How long does it take for a tattoo to heal?
Generally, the average sized tattoo will take about 14-21 days to heal. If the tattoo is large, or the session was long, the tattoo may take up to a month to completely heal. Other factors, like your skin, and how well you take care of it, also affect the healing process.
How do I take care of my tattoo after I leave the shop?
When you leave the shop, your tattoo will typically be bandaged up.
- Remove your bandage no more than 3 hours after the tattoo is completed
- Gently rinse the tattoo with lukewarm water and clean with anti-bacterial soap
- Repeat this process 3 times a day, for 3 weeks
- For the first 2-3 days, keep the tattoo clean with an antibacterial soap and water
- Pat the tattoo dry with paper towel after every wash
- After the initial 2-3 days, begin applying a fragrance free lotion 3-5 times a day when the tattoo feels or appears to be dry
Read our in-depth tattoo care guide for more tattoo care tips and considerations.
Can I take anything to dull the pain?
Drugs and alcohol, whether prescribed or recreational, should not be taken within 24 hours before getting tattooed. Many substances will thin the blood and cause the pores to bleed more than normal causing the ink to not hold well. This will result in your tattoo needing a touch up, and will cause yourself more unwanted discomfort. If you are on a prescribed medication, consult your doctor before getting a tattoo. As far as tattoo numbing creams, we recommend consulting with your artist before your appointment about that.
Do tattoos hurt?
Yes, tattoos hurt, and don’t feel good. Everyone has a different pain threshold, but everyone takes pain differently. Some areas are terrible for a few people, but painless for others in the same spot. We don’t know your body and how you will react to it. Tattoos are also tolerable. If you want the tattoo bad enough, then you will tolerate the pain that it takes to put a beautiful piece of art on your body to admire for years to come!
I’m pregnant, can I still get tattooed?
When you are pregnant, or still breast-feeding, your bloodstream is going to directly effect the baby. If you get a tattoo and it becomes infected, the baby doesn’t have the same level of immunity in their systems as we do, so it can be harmful and potentially deadly to the child. There is no definite answer to this question. Also, people’s skin stretch differently, and there is no guarantee that the tattoo will look normal after gaining or losing a significant amount of weight. If you are a woman considering getting a tattoo on your stomach, I would recommend to wait until after pregnancy if you’d like children in the future.
How much is the tattoo going to cost?
All tattoos done by us are completely based on time. We have a minimum of $100. Some tattoos are small, but have lots of detail making the tattoo very time consuming, and some tattoos are large but are able to be applied quickly. Regardless of what she says, size doesn’t always matter!
Are there any tattoos you won’t do?
We refuse to do anything race or gang related. The shop name and reputation is on every tattoo that is performed, and that means more than any amount of money out there. We reserve the right to deny a customer for any reason.
Can I get a tattoo while I’m sick?
When you’re sick, your immune system is lowered so your body has a harder time fighting infection and wounds take longer to heal. Plus, you and your artist are going to be in close proximity to one another and your artist would prefer you not to get them sick, so please reschedule your appointment when you are feeling better.
How long before my tattoo fades?
The lifespan of your tattoo depends completely on how well you take care of your tattoo during, and after the healing process. When exposing your tattoo to sunlight, always wear sunscreen (after tattoo is healed). This also includes tanning beds. There is no reason not to still have beautiful tattoos 10 years down the road and after, if they are well protected from UV rays at all times.
Is there anywhere you won’t tattoo on the body?
It depends with every artist! Come in and talk to one of us today about that one!
Can I go swimming after getting a tattoo?
We recommend waiting at least 3 weeks after getting a tattoo before submerging your tattoo in any water of any kind. If all the scabs fall off and the skin over the tattoo is shiny, then continue to wait until after the shininess has subsided. This shiny skin is called a secondary scab and is a sign that your tattoo is not yet done healing.
Can I go tanning after getting a tattoo?
Same as with swimming, I recommend waiting at least 3 weeks, unless it is not completely done healing. Remember that you need to use sunscreen on your tattoo while tanning to prevent fading.
How long do I have to wait before working out after getting a tattoo?
We recommend waiting at least 2 weeks before working out. The reason for this is that your body sweats out toxins that you don’t want coming in contact with your open wound (a.k.a. your tattoo). Also, sweat will cause too much moisture entering the skin, potentially causing some ink to seep out of the pores, causing inkless spots in your healed tattoo.
My friend knows a guy who will tattoo me at his house for cheap, but I’m unsure what to do.
Speaking for most professional tattoo artists, we strongly dislike (a.k.a. HATE) these people! These “artists” are uneducated, untrained, and work in non-sterile environments. They cause and spread infections, scar people’s skin, create terrible and sometimes unfixable tattoos, and can cause serious bodily harm to you, unless professionally trained. It will be less expensive in the long run to have a professional do your tattoo the right way the first time, instead of getting a hack job from a scratcher, and paying the professional more to fix it!
How do I choose an artist?
When choosing an artist, pick someone who has a similar style to the art that you’re looking to achieve (ex. Artist #1 may have a picture of a realistic frog in his portfolio, but since I want a cartoon style frog, maybe Artist #2 would be more suitable.). And please remember, A GOOD TATTOO AIN’T CHEAP, AND A CHEAP TATTOO AIN’T GOOD. If you’re searching for a bargain price on your tattoo, chances are you will be disappointed in the outcome. Look through artist’s portfolios in order to get familiar with the work they do. If you can’t afford the price that your desired artist has quoted you, ask if the tattoo can be done in multiple sessions to cut down on the upfront cost, or just wait and save up the amount you were quoted.
My friend has a lot of tattoos and said not to listen to your instructions because they know how to take care of it. What should I do?
You can talk to 10 people and get 10 completely different opinions on how you should take care of your healing tattoo. If you are tattooed by us and you use products or methods that weren’t recommended, we will not do free touch ups after the tattoo is healed. We know how the tattoos heal when customers follow our instructions. So pay attention to ONLY your artist’s instructions and tell your friends that you’ve already got it covered.
What is your touch up policy?
Sometimes, due to circumstances out of our control, there may be spots on your tattoo that don’t heal properly. As long as we can tell you made an effort to take care of your tattoos, we will do a touch up on your tattoo within the first 3 months of you getting a tattoo. But before we can touch up your tattoo, the tattoo must be fully healed, which could take up to a month. Anything after 3 months may require a small charge to cover the costs of your artist’s tattoo supplies to perform the touch up.