Frequently Asked Questions

That entirely depends on what you're wanting to get! I do flat-rate pricing - I'm not as fast as I would like to be yet, so with the way I currently work hourly pricing doesn't seem fair. Reach out to me and tell me what you're wanting to get, and I can give you a flat price from there. With that said, the shop's minimum is $80 so expect to pay at least that much.

The days leading up to your tattoo - drink lots of water and regularly lotion the area you'll be getting tattooed. This is especially helpful if you have very dry skin or more mature skin.

The night before - avoid alcohol, and get a good night's sleep.

The day of - take a shower, gently exfoliate the tattoo area, don't try to shave the tattoo area (if you have super thick or coarse hair feel free to use electric trimmers, but it's not required), and make sure you eat a good meal within an hour or two of your appointment.

When you come in for your scheduled tattoo appointment, your deposit is applied towards the total cost of your tattoo - it's not an additional fee.

Your deposit guarantees your appointment time, and makes sure neither of us end up with our time wasted. When you schedule with me and pay a deposit, that period of time is locked in and fully dedicated to you. You can be sure that I won't be taking on another appointment during that time, or taking a walk-in. 

In the event that you have to cancel last-minute, or forget your appointment and don't show up, the deposit pays me for the time I've spent preparing for your appointment and drawing your tattoo. I understand that emergencies and accidents happen - and I'm always happy to reschedule you with a new deposit in those situations.

As long as you let me know at least 48 hours before your appointment time, you do get one free reschedule of your appointment. 

I will always try my hardest to be understanding and accommodating to the crazy things life can throw at us, but unfortunately I still have to pay my bills, and if I end up not tattooing when I've planned to then I'm not making the money I planned to make for that day. 

A valid government-issued photo ID, a zip-up jacket or light blanket if you get cold easily, and cash to pay. 

I offer Tegaderm for all tattoos, which makes the first few days of healing a breeze! If you've never used it before - Tegaderm (other common brands are SaniDerm or Recovery Derm Shield) is a clear adhesive bandage formulated in hospitals for wound care. It's applied over your fresh tattoo like a big sticker, and it can be left on for up to 5 days as long as it stays intact. If you have an allergy to adhesives or band-aids, PLEASE let me know - in that case Tegaderm is probably not the aftercare option for you. 

For traditional aftercare, I recommend Dial Gold anti-bacterial soap to wash and a petroleum-free unscented lotion to moisturize.

I provide a printed aftercare sheet at all appointments, and you are always welcome to reach out to me with aftercare questions.

In short, at least 2 weeks.

Most tattoos are healed on the surface in 2-4 weeks. Full healing and settling of a tattoo takes about 3-6 months.

Here's an in-depth timeline of what you can expect:

1. For the first 2-3 days you can expect your tattoo to be red, swollen, and tender or achy. Anti-Inflammatories like Ibuprofen can help with this.

   • If you are using Tegaderm - you will most likely see an ink sack developing under the bandage during this time. Do not pop or drain the bandage! The fluid you're seeing is plasma mixed with excess ink, and letting your body re-absorb this plasma will assist in the healing process.

   • If you are healing traditionally - you might see blood or ink oozing from your tattoo during this time. Wash and lightly moisturize your tattoo 2-3 times a day during this time, and try to wear loose clean breathable clothing over the area if it must be covered.

2. For days 4-14 ish your tattoo will start to itch and peel like a sunburn and possibly scab in areas. Please don't scratch, peel, or pick at your healing skin. I know it's hard, but picking and scratching can damage your tattoo or make it take longer to heal. Lightly moisturizing as needed during this time helps with the itching.

3. By the end of the second week, your tattoo should be fully or mostly healed on the surface. As long as all of the peeling has stopped and you do not have any scabs (i.e. your skin looks and feels normal again) then you should be safe to swim, workout, take baths, and enjoy the beach or other messy/outdoorsy activities again.

4. After a month your tattoo should be settled into the visible layers of your skin, meaning you shouldn't see any more changes to the ink. However, the deeper layers of your skin can take anywhere from 3-6 months to fully heal. 

To keep your ink vibrant for as long as possible, use lotion regularly to keep it hydrated and wear a minimum of 50 SPF sunscreen over your tattoos when you're expecting sun exposure.