DOES GETTING A TATTOO HURT? Most people regard the process as "irritating," although from time to time we get the occasional customer who screams as if we are cutting off their leg without anesthesia. We of course, wouldn't do that- legs fill up the dumpster too quickly (watch your fingers, though)! The main thing to keep in mind is: if you REALLY want it, you will go through whatever you have to do to get it. Make a wise decision and, as they say, JUST DO IT! HOW MUCH SHOULD I EXPECT TO PAY? In general, you usually cannot get away with trying to get a cheap job to look like a quality one. To coin a long used tattoo phrase-- "Good tattoos are not cheap, and cheap tattoos are not good." Powerhouse has a $50 minimum for ANY work. If the piece you want is more expensive than you think you can afford, try to break it into sessions; which would mean payment sessions as well, or just save up for that perfect piece. There is no substitution once you've got it on you, and your friends get really tired of hearing you say "yeah, but I got a really good deal on it!" IS THERE A MINIMUM AGE I HAVE TO BE TO GET TATTOOED? We will not tattoo anyone under the age of 18- and while you are on your way, BE SURE to bring a state issued photo ID with you each time you get tattooed at Powerhouse. NO MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE, YOU WILL BE ASKED FOR PHOTO ID EACH TIME YOU GET TATTOOED! IS THERE ANY RISK OF INFECTION FROM GETTING TATTOOED? No. Tattoo and piercing needles are used ONLY once, and then discarded. As long as you keep the tattoo clean, there is no risk of infection. WHAT ABOUT HEPATITIS AND AIDS? The last reported case of tattoo related hepatitis was in 1950. There has never been a documented AIDS case that was directly related to tattooing. Artists are much more at risk of "catching" something a client might have, as opposed to the other way around. Transmission time in AIDS is extremely quick; meaning one persons blood must get into another persons bloodstream before it dries-- a practical impossibility. This is why AIDS is primarily sexually transmitted, or transmitted from intravenous drug use, where the needle actually has a reservoir for fluid, unlike tattoo needles which are not made to hold fluid. WHAT'S THE GENERAL SHOP PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING? Each artist sterilizes the countertops and surfaces that the customer as well as the artist will come in contact with, with a bleach solution. The client's skin is then cleaned, shaved (with a disposable razor, of course!) and prepared to receive the stencil. Once the stencil is in place, single use ink caps, needles, surgical soap and distilled water are set up. The gloved artist will show each customer their sealed needle package before opening it and setting up their machine. After the tattoo is finished, all ink caps and disposables are thrown out; needles are put in biohazard waste containers that cannot be reopened, and work area, including where the client was sitting is once again bleached down. Photo of a sanitary station THE LEGAL STUFF... Every person receiving a tattoo at Powerhouse NO MATTER WHAT AGE will be asked for a positive form of photo ID, and be asked to read and fill out a waiver. This basically states that you are the person your ID says you are, and you DO want that particular tattoo, and you WILL do your best to take care of it. Remember, 50% of the work is up to you. If you don't take care of your tattoo, it will look like crap! SO, HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF MY TATTOO? Keep bandage on for 4 - 12 hours. Remove bandage gently with water and wash with mild soap thoroughly. DO NOT SCRUB! Pat dry & apply Curel, Lubriderm, or Keri skin lotion to the tattoo & rub in. Wash twice a day with mild soap & use lotion twice a day for the next two weeks. Do not pick tattoo; let it peel on its own. Wear comfortable, loose clothing near tattoo. No swimming or direct sunlight on tattoo for the next three (3) weeks. Do not let anything scratch your new tattoo! DOES KEEPING A HEALING TATTOO OUT OF THE SUN AND WATER MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Yep. If you expose a new tattoo to strong sun, there is a very good chance you could burn the lower layers of the skin-- amounting to a 2nd degree burn at least. The tattoo will never heal properly, and most likely lose a lot of color and scar the skin. As for the water; chlorine, will bleach it out, and submerging a new tattoo in the ocean is still not a good idea. Your new tattoo is very vulnerable, and the pores of your skin are open. In water, anything can get out (ink) and anything can get into the skin as well. Think about that - yuuuk! The best thing to do is to plan when you will get that great piece of body art as to not interfere with your fun in the sun! After the tattoo is fully healed, use of a heavy sunblock is a must for the life of the tattoo (yours!) WHAT HAPPENS TO MY TATTOO IF I GAIN OR LOSE WEIGHT? Your skin is elastic enough to change with weight fluctuations. 99% of the time, you will be able to notice no difference. Let's use and example: If you decide you're going to buff up like a monster and are worrying about stretching a tattoo on your arm. The tattoo is 3" across to begin with. Your arm is 12" to begin with. So the size of the tattoo represents one-fourth of the circumference of your arm. You beef up to a ridiculous 24" measurement-- twice the original size your arm started at. First of all, you know the odds of that happening are pretty slim, but this is just an example, Jack! So now one third of your arm is 6" instead of 4". The tattoo may look a bit lighter because the skin is stretched some, but realistically it's not such a big difference. If on the other hand, you have lost a lot of weight, remember the same ratios apply, and the colors of the tattoo will look more dense now, perhaps better! WHAT ABOUT COSMETIC TATTOOS? Facial moles also need to be kept out of the sun-even more so, because they are on a heavy "sun traffic" area to begin with. Be prepared to wear sunglasses more than usual, or a brimmed hat of some kind after either of these procedures.