Here are some answers to some of our more frequently asked questions.  If you have a question that's not on this list, please contact us and we'll do our best to answer your question, and if we can't for some reason we'll find someone who can.

Q. - Do tattoos or piercings hurt?

A. - Yes.  However this question is a tough one to answer because people and places on the body vary.  Where someone says something hurt, someone else might feel it as a minor discomfort.  Also, someone might get a tatto or piercing on a part of the body, say a tattoo one the shoulder, that doesn't bother them at all.  Then they might get a tattoo on their chest and it could be very painful.  If pain is a consideration speak to your tattoo artist or piercer and they can recommend a spot that is traditionally a less painful place to put your art.

Q. - How much are your tattoos/piercings?

A. - Piercing prices are set and are listed on the site, our piercing prices do not include jewelry.  Tattoo prices are a little harder to gauge without seeing the design, area you want it, and the detail involved.  Some places on the body are harder to tattoo than others so these areas such as lower back, abdomen, and ribs will be more expensive than say a shoulder or a forearm.  We can tell you we have a $50 minimum, and that you usually get what you pay for.  You may be able to find someone who will do it for less, but if it's much less you have to ask yourself if it's worth saving that extra $20 or so. 

Q.- Do I have to be 18 to get pierced/tattooed?

A. - In the state of Tennessee, you must be 18 to get tattooed.  There is no exception.  It doesn't matter if you are married, immancipated, or if you have your parent's permission.  We simply can't do it and no amount of begging and pleading will change that.  With body piercing, you must be 18 or have a parent's permission.  If you aren't 18 and have your parent's permission we will need a few things to be able to do a piercing for you.  You will first need your parent.  They have to be at the establishment at the same time as you to fill out paperwork.  Your parent will need identification such as a driver's license or passport.  You will need identification such as driver's license, indent-a-kid, passport, school ID (with picture), or some other identification with your name and a picture.  We can use a yearbook photo (along with the yearbook) as long as either the last names match or you have a birth certificate with you.  If someone other than a parent has legal custody of you, they will need to bring the court paperwork with them to show that they are the legal guardian.  The person signing must be a parent or legal guardian, no grandparents, aunts, uncles, or brothers/sisters unless of course they are your legal guardian.

Q. - How do I take care of my tattoo/piercing?

A. - Everyone's body heals differently so this is a tough question.  We use an aftercare regimen that tends to work for most people.  For tattoos, you will want to remove the bandage after at least an hour and at most 6 hours after you get tattooed.  You will want to wash the area, then apply either A&D ointment or other ointment in a thin coat.  You want to rub in the ointment as much as possible.  If your tattoo appears more than just slightly glossy, then you have too much ointment and will want to keep rubbing it into the skin, or remove the excess.  As for other ointments, we prefer either Naked brand or Burt's Bees Res-Q ointment.  If using A&D, you will want to discontinue using it after 2 to 3 days and switch to a gentle water based lotion with not added colors or perfumes.  If using the other ointments, you can continue to use them.
With piercing, we prefer using a saline solution to rinse the piercing with.  Any contact lense solution should work so long as it is only saline, however we recommend using saline in a pressurized can so that no contaminates can get into the solution and it doesn't need any preservatives.  Spray the saline onto a Q-tip and first clean the jewelry, that way if the jewelry rotates while cleaning around the edges it won't pull in any debris.  After cleaning the jewelry you will clean around the edges of the piercing.  There will usually be a build up of material or "crusties" around the edges.  This is basically a scab formed by the body pushing out lymph and dead cells, it is also closing off the wound to the outside world.  You will want to perform the cleaning process 2 to 3 times per day.  More is not always better, the inside of the piercing is trying to grow new skin.  That layer of skin cells is very thin and fragile and can be damaged by over cleaning.  If it makes you feel better to move your jewelry around, you can do so after cleaning however it is not necessary and may prolong the time it takes to heal.  Please do not use Peroxide, alcohol, antibacterial soap, Betadine, Bactine, Hibicleanse, or anything else that's not saline.  The exception on that rule is on oral piercings such as lip or tongue and you will want to use a mouthwash (either alcohol free, or diluted 50% with water) 2 to 3 times a day.  Once again, over cleaning is not recommended as it can cause an oral infection due to killing off all the beneficial bacteria.

Q. - But my cousin's, brother's, friend's, neice's, significant other told me that I should do something other than what you told me.

A. - This is our job.  We see hundreds and thousands of people a year.  This aftercare is what has worked for a majority of them.  If you have a friend that did something different and it worked for them, then great for them.  As mentioned above, what works for one person may not work for everyone so would you rather take the word of someone that has done this for years and seen their aftercare work for thousands of people or would you rather take the word of someone that has seen their aftercare work for one person?  If you have a question please come by or call, we'll be more than happy to explain our aftercare.

Q. - I think I might have an infection, what should I do?

A. - Real infections are actually very rare.  Usually what happens with tattoos is that you are having a reaction to the ointment, usually A&D, and are developing a rash.  With piercings, an irriation will look similar to what people expect an infection to look like.  Irritation will cause the piercing to be red around the edges, swollen, and usually have a small bump around one of both of the holes.  Irritation can be caused by many things, but most commonly they are caused by touching the jewelry, clothing, or improper or over cleaning.  A real infection will be very similar except the entire area around the piercing will be red and swollen, there will be a dark colored fluid coming from it (usually dark green or brownish yellow and lots of it), and it will be warm to the touch.  A real infection will usually be accompanied by a fever, and a severe infection will usually have red radiating rays coming from the area.  If you have a real infection, it is best to see a physician.  We are piercers and tattoo artists and while we can help with some things, we are not doctors.  You will need antibiotics and the wound may need to be drained, these are things we cannot help you with.  If you are unsure about whether you have an irritation or infection, please stop by and see us so we can look at it and give you a better idea of what needs to be done.