How Much Do You Tip a Tattoo Artist?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: artist
The standard is 15% to 20% of the total tattoo cost. On a $300 tattoo, that's $45 to $60. On a $500 tattoo, $75 to $100. If the work was...

How to Heal a Tattoo Fast: What Actually Works

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare
You can't make your body heal in three days. The surface takes two to four weeks; the dermis takes two to six months. Nothing changes that timeline. What you can...

Can You Tan With a New Tattoo?

— Michael Hollman
No. Not in a tanning bed, not sunbathing, not for at least four to six weeks after getting tattooed. Even after your tattoo is fully healed, UV exposure is the...

Does Tattoo Numbing Cream Affect the Ink or Healing?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare numbing
No. When a quality numbing cream is applied correctly and cleaned off by your artist before the needle touches skin, it has no effect on the ink, the tattooing process,...

Do Finger Tattoos Last?

— Michael Hollman
Finger tattoos fade faster than tattoos anywhere else on your body. That's not a flaw in the placement. It's anatomy. The skin on your hands behaves differently from skin on...

Can You Work Out After Getting a Tattoo?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare
Not right away. A fresh tattoo is an open wound, and exercise creates conditions that directly interfere with healing: friction against the skin, sweat pooling over the wound, higher body...

Tattoo Aftercare: Lotion or Balm?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare
Most people reach for a lotion because that's what they keep in the bathroom. For a healing tattoo, it's usually the wrong call. The ingredients that make a standard body...

Can You Get a Tattoo If You Have Eczema?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: health
Yes, you can get a tattoo with eczema. Many people with eczema do, with good results. The conditions that make it safe are specific: the skin at the tattoo site...

What Does It Mean When a Tattoo Is "Bubbling"?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare
Your tattoo looks soft, raised, and almost soggy, like waterlogged skin sitting over your ink. This is tattoo bubbling, and it looks worse than it is. It is not an...

How Painful Is a Spine Tattoo? A Pain-Level Guide

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: pain placement
A spine tattoo is one of the more painful placements you can choose. The needle runs directly over bone with very little tissue cushion, the vibration transmits deep into the...

What's the Best Soap to Use on a New Tattoo?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare
A fragrance-free, dye-free liquid soap that rinses clean is the minimum. Anything with added scent, color, or harsh antibacterial agents is too much for a fresh wound. Beyond that baseline,...

Can You Get a Tattoo While on Antibiotics?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare
No. The clear answer is to reschedule. And it's not just about the underlying infection. The antibiotics themselves introduce specific complications that affect both the tattooing process and how the...