DOES GETTING A TATTOO HURT?

YES! Receiving a tattoo is a painful process. It requires the application of pigment under the first epidermal layer of the skin. The larger the tattoo the longer it will take to do, so small tattoos hurt less than large ones! But remember, people wouldn’t get a second tattoo if the first one hurt that bad.

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL?

A few days after the tattoo is completed, the skin around the tattoo starts to peel, similar to sunburn. Picking at the skin should be avoided, because doing so can damage the artwork and increase the risk of infection. 7 to 10 days after getting a tattoo, the peeling process should be completed, leaving the skin shiny and slightly wrinkled. After two weeks, the tattoo should appear fully healed.

 

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GET A TATTOO?

Although you can get a tattoo any time of the year, your skin gets a lot more abuse during the summer with swimming, tanning and just being exposed to the elements more. Wintertime is really the best season to get a tattoo.

 

WILL HAIR STILL GROW THROUGH MY TATTOO?

Yes, the area may need to be shaved by the artist or yourself as part of the preparation for your tattoo, but it should grow back normally as your tattoo heals. You should see no change in the hair colour or density when it returns.

 

HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT TO GO SWIMMING AFTER A NEW TATTOO?

Until the tattoo is fully healed, the area is vulnerable to the bacteria found in swimming pools and lakes. Waiting a minimum of three weeks to go swimming reduces the risk of irritation and infection, but if the tattoo has not completely healed, it is necessary to clean the area thoroughly after swimming.

 

DOES IT COST MORE FOR COLOUR?

Colour is no more or less. This also depends on the size and the detail of the tattoo. Small tattoos with 2 or less colours would be similar to one that only has grey shading. When doing multiple colours, the cost would be more because of the time that it takes.

 

HOW LONG BEFORE I CAN SHAVE THE TATTOOED AREA AGAIN?

As part of the preparation for your tattoo, the area may be shaved clean. After a few days, the hair will start to grow back normally but it is important that you not shave the area again until your tattoo is full healed – no matter how itchy the growing hair might be. When shaving a healing tattoo, you run the risk of damaging your artwork and causing painful scars if you cut raised skin or accidentally snag and remove scabs that are still healing. Chemical hair removers are just as bad (if not worse) – in addition to potentially damaging your artwork, chemical hair removers can cause painful chemical burns and rashes when applied to broken skin.

 

Wait until you can carefully run your fingertips over the tattooed area and not feel any peeling, scabbing, or swelling. When you can’t tell that you’re touching your tattoo with your eyes closed, you should be good to go (usually 2-3 weeks).

 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET A TATTOO?

The cost varies on the size of your tattoo and complexity. The Lost Boys Tattoo Studio freely admits we're not cheap, but we are good (read our testimonies). It's far more expensive to have a cheap tattoo covered up because the quality is poor. Get it right first time and you'll wear it with pride for a lifetime!

 

WHAT MAKES TATTOOS FADE?

There are many different factors that can cause fading. The most common is prolonged periods of direct sun light. Others are shades of ink used, the quality of pigment and quality of tattoo work. There are many factors that can cause your tattoo to fade; these are just a few of the main causes. Lighter colours tend to fade first.

 

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR MY TATTOO SESSION?

Make sure you are well rested, well hydrated, and have eaten recently. Aside from that, take a shower, charge your phone or tablet up to full, and don’t bring in your 50 closest friends (1-2 are fine).

 

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET TATTOOED?

You must be at least 18 years old with a valid ID to get tattooed here. We do not tattoo minors, even with parental consent.

 

CAN I BRING MY OWN DESIGN?

You are more than welcome to bring in your own design. If you already know what you want, great, it's very simple to convey your idea to our artists. The easiest way is with a picture. It doesn’t matter what the picture is on (keychain, t-shirt, book, drawing…etc.). Even if you can’t draw, we take pride in creating custom work. Just describe it well or even bring in a stick drawing. We can turn it into your dream tattoo on paper right before your eyes!

 

DO YOU USE SINGLE-USE NEEDLES?

The needles are new, sterile, and single-use, placed into sharps container for proper disposal!! Everything that is disposable is one time use, and non-disposable items are cleaned and sterilised in an autoclave. The autoclave is regularly tested for effectiveness by doing a spore test every month. We record all results from spore tests in a book at the shop. Autoclave is tested at every use with sterilisation integrators, and logged into a folder with the date and cycle number of each process.

 

IS IT SAFE TO USE PAIN KILLERS DURING MY SESSION?

The answer to this question is probably one of the more discussed issues in the tattoo field. For the most part, the short answer is “yes” – but with some qualifications. First, know that we cannot offer you any type of medication at any point during your visit.

 

Some types of painkillers can thin the blood and cause excess bleeding during your session. Over the counter drugs such as aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen are processed by the kidneys, and are more prone to this problem than alternatives like Tylenol (acetaminophen) which is handled by the liver. Even so, we don’t typically have any issue with people using ibuprofen during their sessions.

 

Excess bleeding can affect how well the ink is held by the skin, washing it away as quickly as it is applied. In addition, excess bleeding is simply messy and can slow down progress due to constant wiping to keep the work area clear.

 

Do not take any type of painkiller that impairs your judgment in any way before your session. We cannot (and will not) tattoo someone who appears to be under the influence of any medication that is affecting their ability to make sound decisions (this includes alcohol).

 

IS IT OK TO GET A TATTOO IF I’M SICK?

Getting a tattoo when your immune system isn’t at 100% isn’t a good idea. You’re going to need your strength and your white blood cells to heal your tattoo, something your body won’t be able to do if it’s already doing battle against virus and bacteria. Not to mention the fact that it’s very inconsiderate to bring your illness into the tattoo studio and risk passing the germs onto others, particularly your artist. If you have an appointment, call and reschedule for when you’re feeling well again.

 

WILL I NEED TO TAKE TIME OFF TO RECOVER FROM A TATTOO?

Not for most jobs. The area will be tender for about a week, (similar to sunburn or minor abrasion) and the swelling can cause discomfort, but for the great majority of people this is only a bit bothersome and does not interfere with their work. If your work might expose the healing tattoo to unsafe conditions, or the work is on an area that will hurt to bend or flex as part of your job, then you might want to schedule near a weekend or take an extra day off to recover.