CAN YOU TATTOO OVER SCARS?

Yes, it is possible to tattoo over scars, but it depends on certain factors such as the texture of your scar and how healed it is. We recommend booking a consultation with your tattoo artist so they can advise on the best way forward for your tattoo.

DOES A TATTOO HURT?

All tattoos hurt a little bit. Some areas will hurt more than others and sometimes you will barely feel it, but all tattoos are bearable, otherwise people wouldn’t be extensively tattooed. The best thing to do to minimise the pain and anxiety of getting tattoo is to stay calm and don’t tense up, breathe slowly and accept that it will hurt a little. Make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing and that you have eaten and had a good night’s sleep beforehand. Many people chose to take a pain killer such as ibuprofen an hour before the tattoo and find that this helps to take the edge off.

WHERE IS THE LEAST PAINFUL PLACE TO GET A TATTOO?

Everyone’s pain threshold is a little different so this will vary from person to person. When thinking about the placement, you should have the tattoo where you want it not where you think it will hurt less, the pain will be short lived, but the tattoo will be permanent. In general, the places that have more contact in day to day life hurt less (such as upper arms/legs). However when choosing the placement of your tattoo it would be advisable not to take this into consideration as pain is temporary but the tattoo placement is not.

WHERE IS THE MOST PAINFUL PLACE TO GET A TATTOO?

It is commonly acknowledged that the ribs are one of the most painful places to get tattooed.

DOES TATTOO NUMBING CREAM WORK?

Numbing creams can be great for smaller tattoos. They generally don’t work for more than a couple of hours though so we would not recommend them for longer sittings. Always consult your tattoo artist before using numbing cream as not all artists like to work on skin that has been numbed.

HOW MUCH DOES A TATTOO COST?

The cost of your tattoo will vary depending on the size, placement, design and artist. The best way to get an accurate price estimate for a tattoo is to have a consultation with the studio or artist and we will then be able to advise you on the price. Send us a message on the contact page for more information.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A TATTOO TO HEAL?

The general healing time for a tattoo is 7-14 days. This does not mean that it will hurt for 14 days but you may find that is it a little itchy and scabby. Each artist will provide you with suitable aftercare instructions for the tattoo you are having. In general, the best advice is to keep it clean by washing with hot water and a natural, perfume free baby soap for the first few days and then to make sure you use a recommended tattoo aftercare cream to moisturise the healing tattoo. Never pick the scabs off a healing tattoo as this will result in colour loss and patchy healing. You need to keep a new tattoo out of prolonged contact with water for 14 days, so no swimming or long soaks in the bath. Showers are fine though. It is advisable to keep any tattoo out of the sun and to always use factor 50 sunscreen.

CAN YOU GET A TATTOO WHILE PREGNANT?

It is not advisable to get tattooed while pregnant and no reputable tattooist will do this. You will be asked to sign a consent form before your appointment, one of the things it will ask you to declare is that you aren’t pregnant.

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET A TATTOO?

By law you must be over 18 to get a tattoo in the UK. You must be able to produce a valid form of photo ID.

HOW LONG DOES A TATTOO TAKE?

The time your tattoo takes will vary depending on size, placement and detail. Your artist should be able to give you an idea of how long the piece will take at the time of booking. Please note that we can only give an estimate on the time a tattoo will take as each design is custom.

CAN I SWIM OR TAN WITH A NEW TATTOO?

No, we recommend avoiding swimming or sun exposure while your tattoo is healing. Swimming can introduce bacteria into your new tattoo and sun exposure can cause the tattoo to fade and discolour. Both can cause the healing process to slow down so we recommend following your artist’s aftercare instructions on the best ways to look after your tattoo.