Does getting a tattoo hurt?
Simply - YES. It is different for every individual.

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.

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?
Nope. 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 the artist easy access to the area you'd like tattooed. The artist needs 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 anesthetic you must be a doctor.

People have been getting tattooed 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.

Does one color hurt more than another?
Absolutely not. You'll hear some people saying that one color hurts more than another color. This makes no sense. It's not the color 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.

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 I take great pride in my work, I can't see wasting my time and effort putting all my love and energy into a piece if the person on the receiving end doesn't care what their ink looks like when it heals. My work is my signature and my good name. If it looks bad so do I.

The bottom line is that I'm not drunk when I work on you... show me the same respect. If I smell alcohol on you, you will not be tattooed. No exceptions.

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'. :)

Tomorrow is my 18th birthday. Can I get my tattoo now?
Nope. State law prohibits the tattooing of minors.

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.

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.