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 How
old do I have to be to get a tattoo?
You must be at least 18 years of age with Government
issued ID (drivers license, passport, military ID etc.) to get a tattoo.
The exception is if your parents or legal guardian is willing to allow a
minor to get a tattoo, they must be at least 16 years old in the State of
Florida, and we provide a minor consent form for your convenience.
Download it here. This form must be filled out and signed in front of
a Notary Public of the State of Florida. The parent or guardian must
supply a picture ID and in most cases, so must the minor. If the minor has
no ID, this can be obtained for a small fee from a local police
department. Call your local police department for details.
Where can I
find pictures of tattoo designs for me to decide what type of image I want
in my tattoo?
A few
spots we’ve found that are good for researching tattoo designs are listed
here:
(If you know of other spots online for tattoo design
images, please let us know and we’d be happy to add it to this list! Call
us at 813-936-8282 and leave a message or email me at:
lenny@addicted2tattoos.com )
 I
saw a design online that I like, can you "get" it for me?
If the design is from a web site that sells tattoo flash (art), we may
already have it in our files. If not,
please purchase the design from the web site. We will not "steal" artwork
from anyone online. These web sites make their livings from selling tattoo
flash and it is unethical to take designs without paying for them. Here at
Addicted 2 Tattoos we have spent several thousands of dollars purchasing
what we believe to be the most popular and best artwork we can find. We
have a lot on hand at the shop. Please stop by and take as much time as
you want to look through our artwork.
How much is customary to tip the
tattoo artist?
A good rule of thumb, is tip as you would for your beautician, massage
technician, nail artist, or a good meal. 20% means you love the work and
were very pleased with the service you received while in the tattoo shop.
15% means the service was good. 10% means it was OK. 5% means you probably
should not tip. And, 0% means you probably will not be coming back to that
shop. This is only a rule of thumb. And, it is ok to tip the owner as well
as the piercer.
How do I know the artist will do a
good job?
First, you should always ask to see the tattoo artist's portfolio before
deciding to have that person tattoo you. Second you should try to
ascertain whether the tattoo artist is drunk or high. Chances are that the
person will not do their best job under the influence. Third, ask your
friends for a referral.
How do I get a discount on the cost
of my tattoo?
Generally speaking discounts are offered to repeat customers and those
that refer others to a tattoo shop. Tattoo shops do not offer 2-for1
specials because all brand new sterile supplies are required to be used on
each person. It still costs the tattoo shop the same amount for each
person whether they are doing tattoos on one person or several. When you
go into a shop and immediately ask for a discount, it tends to tell the
artist you are a bargain hunter, not someone who is interested in getting
the best work for their money. Save the haggling and discounts for flea
markets and garage sales.
How can I arrange to have a custom
tattoo designed just for me?
At Addicted 2 Tattoos, we ask for a deposit of $25.00 to cover the time
spent drawing custom work and at least 24 - 48 hours to develop the
design. Any work that needs to be done to a tattoo design before applying
the tattoo is considered "custom". Patience will get you a better design
than trying to pressure the tattoo artist. Those that walk into the shop
and want an immediate custom design have unrealistic expectations and
often cause the artist a lot of frustration because with over 1,000,000
designs, there is quite a bit of research to be done before a custom
design can be developed. If you have an existing tattoo and want more
added to it, we will take a digital picture and get your ideas for
extending the design. We will do our best to develop exactly what you
want, but it is very difficult for us to see in our minds what is in you
mind. The more details you can reveal, the closer we can get to what you
want.
It
is also unrealistic to go into a tattoo shop on a Friday or Saturday
(their 2 busiest days) and ask for immediate custom work. It's better to
approach the artist early in the week with what you want, and then plan to
come back at a less busy time to have the work done. This takes a lot of
pressure off the tattoo artist and gives you a better chance of getting
exactly what you want.
I want a custom tattoo, how can I
guarantee that no one else will get the same design?
Unfortunately, there is probably no way to guarantee this. Most artists
will take time to add special details or colors to each tattoo they do,
thus guaranteeing that no one ever gets the exact design as anyone else.
If you bring your own artwork into the shop, make sure it is returned to
you before you leave. It is customary for tattoo artists to take pictures
of their work and display this artwork in their portfolios and/or on their
web site. They are not selling the same design, simply using it to show
their talent and skill level.
Does
it hurt to be tattooed?
Yes, it does hurt to be tattooed. Everyone’s pain
tolerance is different. Everyone’s perception of pain is different.
Different parts of the body hurt more or less than others. The pain is not
severe, but it can be very uncomfortable. (Women who have had children
will usually have a less difficult time of enduring the feeling. Young
people generally have a harder time dealing with the pain. It is
impossible to describe accurately what the feeling is like. Some say it
feels like a bunch of bee stings, others have said it tickles, and still
others moan and groan and make it difficult for the artist to do a good
job because they will not hold still. My usual comment is this: “If it
hurt that bad, do you think so many people would have tattoos?” The pain
is generally handled well by most people, as it is not an excruciating
pain but more of an irritating pain. The tattoo will feel like a
sunburn after it is complete and will feel that way for
about 5 to 7 days. After the tattoo is completely healed it will not hurt
at all.
Generally speaking, we recommend breaking tattooing
sessions up into sittings of about 3 hours each for larger pieces. This
makes the most sense because after about 3 hours of the irritating
feeling, most people have had enough and because getting a tattoo stresses
a person’s body, it becomes more difficult to get the ink into the skin
when the skin is leaking a lot of plasma (the clear part of blood). This
also helps break up the cost of larger tattoos because we allow our
customers to “pay-as-you-go”, paying just for the portion of the tattoo
completed at each sitting. Usually we begin with a complete outline of the
tattoo in black ink. The next step is shading either done during the first
or second sitting. And the last step is the addition of color to the
design. We work on an hourly basis of $100 an hour. And, you can get an
estimate of the cost of a design by clicking here>>>
 Are
tattoos permanent?
Yes, tattoos are permanent. They can be lightened by
laser treatment, but the laser treatment hurts significantly more than the
application of the tattoo, and is very expensive. It also takes several
sessions of laser to remove a tattoo and may affect the color of skin in
this area. So you should make sure that the design you
have chosen is one that you are willing to live with for the rest of your
life.
Will the color fade?
The color on your tattoo will fade if it is not
properly taken care of as it heals, or if it exposed to the sun or tanning
beds. Proper care of your tattoo is vital to its appearance and healing.
Exposure to the sun will fade the color just as it fades the paint on a
car that sits in the sun. We recommend using Ink Fixx ointment for the
first 3-4 days of getting a new tattoo. Immediately after getting the
tattoo, we will sterilize the skin and bandage the tattooed area. We
suggest leaving the bandage on for approx. 2 hours, then removing it.
Next, using just your hand, wash the tattoo with antibacterial soap and
cool water. Pat dry with a clean paper towel. Apply a thin layer of
ointment (read the ingredients of what you use to make sure there is no
petroleum, no aloe vera, no vitamin E, no cortisone, as these can cause a
tattoo to look old, faded, splotchy). Wash and treat the tattoo 2 times a
day for the first 2 – 3 weeks during the healing process. After 3 – 4 days
of ointment, switch to a good
 quality
lotion such as Ink Fixx Lotion or others that don’t contain the items
listed above. Continue this until the tattoo heals completely. A healing
tattoo will usually scab. It is important not to pick at the scabs as you
can pull out the tattoo! Always wash your hands before touching a healing
tattoo. The next stage of a healing tattoo is peeling like a sunburn. This
is normal and the peeling may be in the color of the tattoo. The final
stage of a healing tattoo is when it looks shiny on the surface. Even
though the surface may appear healed, it is probably still healing below
the surface and should still be treated as a healing tattoo for several
days after it appears shiny on the surface. Once the tattoo is totally
healed, continue to moisturize the skin. We recommend Ink Fixx lotion and
sell both the ointment and lotion in our shop. Always use a sunscreen with
an SPF of at least 30 when out in the sun. Do not soak a healing tattoo in
water. Do not expose a healing tattoo to sun, salt water, chlorinated
water, tanning beds, sweat, or dirt. Do not allow anyone to slap a new
tattoo. If a healing tattoo itches while healing, you can scratch lightly
around the tattoo, but not directly on the tattoo.
Is it safe to get tattooed?
In this day and age tattoos are completely safe if
done in a clean environment by a professional with sterile instruments.
There have never been any cases of AIDS reported due to tattoos. Hepatitis
can be contracted through dirty needles in tattooing, but this can be
completely avoided by going to a professional who practices
sterile/aseptic techniques and never re-uses needles or inks. By all
means, avoid homemade tattoos or those tattooing out of their home or
apartment. These unskilled “scratchers” are usually not well trained, and
do not know the correct methods for preventing the spread of contagious
diseases. Cross contamination is a very real danger when going to someone
not in a professional tattoo shop. On top of that, the quality of the work
is usually very bad and you will end up with something you’ll wish you’d
never gotten. We are always amazed when someone will not think twice about
spending $100 for a new pair of shoes that they’ll wear for maybe 6
months, but complain about spending $50 for a tattoo that will be with
them for the rest of their lives!
How do I take care of a new tattoo?
Your artist will go over the care of your tattoo
with you and tell you the proper ointment you should use, you will also
receive written care instructions. It is very important that you follow
these instructions exactly as they are laid out, this will ensure proper
healing and minimal complications. You may download our after care
advice for tattoos here.
You may also download our after care advice for piercings here.
Do I need to make an appointment?
It is a good idea to make an appointment to get
a tattoo. There are several reasons for this. First, this gives your
artist time to draw up the design that you want so that he/she is not
rushed when you walk through the door. Second, we can allow enough time to
complete your tattoo without being rushed. At Addicted 2 Tattoos we
welcome walk-ins.
We have over 1,000,000 designs to choose from. We are
happy to make alterations to any of our designs to suit your needs. If the
piece is something custom, we will ask for a small (usually $25.00)
deposit to cover our time spent drawing up a design. This also lets us
know you are earnest about getting a tattoo by us. We have a lot of lookie-loos who ask for custom designs, and after several hours are spent
developing the design, we never see the person again. The deposit shows us
you are serious about getting a tattoo and fully intend to return to our
shop to complete the process.
We will gladly schedule an appointment for you, but
the tattoo must be paid in full when scheduling the appointment. If you
are using our “pay-as-you-go” option, we ask for the cost of the sitting
to be paid in full to schedule an appointment. We kindly ask for 24 hours
notice if you are unable to keep your appointment. If you fail to show up,
we will wait up to 15
minutes past the scheduled appointment. After that, we must take the next
customer. If a scheduled appointment fails to show at the requested time,
a $25.00 no-show fee will be retained by Addicted 2 Tattoos. We kindly
request that you do not ask for an appointment on Friday or Saturday
nights, because we are usually very busy and cannot schedule appointments
on those two nights. We will gladly schedule appointments any week night,
before 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and even Sunday afternoons.
 Can
you numb the area to be tattooed?
At Addicted 2 Tattoos we offer topical Lidocaine
pretreatment crème. This must be applied 30 – 60 minutes before the start
of a tattoo. During the tattoo, additional Lidocaine gel can be applied.
This additional service does not guarantee no pain, just a lessening of
pain to some extent for most users. This additional service costs $10.00
paid at the time the tattoo service is paid.
How long
does it take a tattoo to heal?
Initial healing of a tattoo is about 2 to 3 weeks,
complete healing of a tattoo is 45 days. This is how long it takes for
skin to regenerate itself after being damaged. During this time, it is
very important to always wash your hands before touching a healing tattoo
or piercing.
 What
about infection?
If your tattoo was done under the cleanest possible
circumstances with sterile instruments, sterile ink, and by a gloved
artist, the after care of your tattoo is up to you. The risk of infection
is minimal to none if your tattoo is properly taken care of and is not
exposed to dirt, pet hair, swimming pools, lake or ocean water, hot tubs,
dirty clothes, dirty bed linens, etc. It is important that you keep your
tattoo clean at all times while it is healing. (The number one problem we
encounter is staph infection. This happens when the healing tattoo is
exposed to any of the things listed above or any other dirty environment.
It may present as red, painful areas of the tattoo, accompanied by red
bumps, or pustules with white heads on or near the tattoo site. This must
be treated by a doctor who will most likely prescribe antibiotics.) At
Addicted 2 Tattoos we take special care to use only the cleanest
instruments, in a disinfected environment, and sterilize the skin before
and after the tattoo is applied. We have a hospital-grade autoclave in use
on the premises. All our needles are sterilized and used only once, then
disposed in a biohazard container.
How does the tattoo machine work?
The machine is hooked up to a power supply that
regulates the amount of electrical current going to the machine. The
needle is attached to a needle bar that is inserted into a tube and then
attached to the machine itself. The electrical current makes the needles
move back and forth at a high rate of speed moving in and out of the tube.
This movement is turned on and off by a foot pedal on the floor, the whole
process is similar to a sewing machine, with the needle moving only when
the foot switch is depressed. The needle pushes the ink into the skin
about 1/16th of an inch below the surface of the skin. The skin heals up
over the ink leaving a permanent mark in the skin.
 Can
I get my new tattoo wet?
We recommend washing your new tattoo, after first
washing your hands with an antibacterial soap. Softly wash the tattoo
using just your clean hand. Using cool water, wet the tattoo, wash, then
rinse thoroughly. It is ok to wash your tattoo in the shower. We recommend
not washing the tattoo during a bath because bathtubs contain a lot of
bacteria. Always pat dry with a clean paper towel. Throw the paper towel
away after using one time. Apply ointment or lotion lightly. Never
re-bandage the tattoo. Wear loose clothing over the tattoo while it is
healing. If the tattoo is located near the waist or foot, do not wear
anything tight over the tattoo while it is healing. Avoid swimming,
strenuous exercise, and dirty environments while the tattoo is healing.
Lake and ocean water are teeming with bacteria and could cause an
infection. Swimming pool water has chlorine in it that has a bleaching
effect on a new tattoo.
How do I prepare for a tattoo?
First, and most important, you should not be under
the influence of any drugs or alcohol. Alcohol works against a tattoo in
several ways: First it impairs your judgment and you may pick out a tattoo
that is silly or not at all what you really want. Second, alcohol thins
your blood and makes you bleed more. It causes the ink that we are
trying to get into your skin, out of your skin. Third, alcohol can make
you flinch or twitch, and we cannot tattoo on someone who is moving
around. Drugs are a bad combination with tattoos. They can be a fatal
combination in fact, and the adrenaline rush in your body (from getting
tattooed) can react with
some drugs and can cause respiratory and/or cardiac failure. Some drugs,
such as marijuana can cause the pain of a tattoo to be intensified and can
make getting tattooed
extremely painful. A sober person is the easiest to tattoo, and a sober
person can handle a tattoo much better than a person under the influence
of drugs or alcohol. It is a good idea to eat a full meal 2-3 hours prior
to being tattooed.
 Can
I suntan my tattoo?
NO! Never ever
should you expose your tattoo to the harmful rays of the sun! You wouldn’t
put the Mona Lisa in the sun would you? This tattoo is going to be with
you for the rest of your life, take care of it! The sun will fade your
tattoo even after it is healed, always use a SPF 30 or higher sun block,
not sun screen, sun block is the only thing that will block the rays of
the sun. Not to mention that the sun is bad for you anyway! Always wear a
hat and cover your body when in the sun. Skin cancer is the number 5
largest killer in the country right now!
Where can I put a tattoo on my body?
Normally we will not tattoo the surface of the palms
of the hands or the soles of the feet. This skin is especially tough and
regenerates so fast, that a tattoo will not “take” well in these areas. If
you are a young woman and plan to have children, we strongly suggest not
tattooing the front of your torso, belly and breasts. The tattoo will look
like an old, deflated balloon after pregnancy. Not very pretty! Everywhere
else on your body will generally heal up well, providing that you take
proper care of your new tattoo. There are some general things you should
know though, if you tattoo your legs you should stay off of them as much
as possible so that the tattoo does not swell excessively, working out
should be avoided as to not stretch or tear the healing tissue, clothing
rubbing on new tattoos can affect the healing process also, bra straps,
belts, panty hose, etc, should be taken into consideration when deciding
placement of your tattoo. We strongly suggest not putting tattoos on
hands, necks, lower arms, unless you can guarantee that you will never,
for the rest of your life, have a job that could object to tattoos in
these areas. Also, we strongly suggest only going to a certified,
professionally trained tattoo artist for permanent makeup.
 Will
my tattoo scar?
Your tattoo should not scar if it is properly taken
care of and it is not picked at! The scab that peels off needs to come
off in its own time with no assistance from you. If you do pick at the
peeling skin your tattoo will most likely have spots in it with no ink or
it will scar. There are a few exceptions to this rule. Keloids are an
excessive amount of scar tissue that builds up where skin has been
damaged. You are either prone to keloids or you aren’t. If you are, you
probably know this by now and should alert your artist prior to being
tattooed, special precautions will be taken as to minimize scaring.
Keloids are hereditary and are predominately found in dark, olive or
African American skin. If you are not sure if you are prone to this skin
condition, please discuss it with your artist. Keloids are usually raised,
puckered looking scars.
Can you tattoo over scars to
hide the scar?
Tattooing over a scar is risky. The problem is that when the skin heals,
sometimes it does not remake the layers of skin like the original layers.
This sometimes leaves the scar tissue very thin and weak. When tattooing
over the scar there is the possibility that the tattoo will spread
unevenly or not take at all over a scar. For this reason, we require a
special release form to tattoo over scars. You can see a copy of this in
our shop. This also applies to stretch marks. We have been successful in
reapplying pigment color to areas of the skin that have healed lighter
than the surrounding areas thus making the scars less noticable.
 How
much does a tattoo cost?
It is very hard to price a tattoo without first
going to a shop and picking out a design, or bringing in one of your own.
The amount of detail, the size of the tattoo, the placement of the tattoo
are all factors that affect the price of a tattoo. At Addicted 2 Tattoos,
we generally start at $50.00 for small (less than 1” x 1” square) tattoos,
and script (handwriting) style tattoos. Our prices go up from there. We do
not charge near as much for a tattoo as you might pay in places like Ybor
City because we do not pay the huge rents they pay, and must pass on to
the customer.
Everyone gets a fair price at our shop. If you are a regular customer who
has come back more than twice, and/or refers others to our shop, we will
add you to our “Frequent Tattoo” file and give you discounts for each
additional visit or referral.
We are now accepting major credit cards as
well as cash. We still are unable to take debit cards or personal checks.
We cannot give you a price for a tattoo over the phone. Without being able
to see the tattoo design and where it will go on your body, it is
impossible for us to give you a firm price. For an approximate price,
please click the link here to see one of our pricing grids.
 What
colors are best for a tattoo?
Depend
upon your skin color, different colors work better on some than on others.
For very dark skin, black and gray shading work best. Some darker colors
such as green, purple, maroon can be used. Very small accents of white or
yellow will show well. For medium skin, dark and medium colors are best.
For light skin, almost any color works. The best way to figure out what
colors work best on you, is to get a piece of paper about the color of
your skin, and using water-based markers, draw the image you want on it.
This will give you a good idea what the finished tattoo will look like on
your skin color. It is also a good idea to consult with your tattoo
artist, because they are experienced and have tattooed lots of different
colored skin and can give you the best advice about what colors will look
best on you. Light colors like white and yellow should be used in small
spaces, because they tend to fade quicker than other colors and often need
yearly touch up.
Below is a chart to show how different
colors show up on different colors of skin.
What about cover-ups for poorly done
tattoos?
Our
biggest problem in creating cover-ups is dealing with black and dark ink
colors. No color will cover up black. Dark colors are almost as hard to
deal with. Most artists will design a cover up to redirect the focus to
another part of the body using dark shading to hide a previously applied
tattoo. Cover ups usually cost more because the design has to be specially
adjusted to hide the previous tattoo and still end up with a good looking
tattoo. Please see us in the shop to discuss designing a cover up. In 3 -
4 weeks we will be offering a tattoo fading ink process that can fade or
totally remove old tattoos as well as fix mistakes in tattoos. We hope
this will make doing cover ups a more rewarding process.
Do you sell tattoo supplies?
Yes, at Addicted 2 Tattoos we will sell some supplies to other artists.
Items such as tattoo machines, power supplies, inks, needles are available
at our shop. We also buy used equipment.
 How
do I become a tattoo artist?
You will need to have a portfolio of samples of what style of artwork you
can do. Then, you will need to find an artist or shop that will agree to
teach you the trade. This generally takes 9 months to a year of your time.
Do not expect to get paid during your training. The cost is somewhere
between $1,000 to $10,000. You will generally have to supply your own
equipment. Most shops will want to be paid in advance of training you. You
must be very determined to succeed and be willing to do whatever is asked
of you during your apprenticeship.
Click here for piercing general advice.
Click here for piercing problems.
If you have further questions you'd like to see answered here, please
email us! |
How
old do I have to be to get a tattoo?
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