Important
Before getting your tattoo you need to prepare
yourself both mentally and physically.
We will not tattoo anyone with alcohol in their
system. Alcohol thins the blood, which will affect the healing process, this
will compromise the quality of the finished tattoo.
If your blood is thinner then you may bleed easier
which will flush the ink out of your skin and prevents the ink from taking
properly, resulting in a poor tattoo.
Please eat a good meal before your appointment as
this draws the blood to the stomach which results in less bleeding, therefore
resulting in a better tattoo, also it reduces the risk of fainting.
If you are on holiday try to plan getting your
tattoo nearer the end of it as you will not be able to sunbathe or
swim.
Also remember to not get sunburnt as it may
prevent you from being able to have a tattoo only ending in
disappointment.
(back to top)
Healing and Aftercare
Everyone heals differently, 10-14 days is average.
Follow the advice of the artist and not the so-called "tattoo experts" you meet
in the pub. When you leave the tattooist your tattoo will be covered in a
protective wrap dressing.
Some studios advise their customers that it is OK
to remove the wrap after 2 hrs…. we however do not, we have found that leaving
the wrap on overnight speeds up the healing process and gives the new tattoo a
higher protection from possible infection in the initial stages of the healing
process and allows the body longer to 'seal' the pores and expel excess ink
not required.
The wrap stops air getting to any blood therefore
preventing the blood from scabbing which in turn will obviously speed up the
healing process and make the healing process far more comfortable as the excess
blood will be washed away in the morning rather than scabbing. Excess scabbing
can affect the finished result of the tattoo as it can draw the colour out of
the tattoo.
Infection can occur by having a new tattoo come
in contact with an unclean surface or clothing or touching it with hands that
have not been washed. Always wash hands before applying creams to your new
tattoo! Use dispenser soap not a bar as bars of soap will have had dirty hands
on them that could infect your new tattoo!
In the morning remove your protective wrap and
wash with a mild anti bacterial dispenser soap and cold/lukewarm water, pat
dry with kitchen roll or clean towel, not a used towel, and apply a small amount
of D-Panthenol which heals tattoos very well and preserves the colours good and
is not available in the UK. The cream is available to buy at our
reception.
We advise you to buy your cream before your tattoo
or immediately after so you have it ready to apply soon as the wrap is
removed. Apply your cream 3 times per day until it has healed then reduce
to once a day for a further week to 10 days. Wash your tattoo lightly each
morning to remove the previous days cream and pat dry with a clean
towel.
When choosing a healing cream please listen
to the advice of the tattooist.
Use a mild anti-septic cream such as
D-Panthenol
i.e.: a solution for burns or abrasions but
first check to see that it can be used on broken skin and that you are not
allergic to any ingredients.
(back to top)
DO NOT
Do not pick the scabs under any circumstances or
you will pull out the colour and risk infection! Your tattoo will be ruined, as
it will be skin coloured where the ink is missing!
Do not sunbathe with a fresh tattoo healing. The
sun will burn your skin and fade your colours.
Do not soak or bathe the tattoo (no swimming)
otherwise the water will pre-maturely remove the scabs resulting in a ruined
tattoo just as if you picked them.
(back to top)
Booking your appointment A deposit of 25% may be asked for at the time of arranging appointments, this
is to cover preparation time and materials in case the client fails to turn
up, this deposit is non refundable as materials will have to disposed
of.
(back to top)
What to expect
Your tattoo may take between 30 minutes to 7 hrs
depending upon size and detail, large detailed tattoos may require 2 or 3
sittings separated by 2-6 weeks in between sometimes longer depending upon how
well your skin repairs itself.
Tattoos can be done with the use of an anaesthetic
cream which is applied 2 hrs before your tattoo, this is optional. This cream is
charged extra at £5 and is worth every penny of it. The cream will numb the
area so that the initial outlining of the tattoo will barely be felt, if felt at
all. This benefits you greatly and the artist also, if you are not hurting then
you won't be moving, which during the outline process is imperative or else you
can wobble the artist and cause a wobbly line which will be there for everyone
to see for life! Not good for you or the artist! Jumping or moving during a
tattoo will only result in a poor tattoo. You must remain still even if it
hurts, remember you only have one chance at this!
If you move too much the artist may refuse to
continue leaving you with a half finished tattoo.
The numbing of the cream may wear off after or
during the outline process depending on the size and detail of the
design.
This is normal as the body's natural defences
start to kick in which will themselves numb the area slightly.
The needles only penetrate the skin about 1mm so
don't be alarmed when you see the bulky machines!
Everyone takes tattoos differently, some people
they really hurt, some don't feel it hardly at all, some even feel tickled by
the process, some faint, some laugh, some talk a lot! The sensation is a
stingy-scratchy feeling but a great sense of achievement and satisfaction when
finished. Many people say tattoos are addictive, maybe this is because of the
great sense of self-discipline and control whilst having the tattoo and the
breaking of many barriers of the mind. Lots of people talk about getting a
tattoo and never do it, but when you do it you feel a sense of relief and joy
that you have endured it.
The best advice is to eat before and be mentally
prepared. Feedback has suggested that if you are really keen to get your tattoo,
this good mental state actually makes it easier to take process, but this is
only hear say, everyone is different.
To ensure future happiness about your tattoo
please think very carefully about the design and placement of it, as getting a
design that you go off 2 weeks later or having it in a place that you later wish
you hadn't can be a trauma. Remember a tattoo is for life, will you still like
that design in 10 years time? Avoid fashion tattoos and names of partners as
partners and fashions can change. Ruby Laser removal is very painful and
expensive and doesn't actually completely remove the tattoo, also it does leave
a silver scar that can look worse than the tattoo.
Cover-up work can be done very well and is very popular
- which suggests the amount of poor choices that have been made by people
in the past - so think very carefully and take as long as you like in choosing
your tattoo and where to have it. Visit or talk to your tattooist several times
if necessary until you are really happy before you commit your skin to ink! If
you are not sure then wait until you are!
This way we hope you will make a choice that you
will always be pleased with.
(back to top)
|
