TATTOO AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS
AFTER GETTING TATTOOED
With clean hands carefully remove the bandage after 2-3 hours. Soak a piece of clean paper towel and wipe gently to remove any tattoo residue. A small amount of colour, plasma and/or blood is normal.
BATHING
You may bathe the night of being tattooed, or the next morning. You do not want to soak the skin, so showers are suggested and to refrain from baths. Your tattoo should be the last thing that you wash. Use soap that is unscented and free of any perfume and/or dyes as these may irritate the skin and tattoo. Blot dry with a clean paper towel NOT your normal bathing towel. *Do not reapply bandage*
Leave your tattoo alone. Be cautious as there may still be tattoo residue. Use clean clothing and sheets.
THE NEXT MORNING
You may bathe following the instructions above. With clean hands apply unscented moisturizer that is free of any perfume and/or dyes. Use just a small amount and apply very gently. This should be done twice daily for two weeks.
WHILE HEALING
The tattooed area may be sore and swollen for the first couple days. It is an open wound and extra caution should be exercised during daily activities. Always use clean hands when cleaning and moisturizing your tattoo. Be very cautious of pets and do not let anyone touch your tattoo. A few days after being tattooed you will notice the tattoo become dry and flaky like a sunburn. This is completely normal and what a healthy healing tattoo should look like. The tattoo may begin to itch, ranging from a slight tingle to unbearable, but DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK TATTOO. Applying moisturizer may relieve itch. The tattoo should not have hard scabs, pus or look angry as these may be signs of infection. Leave your tattoo alone and your body will do the rest. Avoid soaking and/or having baths, swimming, hot tubs, sauna. Avoid sun, uv rays, tanning for a month. Your tattoo should be fully healed in 2 weeks.
If infection does occur, please contact your family doctor immeadietely.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is getting a tattoo safe?
We are a professional studio and have been inspected by Toronto Public Health. Guidelines can be found on the Toronto Public Health website. Getting a tattoo is a small medical procedure and we treat it as such. We use sterile one-time use needles and are latex free and barrier controlled environment. All other equipment used is sterilized in an autoclave or disposable. All surfaces are cleaned using a high level disinfectant, before and after each client. All staff are knowledgeable of cross-contamination and related risks and practice sterile procedures.
Is the tattoo permanent?
Yes it is permanent. Careful consideration of image and placement should be taken when planning a tattoo. You do not want to get something that may limit you or your future. Get something that you can live and grow with.
How old do I have to be to get a tattoo?
You have to be 18 years old and of sound body and mind to get a tattoo
OR
16 years old with your parent or legal guardian present
You can not get a tattoo if you are under the influence of any drugs or alcohol or if our staff suspects that you are.
You will have to sign a waiver prior to being tattooed and may be asked to produce photo identification.
*we have the right to refuse service to anyone*
Does getting a tattoo hurt?
Yes it will hurt. The amount of pain that you will feel depends on your own pain tolerance in combination with the location of the tattoo on your body. If you are concerned about the pain, we suggest you book multiple shorter sessions.
How much will my tattoo cost?
“Good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good”
The cost of a tattoo depends on the size and amount of detail in the design.
Our focus is on custom tattooing and there is no fee for a consultation or design preparation. We do however, reserve the rights to the design and will not release it to the client unless other specific arrangements have been made. Custom rates are as follows:
1 hr - $100 4 hrs -$350
2 hrs -$200 5 hrs- $400
3 hrs -$300 6 hrs- $450
How long will it take my tattoo to heal?
Healing times vary from person to person, but most tattoos should be fully healed in 2 weeks. Factors that may affect healing include your overall physical health, the cleanliness of your environment, and your aftercare regime.
The tattooed area may be sore and swollen for the first couple days. It is an open wound and extra caution should be exercised during daily activities.
A few days after being tattooed you will notice the tattoo become dry and flaky like a sunburn. This is completely normal and what a healthy healing tattoo should look like. The tattoo may begin to itch, ranging from a slight tingle to unbearable, but DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK TATTOO. Applying moisturizer may relieve itch. The tattoo should not have hard scabs, pus or look angry as these may be signs of infection.
For best results please follow your artist’s Aftercare Instructions and your body will do the rest.
If infection does occur, please consult your family doctor immediately.
What kind of soap, moisturizer, ointment should I use?
We suggest you use unscented products. Products containing scent/perfumes/dye could irritate the skin. We like to use trusted, easy to find products such as unscented Dove soap, Ivory, Lubriderm moisturizer, Kerri’s, Jergens, etc.
We do not recommend using ointments such as Polysporin during the healing process. Ointments such as these are meant to kill infection and things alien to the body. Your tattoo should not be infected and the ink is actually alien to your body. Using these products may actually hinder the healing process and push the ink out.
For more information please refer to the Aftercare Instructions.
How do I get rid of a tattoo?
Many people have tattoos that they aren’t very happy with. There are removal options such as laser removal or excision. These methods can be quite costly and painful.
The other option is to tattoo again. Reworking an old design can bring new life to a piece and give you what you were trying to achieve the first time, or you could cover it up with something brand new. With the right design the old tattoo can be combined into or completely covered by the new one. The new design will have to be larger and darker that the original in order to be effective. We suggest that you come in for a consultation and see what our artists recommend.
If I lose/gain weight what will happen to my tattoo?
It is normal for your weight to fluctuate. Your body/skin will stretch/ shrink evenly. Unless you plan to lose/gain an excessive amount of weight your tattoo should remain exactly the same.
Can I get a tattoo if I’m pregnant?
We will not tattoo a pregnant woman. Healing a tattoo can put extra strain on an already changing body. You will have to sign a waiver stating that you are not pregnant at the time of the tattoo.
Do you do U.V. Blacklight tattoos?
At this time we are not doing U.V. Blacklight tattoos. This is a relatively new product that we would like to do more research on. There isn’t sufficient information available regarding longevity or long term effects on the body. Until there is, we are not comfortable endorsing this product and providing it to our clients.
Will you tattoo anything, anywhere?
We are not here to judge you, but we will not tattoo just anything anywhere. We have the right to refuse service to anyone and it is the artist’s prerogative. We will not tattoo the face or hands except under special circumstances. We do not support hate and will not tattoo anything that suggests such. We are professionals and we will do our best to accommodate you and offer our advice and creativity. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us.