FAQS

Yes and no. Everyone has a different pain threshold and handle pain differently. If you relax and concentrate on breathing throughout your tattoo you will be able to handle it fine.

Single use needles only. Needles are discarded immediately after use and disposed of through incineration by a recognised medical waste company, as per government regulations.

All stainless steel instruments that are used go through a strict cleansing routine. They are first cleaned ultrasonically, then soaked in a chemical sterilising bath and finally placed into an autoclave. This destroys all bacteria and viruses (eg. HIV, Hepatitis etc).

The autoclave itself is tested regularly.

Disposable ink caps are used and discarded after each client.

Everything that touches your person is either completely sterile or new.

There is a minimum cost of R600 per person which covers new needles and the sterilisation process. The cost structure works on the size, detail, amount of colour and area of the body that the tattoo is going onto. We can not quote on a design that we have not seen clearly and at the correct size. Also, please understand that any quote you are given is a price GUIDE and not the end quote until it is drawn up by the artist and ready to be tattooed.

We do NOT tattoo under 18s and you MUST bring ID with you when you get tattooed so that we can check your age. Parental consent does not change our rules and there will be no exceptions.

• No energy drinks, alcohol or drugs before or directly after you get tattooed.
• Don’t apply topical numbing cream to the area as it can affect your skin cells.
• Don’t get the area sunburnt and your skin can’t be peeling.
• It is very important that you eat a meal before you get tattooed.
• Bring a coke or some sweets to keep your blood sugar levels up.

Your tattoo will be covered up for a minimum of 6hrs after which you will take the dressing off and wash really well with warm soapy water, using your hand only, pat dry with a clean towel and apply a small amount of dettol cream. Apply the dettol cream twice daily each day for two weeks while the tattoo heals. NO sun, sea or swimming pools for a minimum of two weeks during healing.

Laser removal is widely regarded as being the most effective and safest method to remove tattoos.  A laser injects the skin with a high-intensity light beam, which penetrates the skin to break up the ink particles and leads to tattoo fading, over the course of 6 weeks, and will continue to fade until the client comes in for the next session. Multiple sessions are needed to break down the tattoo, the number of which depends on the size and scope of the affected area. As the body needs to remove the fragmented pigment (using scavenger cells), treatments are normally, from our experience, best scheduled at least six weeks apart.  The laser energy is harmless, and only targets the pigmented skin, leaving the un-inked surrounding skin unharmed.

It’s a pinprick and a rubber band snap. That’s the best way we can explain the sensation.

Laser tattoo removal is uncomfortable, but most patients don’t need anesthesia. Depending on the location of your tattoo, you may want to apply a topical anesthesia cream beforehand. We do recommend EMLA numbing cream* for clients who are removing large tattoos as it makes the long session a lot more bearable.

The cream can be purchased over the counter at any pharmacy. Apply a generous amount of cream to the area, ensuring that the cream covers the tattoo, 2 hours before your treatment. It then needs to be wrapped it up with cling film and sealed off with tape.

Laser treatment is often safer than many other tattoo removal methods, such as excision, dermabrasion, or salabrasion because laser treatment selectively treats the pigment in the tattoo without damaging the skin. There are very few side effects from our experience. However, you should consider these factors in your decision:

• Your tattoo removal site will likely to get blisters, be red, raised and tender to the touch. However you run no risk of infection and scarring if the proper after care rules are followed.
• It is difficult to completely remove a tattoo; slight traces of the ink may remain. Most people will not see this unless it you knew it there. In many cases, certain colours may be more effectively removed than others. Blue and black tattoos, for example, respond well to laser treatment.
• You may end up with hypopigmentation- what we call a ghost image, which means the skin that is treated is paler than the skin surrounding it; this is caused by the tattoo protecting the sub dermal layer of skin from sun damage. You could also have hyperpigmentation, which leaves the affected skin darker than the rest of your skin.
• Cosmetic tattoos like lip liner, eyeliner, and eyebrows may actually get darker after treatment. They do tend to fade with additional sessions.