is akin to peeling off a band-aid or having your hair pulled and a lot of people say it’s more annoying than actually painful.

Can I get AIDS?

From tattooing? In short, no. I’m not a doctor but have obviously asked a few about HIV and AIDS and the gist is the only person at risk from getting AIDS would be the artist if he/she was tattooing someone who had it…and even then the risk would be tiny.

AIDS is transferred by bodily fluid i.e. the infected person’s blood/semen etc transferred to someone else. This is the reason it’s so prolific with drug users swapping needles. When a hypodermic syringe is used the operator draws a small amount of blood back up into the hollow needle. When they then pass this contaminated needle to the next user that blood inside gets transferred to the new user.

With tattoos there are no hollow needles and while some blood and ink is drawn into the tube it’s only going back into you and not being swapped with someone else.

Is it safe?

The answer to this question dovetails with the one above about AIDS. In a professional shop it is safe. If you get one from your buddy who just bought a kit through the mail, someone in prison, or a scratcher* then your risk just went through the roof.

Professional shops are typically inspected by the county Health Dept and must follow their guidelines concerning single use needles, autoclave sterilization, gloves and knowledge of blood borne pathogens etc.

Professionals also have a vested interest in making sure you don’t catch anything because their studio’s reputation is on the line. If they infect someone with hepatitis the resultant hue and cry will kill their business.

Autoclaves (the main method of sterilization in a professional studio and dentist’s office) cost a couple of grand. Your cousin who bought a mail order kit, or some guy doing it in his garage is not going to have spent the money on one of those or the spore testing which must be done on a regular basis.

So, if you want to ensure you’re tattoo is clean get to a professional studio and trust the pros.

* Scratcher: Someone without any formal training who works out of their house/garage. They usually can’t draw worth a damn and they almost never have or know anything about sterilization and blood borne pathogens etc.

How much do they cost?

That depends. Some artists have a name and, just like in the fashion and art world, you’ll pay more for their work than someone who’s less well known. You can also expect to pay more for custom work than flash (pre-designed). Again, this is like the fashion world. You will pay a lot more for a one off piece by someone like Christian Dior or Coco Chanel than you will for something from The Gap.

Occasionally we’ll get asked “do you charge by the piece or by the hour?” Technically, that’s the same thing. I’ll look at a piece, work out how many hours it’s going to take and charge accordingly.

Just remember, if you break the cost of a tattoo down by what it costs per day to own it, it’s almost negligible. In other words a 300 dollar tattoo works out costing less than $1.00 per day in a year’s time and, at over twenty-five years works out at around 3 cents per day. Not bad.

They’re also great value from another perspective. What else lasts as long? Jewelry can be lost, vehicles rust, houses deteriorate and get burned down etc. Very few other things have a tattoos’ longevity.

Do I have to drink to get one?

No, no and no. In fact, alcohol thins the blood which makes it hard to get the ink in. As a result the tattoo won’t heal correctly and will probably have to be re-done at some point in the future. Also, people who’ve been drinking almost never sit still which makes them hard to tattoo. Bottom line is, if I smell alcohol on someone’s breath I will not tattoo them.

Pretty much any other drug is going to be the same. It makes me laugh to see little girls sit in the chair and get big tattoos without batting an eyelid and supposed macho men who want pain pills, booze and a bunch of numbing lotions etc.

I’d be willing to bet a ton of money that the people who claim they “regret” getting their tattoo probably got it while they were drunk.

Are they addictive?

If you mean addictive in the sense that nicotine and cocaine are addictive…then the answer is no. However, a lot of people who get them, come back and get more. Of course there are those who get one and that’s it so that should answer any questions about addiction.

Some people have reported getting hooked on the endorphin rush that getting a tattoo creates and that is where stories of addiction no doubt spring from.

This also answers in some small way the question about pain.  If they hurt sooo bad, why do people keep getting more of them?

Can I bring my own design?

Absolutely but keep in mind not every design you bring us, whether you drew it yourself, a friend did, or you found it in a magazine, is doable as a tattoo. Some very nice pieces come over our desk that are just too incredibly detailed to put in the skin. Lines get too close together, over time, due to the aging process, and collagen levels diminishing, which means they’ll run together. Designs by tattoo artists on the other hand, take into account this spreading process and are drawn accordingly.

Of course it doesn’t hurt to ask so yes, bring your designs in by all means.

Where should I get it?

That’s a very personal question. Undoubtedly the most common location for most guys first tattoo is going to be the shoulder or upper arm. Girls tend to go for ankles, shoulder blade or lower back.

Do take into consideration what you might be doing with your life twenty years from now. The tattoo on your forehead that impresses your friends when you’re eighteen will cost you in the long run.

Some tattoos, typically those on hands, necks and faces, are called “job stoppers” by many in the industry so think long and hard before tattooing areas of your body like that.

I’ve always kept mine where I can hide them with a short sleeved shirt if necessary due to my other career as a bodyguard.

What if I don’t like my tattoo?

While it’s true you have more options today than in years past removing a tattoo is still not easy. Lasering is expensive and, by all accounts, hurts more than the tattoo did and will require multiple sessions to remove completely.

There are other less effective options that typically involve abrading the skin, letting it heal and then repeating the process until the tattoo is gone.

Your best option is to be certain you want one and, put it in an area of your body that you can hide it later if you don’t like it.

Another option is a cover up. People have done this effectively for years by covering over either a bad design or a tattoo they no longer want. (Typically some paramour’s name). Some tattoo artists are very good at this and specialize in it so seek out someone good if a cover up is what you’re after.

Are You Licensed?

No because we are not required to be.  However we are inspected and permitted by the county Health Department agents.  Before we can open a studio we have to pass their rigorous inspection to ensure we are not running the risk of giving someone an infection.  They check our autoclave sterilizer works (verified by an independent third party), we have hot running water, our release forms are legal and a slew of other points to help ensure your safety.

In many ways the county agents have the same job we do i.e. to make sure none of our clients get an infection.  Always check your artist has an up to date permit visible in his work area to ensure your safety.