Frequently Asked Questions & INFO

We often hear the statement: "I want a tattoo, how much does it cost?"

Unfortunately the answer to this question isn't simple. Price is based on Actual Sizing, Level of Detail in the Image, Colour, Placement on the Body, Difficulty and experience level of your chosen artist etc.

At Flesh Tattoos our studio minimum is $100 +hst with sizing restrictions.

$150/ hr +hst for tattoos spanning 3 hours or less & $180/ hr +hst for 3+ hrs.

Day Rate $1,250 Cash No Tax.

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Without this information it is very difficult to place a tight range on cost. It is always best to contact your tattoo studio of choice to inquire by providing specific information details about your desired project. 

Large scale work is typically charged by the hour or day rate. This is done because artists cannot reasonably predict how well, still or long a client can sit in order to have the tattoo completed. A good artist will not rush, but will not drag out time to rip you off on costs. It is in our best interest, and yours, to get you finished in a timely manner to be able to accommodate the next client booking. When pricing out your next tattoo, don't base your decision solely on cost. Cheap work isn't good and Good work isn't cheap! Research your artist, talk to them, talk to others who have received services from them. Make your decision based on all aspects, not just cost.

Think long and hard about this placement!

Hand and finger tattoos are unique and complicated for many reasons. Namely the success rate for a nicely healed outcome is less than 5% of the population.

Your "Best Case" scenario is that the ink drops out of the skin within a year or two, sometimes immediately once healed.

"Worst Case" scenario, and the more common outcome; is that the tattoo heals immediately to be a blurry, messy and irreparable disaster that you are now stuck with forever.

The skin on the hands is tougher in texture and because we use our hands so much we dispose of and regrow new skin cells at a faster rate than anywhere else on the body. This rapidly increases tattoo fading, aging and damage.

Because there are so many unknown variables in tattooing hands and fingers, it is one of the only areas on the body where retouching required is Not covered free from charge by your artist. Many artists will guarantee their work and offer free touch-ups within a specified time-frame. Hands are excluded from this warranty. This means a small studio minimum in cost tattoo can grow to be quite pricey over a short period of time, if even possible to be repaired at all. 

Google unfortunately displays hand tattoos that are freshly done and perfect. If you search "HEALED" hand/  "HEALED" finger tattoos you end up with a very different set of images. Tattoo smartly my friends!

Just because it is on the internet, doesn't mean it is well done or practical.

No respectable artist will tattoo a Breastfeeding or pregnant woman and here is why:
A) Hormones in the skin caused by the body to produce milk, negatively affect the absorption and saturation of tattoo ink which results in a poorly healed outcome. Furthermore any retouching required as a result would be at the clients own cost as the damage did not stem from the tattoo procedure itself or from normal healing scenario.

B) The same hormones can make the skin more susceptible to pain. With increased pain comes increase risk of illness and fainting for the client.

C) There are not enough medical studies to establish if or how much of the tattoo ink passes through the milk barrier as it is being deposited into the skin and thereafter during healing while the body absorbs periodic table style elements into the body. Your skin is your largest organ and diet and consumption of foods and liquids affect it. Tattoo inks are made up of naturally occurring chemicals that an adult can safely break down. The same cannot be said for an infant or child of any age or weight.

D) Though not common, if an infection occurs, you may be required to take antibiotics that could disrupt feeding.

E) Since your body is working hard in other areas to produce milk, your tattoo can take longer than normal to heal. Whereby the risk of infection or issue is substantially heightened and there is more risk for damage to the healing tattoo.

Due to all the above mentioned issues, your artist cannot reasonably predict your healed outcome. This is not the place you want to be when considering your health and that of your child; as well as your permanently applied artwork. Moral of he story: It isn't worth it. Any artist who says otherwise is irresponsible and just after your cold hard cash!

It is advised to have 3 weeks of time between the date of your tattoo application to the date of travel. Preferably 4 weeks heal time for travel to hot destinations where sun and sand are the main focus of the trip. But the longer the better!!

FLYING: 

Airplanes are filthy germ capsules! Around your seat you are likely to come in contact with germs that cause the common cold, flu, e-coli, staph infection (which is a flesh eating virus), or norovirus; many of which can live on surfaces for days, weeks and even months.

Recent tests of common areas on your airplane came up with this info: 

(colony-forming units - CFUs per square inch)

* Self Check-in Screen at the airport: On average as many as 253,857 CFU's/sq. in. can be found.

* Tray Table: 11,595 CFU/sq. in.

* Overhead air vents: 285 CFU/sq. in.

* Washroom Flush button: 95,145CFU/sq. in.

* Seat belt Buckles: 230 CFU/ sq. in.

* Bathroom stall locks: 70CFU/sq. in.

To put this into perspective, 172CFU's are said to be average for a dirtier than normal home toilet seat. 

Luggage comes into contact with up to 80 million bacteria before even arriving at your hotel it is suggested. Staph infection is a flesh eating virus that typically requires hospitalization and medical intervention. Now lets all consider rubbing a open found type scab up against these delicious surfaces for hours until you reach your destination.......

SUN, SAND & WATER:

Healthy normal bacteria's found in lakes and oceans or chemicals used in pools can have devastating effects on healing tattoos. Sun is the #1 reason tattoos fade. One deep tan or burn on a new tattoo can fade it up to 60% right out the gate! And you CANNOT apply sunscreen to a healing tattoo. Moreover, when skin is healing and regenerating, it is in weak form until the cell regeneration phase has completed (usually taking 3-4 weeks). During this phase, prolonged sun exposure puts you are higher risk of developing sun related illnesses and damage to your skin. IT IS NOT SAFE TO TRAVEL WITH A HEALING TATTOO!

A frequent and sometimes uncomfortable question we are asked is about tipping your artist. 

Tipping of any kind is performed when you receive a service for which you were happy with the outcome.

We never expect a tip. But when we receive one, it is very much appreciated and often remembered.

There is no set amount that is appropriate to tip. It is whatever is in you to give. And whatever you feel is appropriate. 

The pay structure of tattooing is that a portion (commission) of the tattoo cost goes to the artist and the other percent goes to the studio to cover materials, operational costs and overhead. So a tip can really mean a lot to the artist.