Yes it does, but it isn't that bad. Actually, a lot depends on where you want to get your tattoo. Thinner more sensitive skin or places with lots of nerve endings tend to hurt the most. Your sternum, ribs, hands, and feet are the most sensitive. Next most sensitive areas would be your ankles, lower back, neck, under arm, around the groin area, and head. The least sensitive areas, and generally most popular (probably for that reason), are your upper arms or forearms, calves, shoulder blade, outer thigh, and butt :-). Now its also true that each person has different tolerances and some people do not have trouble getting tattooed about anywhere. Women who have birthed children or people who have been through surgeries often say that tattooing is just not that big of a deal, whereas people who have never experienced any extreme to moderate pain often find tattooing to be more difficult or even "quite" painful.

Imagine the worst sunburn you've had. You momentarily forgot you were suburned and it itched. You scratched it. That's the kind of "feeling/pain" the tattooing is. Also, because of the high speed vibration of the tattoo machine, there is often an effect similar to what women experience during electrolysis and men during a haircut at the barber's with a dull clippers or a shave with a dull razor. Even with comparisons, its really a unique "feeling."

Small, simple, single color pieces can take anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. Duration for tattooing is affected by complexity and size, color changes, and tolerance to the process. My longest single piece was eleven hours straight and I've done several pieces that took five or six hours. Pieces can also be done in segments; I have done several pieces over a period of a month in short sessions at a time.

Generally they look good after two weeks. However, some people can take months to heal, again depending on the individual. A lot this depends on age, health, diet, medication, alcohol consumption, and care of the tattoo after the process is complete.

We will bandage the tattoo before you leave the shop. And you need to leave it on for one to two hours. We have had really good success with having people get in the shower after the one to two hours is up and running hot (as hot you can stand) water over the tattoo (do not let it hit the tattoo directly, rather let it pour over the area). People who have followed this advice find that scabbing and peeling are greatly reduced. After you have run the hot water over the tattoo and dried the area, you should apply a very thin layer of antibiotic ointment (we suggest bacitracin and A&D ointment and polysporin) three times a day for four to five days-- [NO NEOSPORIN--commonly it draws the ink out of the tattoo.]. After you have used the ointment for the suggested period of time, switch to an UNSCENTED lotion and use that for a couple weeks. No direct sunlight for three weeks and no underwater for ten days, no scratching, which can cause staph infection. If you can, go back and see your artist after six weeks to see if any touch up work is necessary. You don't want to rebandage it; you don't want to sleep on it. Wear loose clothing (avoid socks on an ankle piece or an elastic waist band on a lower back piece). Once the tattoo has healed completely, be sure to use a 50 block sun screen if you plan to be out in the sun for an extended duration. This will protect the color and clarity of your tattoo for the rest of your life.

In the state of North Carolina 18, NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are outside NC, check with your local shop to see the state laws might be.

Yes it will. Depending on how much your change will depend on how much it affects the tattoo. Typically when men workout, they have to drastically change to stretch out a piece on their arm. The result in this case is that the tattoo may be lighter as well as somewhat distorted. Pregnancy will definitely alter tattoos on the stomach, usually permanently.

Lower legs and feet. Shoulder blade. Forearm. Back of neck.

Depending on the condition of the scar, it is possible. It mainly depends on the age and flatness of the scar. If the surface is extremely raised, then that skin may not accept ink. As far as covering up existing tattoos, that can definitely be done. Typically a new piece is two to three times the size of the original to achieve a successful cover up.

Definitely. We encourage customers to bring in their own designs or let us draw one for you. This way you're more likely to get an original piece.

We allow one other person in the room while we're working, just to avoid accidents and maintain a safe environment.

Pregnant women shouldn't get a tattoo, and people with a lot of chemical sensitivities or allergies should at least discuss this with their artist and doctor prior to getting work done. Also anyone with immuno-depressed diseases who normally have difficulty healing on their own. Those with advanced diabetes should not be tattooed, particularly in the lower leg area.

No, you definitely can't get AIDS or other blood-born infections from a shop that is diligent about cleanliness and maintaining a sterile environment. It's up to you to investigate the reputation of your potential shop prior to getting a tattoo. Worst case scenario, you could contract a staph infection, although this is extremely unlikely. Staph germs are everywhere, from restaurants to hospitals, despite diligent cleaning. We use germicides which kill bacteria after every tattooing. We DO provide new needles for every customer, which are sterilized on-site by an autoclave that is spore-tested every 30 days.

Come into the shop and bring a valid photo ID, including date of birth. You will be asked to fill out our standard release form, and we ask that you not drink or take any drugs prior to the session. Once the design is determined, the artist will discuss with you body placement, color and size options, and then the tattooing process begins!

After the artist has set up their supplies and the customer is seated, the proposed skin site is cleaned with alcohol and shaved with soap and water if necessary. A carbon stencil is applied to the skin to confirm the exact location and placement, and last-minute adjustments can be made at this time. Then the tattooing begins. The tattoo machine produces a motion similar to that of a sewing machine, the needles move up and down rapidly, making it impossible to actually feel each puncture individually. The needles only penetrate into the 3rd layer of skin, not "through" the skin. The 1st and 2nd layers of skin will heal over the ink, setting it permanently in place. The artist will frequently wipe the area to remove excess ink and any blood which occurs.