FAQ

Yes, completely safe for most people Tattoos and piercings are safe, as long as each artist and the entire studio strictly adheres to Universal precautions and Blood Borne Pathogen Safety. You can be assured that Hartford County Tattoo requires each artist to hold client safety as the first and foremost priority. We have the highest level of sterilization possible and go above and beyond all local health codes and laws. We do have a consent/waiver form which identifies certain instances when it would not be appropriate for an individual to receive tattoo or piercing, but these are rare instances.

The age limit on tattooing is 18 years. No exceptions. in South Australia, it’s a criminal offence for a tattooist to do tattoos for someone under 18 years.

Under section 21R of the Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA), it is illegal to perform a body modification procedure (including tattooing) or an intimate body piercing on a person under the age of 18.  Other body piercings require the person to be over 16, or have permission from a parent or guardian.

It is also illegal to sell body modification equipment to a minor.

Yes it hurts, This question is asked more than any other when it comes to tattoos followed closely by how much? But, there are lots of people walking around with tattoos and piercings so it’s not unbearable. There are many sensations used to describe it depending on each person and what area is being worked on. Some people even like it!

Quite literally we are stabbing you thousands of times a minute with multiple needles, now before you go getting all freaked out, If done correctly, a tattoo should feel more like a burning sensation. It can be described as what it feels like to be scratched by a cat. Different areas of the body can hurt more than others and sensitivity can even vary in small areas.

A good test is to drag your fingernail across your skin, it will tell you how sensitive the area is and how it will differ from other areas. A pinch of skin between your fingernails can give you and idea of how much pain you will feel. Different people have different pain tolerances, but most tattooists can help you deal with that pain. Always remember, listen to your tattooist, he’s done this before and he’s probably learned a thing or two.

Yes. This tattoo will be on you permanently so we want to be sure you are totally happy. Bring anything you think might help to capture exactly what you’re looking for your tattoo to reflect. We also have plenty of reference books available for ideas. No matter whether you know exactly what you want or don’t have a clue, we will always work with you to design a custom piece of art that you will love.

No you don’t have to book an appointment however whilst walk-ins are more than welcome we do advise to make an appointment as we can often be very heavily booked. As for piercing, we have a piercer on staff six days a week so all you have to do is come in. (see our contact page for trading hours)

That depends on the size of the piece and the detail involved. Some pieces cannot be completed in one sitting. You will be given a quote once you meet with the artist and go over the details of what you want. Remember though, if another studio is willing do your tattoo super cheap BEWARE! Sometimes you get what you pay for and this is going to be on you forever. If you do go for the super cheap shop see question on fixing a bad tattoo!

It is our policy to collect a deposit when booking an appointment.  We accept deposits via cash or credit card and the amount of the deposit required is decided upon by the individual artist. The deposit you leave will come off the final price of your tattoo.  Artists carefully schedule and book their appointments based on blocks of time.  If you do not show for your appointment, they often do not have adequate time to fill your vacancy and it hurts them. Deposits serve as a good faith gesture to hold your appointment and to compensate the artist if you failt to show for your appointment time.  Deposits are NEVER refundable.  If less than 24 notice is given for a cancellation, you lose your deposit and must leave another deposit if you wish to reschedule.  If you cancel your appointment with more than 24 hours notice, you may apply your deposit towards your resheduled appointment. We NEVER under any circumstances will refund a deposit.  We are sorry if this policy causes any inconvenience but is necessary to protect the intrests of our artists.

Yu must be 18 years or older for a tattoo or piercing due to local health rules and regulations. Piercings only may be done on 16-18 year olds with a guardian or parent present with ID to sign a waiver. The age to tattoo in our Plantsville location is 16 with parental consent.  We are strict in our requirements to ensure proper age and that valid legal parental consent is presented, so please call the studio at 860-661-000 ahead of time to find out exactly what you will need to bring to your appointment.   For any tattoo or piercing, you must present a valid drivers license or current state photo ID which by law must be photocopied. You (and your parent/ guardian if your a minor) must also read and sign a waiver/ consent form. Deposits are NEVER refundable.  If less than 24 notice is given for a cancellation, you lose your deposit and must leave another deposit if you wish to reschedule.  If you cancel your appointment with more than 24 hours notice, you may apply your deposit towards your resheduled appointment. We NEVER under any circumstances will refund a deposit.  We are sorry if this policy causes any inconvenience but is necessary to protect the intrests of our artists.

Our artists can usually cover up or fix most tattoos-even really bad ones so you would never even know they were there. We are always honest though. If we don’t think it can be successfully covered we will let you know and work with you on what options you do have so you will ultimately be happy. We never do a tattoo just to make a buck. This is a really good group of artists who take tremendous pride in their work and art. Be assured that the artwork on your body and how you feel about it is a reflection on them – meaning your satisfaction is VERY important!

Aftercare starts as soon as your tattoo is done. The artist should apply a thin layer of petroleum ointment over the tattoo, and then cover the area in a bandage or plastic wrap. This covering prevents bacteria from getting into your skin. It also protects the tattoo from rubbing on your clothes and getting irritated.

Keep the dressing on for a few hours. It will help absorb any fluid or excess ink that leaks from the tattoo.

After a few hours, you can remove the bandage. Wash your hands first with lukewarm water and soap. Then gently wash the tattoo with fragrance-free soap and water.

Pat your skin dry with a soft cloth. Apply a small amount of petroleum ointment to the tattoo. You can keep the bandage off at this point to let your skin breathe.

Aftercare guidelines for tattooing and piercing are given to every client. Tattoos can take approximately seven days to heal & during this time you do have to follow certain instructions!

A light scab may form and under no circumstances are you allowed to pick at it. We recommend Bepanthan or Protat cream for aftercare but you must wash your hands with antibacterial soap before applying the cream.

While your tattoo heals, you should:

Keep your new tattoo clean
wear sun-protective clothing whenever you go outside
call your tattoo artist or doctor if you have any signs of infection or other problems
You shouldn’t:

cover your tattoo with sunblock until it’s fully healed
scratch or pick at the tattoo
wear tight clothing over the tattoo
go swimming or immerse your body in water (showers are fine)

A piercing can take at least six weeks to heal properly and sometimes longer.

How to Clean Your Piercing:
Use one or both of the following products on your healing piercing:

Packaged sterile saline solution made for wound care (read the label), or a non-iodized sea salt mixture you make yourself: dissolve 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized (iodine-free) sea salt into one cup (8 oz.) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger solution can irritate your piercing, so don’t put in too much salt! • A mild, fragrance-free liquid soap—preferably antimicrobial or germicidal.

• WASH your hands really well before you clean or touch your piercing for any reason.

• SALINE soak for five minutes once or more per day. Seal a cup of warm saline solution over the area. For some piercings it will be easier to use clean gauze or paper towels soaked in saline solution. Rinse after you salt soak because dried salt crystals could hurt you and your piercing.

• SOAP only once or twice a day. While showering, lather up a dime sized drop of the soap to clean the jewellery and the piercing. Leave the soap on the piercing no more than thirty seconds.

• RINSE to remove all of the soap from the piercing. You do not have to rotate your jewellery through the piercing.

• DRY gently with clean, disposable paper products. Cloth towels could snag on jewellery, and they might have bacteria on them.