How do tattoos work?

Tattoo pigment is inserted by a puncture made with a needle. The pigment is inserted under the epidermis to the dermis. The epidermis is almost transparent so the pigment is easily seen. The dermis does not shed and therefore the tattoo is there for life.

Read more about how tattoos work at HowStuffWorks.com.

How much does it cost?

Christy Brooker has a $100 minimum and is $150 an hour.

Suzanna Fisher has a $100 minimum and is $140 an hour.

Laura Exley is currently an apprentice.

Christy Brooker also offers permanent cosmetics at the prices listed below.  These prices include your consultation if needed, your procedure appointment, aftercare and a touch up appointment.

  • Eyeliner upper and lower- $450
  • Eyeliner upper lid- $300
  • Eyeliner lower lid- $250
  • Eyebrows- $450
  • Full lips- $650
  • Lip liner- $375

(City of Seattle sales tax is added to the above prices.)

Some things to keep in mind:

If a tattoo is placed where the skin is naturally tight such as on the bicep, it is easier for us and therefore doesn’t take as long. If it is placed on a spot that stretches easily such as under the arm, lower back or stomach it is more difficult and will take longer. Remember you probably spent several grand on your car and you don’t have to look at it every day for the rest of your life!

Does it hurt?

It depends on the person. Some people have higher pain tolerance than others. It also depends on the part of the body being tattooed. Some places hurt more than others. Imagine a cat scratching you on different parts of your body. The bicep is going to feel different from the armpit. Also consider that the nerves being triggered are just under the surface of the skin and not under the fat, so more fat will not make it hurt less. Just keep in mind; they are tiny needles penetrating approximately 1/16 of an inch. Most people say that it is irritating and some people say that it hurts but everyone can tolerate it at least for a little while.

How should I take care of my new tattoo?

Please understand that these are suggestions, not a prescription. We are not doctors. The instructions may vary from other tattoo studios.

  • Wash your hands and remove the bandage after about two hours or when you get somewhere that you know is clean unless you have our special clear, breathable bandage. Then we like to wear them overnight. You want your tattoo to breathe. You do not need to re-bandage your tattoo.
  • Clean the tattoo gently with soap and water. There will be blood and plasma seeping out of your tattoo. Wash this seepage off and gently clean off any remaining ointment. Don’t scrub it! Wash it gently with clean hands. Do not use a wash cloth.
  • Dab off any seepage or clear fluid gently with the wipes in our aftercare kit or a clean paper towel throughout the evening after the tattoo is applied (unless you have the clear bandage that you can wear overnight).
  • The next day begin applying a small amount of moisturizer or balm from the aftercare kit to the tattoo until the tattoo is fully healed. Usually about two to four weeks. Drop a pea size dollop of balm on your clean hand and then rub your hands together until the balm is very thin. Then simply press your hand over the tattoo to apply the balm. Do not rub.
  • Moisture is needed so the scabs do not crack. Cracking can result in light spots on the healed tattoo. Use a very small amount of moisturizer. Too little is better than too much.
  • Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your tattoo for any reason. You have an open wound until the scabbing is completely flaked off. This means you are open to infection. Always wash your hands before and after applying moisturizer and never let anyone touch your tattoo while it’s healing.
  • Gently wash your tattoo every day with soap in the shower. Keep yourself and your tattoo as clean as possible. Wash your tattoo at the end of the shower so your hands are very clean and all the shampoo and conditioner will be washed off. Use your hands. Never use a washcloth or sponge.
  • Do not let the tattoo dry out or get too saturated. Drying may result in cracking which can cause loss of color in the healed tattoo. On the other hand if there is too much moisture and the tattoo is completely soaked with balm than the scabs may be easily rubbed off before they are ready. Your tattoo also needs to breathe. If there is a layer over the top of it, it can’t get any of the oxygen it needs to heal quickly.
  • Do not expose a healing tattoo to salt water or chlorine. Any body of water whether it be a pool, bathtub, lake, ocean, or river has bacteria in it and could cause an infection. Chlorine can severely irritate a tattoo causing infection and/or loss of color.
  • Do not pick or scratch the tattoo. If a scab was to accidentally or intentionally be removed, it may pull up all the tattooed skin underneath it. That means you will have a spot with no color or a scar. Tattoos will fade if skin damage such as tanning or sunburn occur. The tattoo is under the layer of skin that is somewhat transparent, that is why you can see the colors after the new skin heals over it. The sun and other sources of UV light will damage the ink causing it to lose it’s vibrancy. You are left with lighter colors, lighter blacks, and sometimes a complete loss of color. This can happen especially while you’re healing but can happen easily after you’re healed as well. UV light will fade old tattoos just as much as newer ones.

Can I drink alcohol or take other drugs to relax before I get tattooed?

No. Alcohol and other drugs such as aspirin may thin the blood. Excessive bleeding can make it very difficult to tattoo and can lead to a tattoo that could have been better. If you appear intoxicated when you arrive for your appointment we will not be able to tattoo you, we will have to take your deposit for our time.  To make another appointment you will have to leave another deposit.

Additionally, alcohol and other drugs stay in your system for days after you have stopped ingesting them. This will prolong your healing time. Good physical condition and good health will raise your pain tolerance and help you heal faster.

Is there a health risk?

We are blood borne pathogen certified. Our needles are new and sterilized, only used once, and then disposed of in a sharps container. The tubes that hold the needle are also sterile and single use. All reusable items that do not enter the skin are either covered in plastic and then disinfected or, if they are exposed to blood, are autoclaved. An autoclave is the same appliance that hospitals and dentists use to sterilize their instruments.

When you have an open wound there is always a chance of infection. Being diligent about cleanliness and aftercare can greatly benefit you.

Are tattoos permanent? How can they be removed?

Most doctors warn that complete removal is usually not possible, at least without scars. There are many ways to try to remove a tattoo:

  1. Derma-brasion — A doctor will freeze the skin and “sand” the tattoo off.
  2. Skin graft — A surgeon cuts off the tattoo and uses skin from another part of your body to fill in the hole.
  3. Excision — The surgeon cuts out the tattoo and then pulls the sides together.
  4. Laser removal — The most popular method. Lasers use pulses of light directed at the tattoo to break up the tattoo pigment. The body’s scavenger cells, over the next couple of weeks, remove the treated pigment. More than one treatment is usually necessary.

If you don’t have a tattoo and you are already wondering about removal, you should probably wait. Wait until you are ready to make a lifetime commitment. We try to help people make the best decision based on our experience covering up tattoos. If you have a tattoo that you want to cover up laser removal is a good option for lightening but make sure you go to a reputable office. We like http://www.caddellslaserclinic.com

More details on tattoo removal at HowStuffWorks.com.

Can you tattoo on scars?

This depends on if the scar is still healing. If it is, then it’s a good idea to wait until it is healed. Scars can take a long time to heal if they are deep. Tattoos should not change the texture of the skin so covering up a scar with a tattoo doesn’t mean you won’t still see it. The only way to know for sure is to set up a consultation appointment and let us take a look at your scar. We should be able to tell you at that point if it’s a good idea or not.

Do I have to have a black outline?

This is a good question. Some tattoo artists insist that it is necessary. We have had some luck without outlines. If done properly, a tattoo can look incredible without black at all. We don’t suggest this for every tattoo though. Some designs look best as tattoos if they have outlines. If you want to know about your design you can either e-mail it to us or make an appointment for a consultation.

Where can I find a tattoo design?

We do custom tattoos drawn just for the wearer or photo realistic tattoos take directly from a photo. We can draw a lot of things from our heads but it is best to have at least something for us to go on when you walk in the door. Even if it’s a really rough sketch. It will save us a lot of time and makes it easier for us to visualize that perfect image that’s just right for you. To find reference material we often use Google image search. Type in the subject of your tattoo but refrain from using the word “tattoo” in your search. You’ll get much better results that way.

Are there any tattoos that you won’t do?

Yes, We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. We will not tattoo images that offend us personally. These include racially bigoted designs such as white or black power or pride, and sexist designs such as “property of”. We will not do gang related designs, such as street gang or motorcycle club designs.

How do I get an apprenticeship?

The most important thing to do is to get together a portfolio of your art. If you don’t have one I would start taking art classes at the local community colleges to get one together or just enroll in an art school. Being an educated and talented artist is extremely important in this increasingly competitive industry. If I could go back and do it all over I would have gone to art school. Focus on your art, start or continue painting in oils and watercolors and assemble an exemplary portfolio. If you can show that you are an excellent artist with a portfolio of art in several different mediums than your chances are a lot higher of finding an apprenticeship. After you’ve done this, start or continue to get tattoos from artists that you admire and hold in high esteem. The really hard part is finding someone to apprentice you. Everyone seems to want to be a tattoo artist right now and hardly anyone is teaching. The so called “tattoo schools” are a complete waste of time and they steal your money. No one can teach you how to tattoo in a few weeks. It would be difficult to teach someone everything they need to know about cross contamination, infectious diseases, and sterilization in just a few weeks. Do not accept an apprenticeship from someone that you don’t think is an amazing tattoo artist. If you learn the wrong way or teach yourself the wrong way it is very difficult to unlearn bad habits. Set a high standard for yourself and aim for the best. Lastly, do not teach yourself how to tattoo. Period. You can not learn to tattoo from videos or guessing. You can give yourself, your family, or your friends infections or diseases by using incorrect methods of tattooing and you will not know what is incorrect if you are not taught by a professional.

-Christy Brooker

Can a Tattoo Studio be ecologically friendly?

It would seem that a tattoo studio would be an unlikely candidate as a green-focused business, but this is not an average tattoo studio. Damask Tattoo and Permanent Cosmetics uses plant-based, petroleum-free after-care products and tattoo session balms. I used to use straight petroleum jelly or other ointments during the tattoo process, and recommended petroleum-based after-care, until I learned that petroleum is very harmful to our skin. It coats the skin making it unable to breathe, makes it sticky so it clogs pores, attracts dust and dirt, and can actually increase the risk for skin cancer—also, it comes from a non-renewable resource.

Once these things were brought to my attention, I started looking into the other products that were being used in the process and started making changes. I found a small local business, Black Creek Botanicals, that has worked for years with tattoo artists to develop tattoo products that are not only petroleum-free and plant-based, but are the best products that I have ever used, hands-down. I also spent some time researching sunscreens for protecting tattoos from fading due to UV exposure. I found a great company called Soleo Organics, and now have their sunscreen available in my store. Then I took it a step further—I offer vegan ink as an alternative option to the standard tattoo inks.

The studio itself is in a professional building alongside naturopaths,acupuncturists, chiropractors, and a massage therapist. Decorated with antique, salvaged, and reused furniture, we approach green with an ornate Victorian flair. We provide a discreet salon-style experience

and a patient and empathetic approach with our clients. We have private tattoo rooms where we do custom tattoos that compliment the body’s natural shape and embody the vision of the wearer. We offer permanent cosmetics that are soft and natural, all the way down to individual hair-stroke eyebrows. Imagine never buying chemical-laced and overpackaged cosmetics again, but retaining the enhancing effects that makeup can offer. It’s truly a joy for me to know that I’m doing what I can to reduce the chemicals that my clients and I come into contact with, and reducing the demand for those products overall. I’m very excited with the direction we’ve taken with Damask Tattoo, and look forward to progressing even further into the world of green in the future.

-Christy Brooker