FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
---
FINGER TATTOOS
I want a finger tattoo, what should I know?
Finger tattoos require upkeep and are prone to fading quickly. If you’re interested in the science behind this, keep reading. Tattoo ink remains in liquid form once it is implanted under your skin. This is what enables it to move and grow with your body. The ideal placement for tattoo ink is between the ‘epidermis’ (top layers of skin) and the ‘dermis’ deeper layers of skin. As the skin on the fingers is so thin, it’s very tricky to get the ink placement exactly in the right spot. When the needle doesn’t go in deep enough, your skin regenerates and eventually pushes the ink out. When the needle goes too deep, the ink looks blurry. The pigment will not look as bold and bright as a tattoo on an area of the body with thicker skin.
How can I prolong my finger tattoo?
If you’re committed to going ahead, then there’s some advice we suggest to take:
1. Commit to upkeep – if you want your finger tattoo to look good long term, you’re going to have to come in for touch-ups pretty regularly within the first year. You will need to wait at least 1 month after your initial tattoo before you can get your first touch up.
2. Cleanliness – always keep your hands clean while your tattoo is healing. Do your best to avoid getting your tattoo wet, even if it means washing your hands with a washcloth so you can control which parts of your hands get wet. Keep your hands clean and dry and don’t participate in sport or activities that might introduce external rubbing or trauma to the tattooed area. Use a fragrance-free moisturiser.
3. Prepare for pain – Finger tattoos hurt! There are many nerve endings under the fine skin on your fingers. The needle will constantly hit bone. Finger tattoos are small so the pain won’t last long but be prepared.
The truth about finger tattoos
Employment Opportunities
Firstly, yes finger tattoos can affect your employment opportunities. While tattoos are becoming more and more accepted, there is a stigma around finger and hand tattoos. Many businesses won’t allow visible finger tattoos. You might be the perfect person for the job but risk being knocked back due to your tattoos. Only commit to getting this kind of tattoo if it won’t affect your livelihood.
The Instagram Sham
You may have seen a really cool finger tattoo on Instagram which inspired your decision. Just be mindful that finger tattoos generally look awesome when they’re fresh – the colour is pronounced and the lines look clean. Digital editing can also make them look far more pronounced. Take anything you see on Instagram with a grain of salt.
---
Tattoo Permanency
What makes tattoos permanent?
A mechanised needle punctures the skin and injects ink into the skin, just below the epidermis. As you are technically damaging the skin when you get a tattoo, your body’s immune system will automatically respond by sending white blood cells to the trauma area and attempts to absorb the ink and dispose of it in the bloodstream. However, tattoo ink uses carbon and pigment particles that are too big to be eaten by white blood cells, so they sit there permanently.
What will my tattoo look like in 10+ years?
As you age, tattoos can lose their vibrancy, clean lines and can fade. Fading and distortion due to changes in body shape are also common problems with tattoos. Sagging, stretching or tightening of skin can cause distortion of the original pieces. the shape and fold of your skin will change over time, so it may bleed a bit outside the edges as the pigment gradually moves around under your skin. Touch ups can help to prolong the aesthetic of your tattoo, but you need to be aware that its appearance will change slowly over time.
How does tattoo removal work?
To remove a tattoo using a laser, the light beam zeroes in on a single colour (in most cases black) and breaks up the pigments’ particles until they are small enough to be carried away by white blood cells. The process is extensive, usually requiring many sessions depending upon the size and colour of the tattoo. Removal may also cause scarring. It’s very difficult to get the whole tattoo out. There is often some leftover fragments of a tattoo. Laser is expensive, painful and not perfect.
---
White Ink Tattoos
I want a white ink tattoo, what should I know?
White Ink Tattoos are not as simple as black or coloured tattoos. White ink is thick, it contains a lot of pigment in order for the white to be visible on the skin. White ink is intended for highlighting tattoos and was never meant to be used for standalone pieces. As such, a few problems can arise when getting a white ink tattoo:
1. Clean lines are difficult to achieve – as white ink is are so thick, it is harder to achieve clean line work using white ink and it can raise the skin’s surface more which may not be the effect you’re going for.
2. White ink fades faster – lighter coloured inks fade faster than dark inks, so you may need to come in for touch-ups more regularly.
3. They can be unpredictable – there’s no knowing exactly how it will heal or what it will look like afterwards. So much depends on your skin tone, your tattoo placement, and your general aftercare of the tattoo. Around 2mm of skin will heal on top of your white ink tattoo so the white ink may appear to be a different colour than pure white depending on your skin tone.
---
Watercolour Tattoos
I want a watercolour style tattoo, what should I know?
Watercolour tattoos have been the latest craze sweeping the internet over the past few years, but are they built to last? The answer is… probably not.
Watercolour tattoos can degenerate over time and without a black outline is a fundamental of quality tattooing. Black ink is carbon-based (while coloured and white ink is pigment based. The carbon-based black ink acts as a dam for your coloured ink and keeps everything neat and in place. Without this outline, coloured tattoos can bleed and not retain defined edges.
All in all, it’s not as simple as “Don’t get one”, and is only of importance if the wearer is concerned… But if longevity is something that matters to you, you can opt instead for a traditionally built tattoo, which is black outlined and black shaded. If made well, you can hardly differentiate between fresh and healed.
In the end, the tattoos we choose to get are personal preference. But being equipped with the knowledge on the pros and cons of these modern trends is essential in making a good choice
---
Deposits
Are deposits refundable?
All deposits are non refundable as they go towards the custom artwork.
---
Pricing
What will my tattoo cost?
Prices are per project.
---
Touch ups
What about touch ups?
Free touch ups are valid if you drop back in within 16 weeks of the tattoo being completed. One free touch up per tattoo.