Tattoo FAQ

As someone who has a good amount of tattoos, I get a lot of questions. There are some that I got a lot. And I really do mean a lot. I don’t always mind answering these questions, but it can get a little annoying at times. I’m sure my tattooed brethren can agree to that. So I have some of my own forever answers to some of those frequently asked tattoo questions.

1. “Did it hurt?”

Short answer is yes. It did hurt. To expand, it’s hard for anyone who has gone under the needle to say that it didn’t hurt. Do you know how it feels when a cat scratches you? That stinging sensation you get when they dig a claw into you? That’s the best way I can describe it. But it happens over and over again.

2. “How much did it hurt?”

Almost without fail, I get this as a follow up question to the first one. And I can’t accurately tell you how much it’ll hurt. Mostly because everyone’s pain tolerance is different. While I can’t tell you how much it will hurt you, I can tell you that it probably doesn’t hurt as badly as you think it does.

3. “Was it expensive?” or “How much was it?”

Much like the previous question, this is a little difficult to answer. I don’t keep track of how much each of my tattoos cost me. I can give you an idea of what I spent and what the shop minimum was, but I can’t tell you exactly how much it was unless you were there with me when I got the tattoo. And of course it will be “expensive,” depending on your definition of expensive. Many good tattoo shops will have a minimum of around $65 or more. That’s something else to keep in mind: You get what you pay for, so don’t go asking your buddy to tattoo you for $15 in his basement.

4. “What about jobs?”

I honestly love this question because most of the time, I get this question when I’m on the clock. At my job. Where I’m getting paid. And I honestly can’t answer this question without coming across as a complete jerk. But trust me when I say, any good tattoo artist will steer you in the right direction. If you’re young and you tell them you want your knuckles or face tattooed, they’ll try to talk you out of it. Especially if you’re not that heavily covered.

5. “What will they look like when they’re older?”

Well, depending on how often I get them touched up (if at all), they’ll probably be a bit faded. That’s just how it works.

6. Grabbing the body part to “see” the tattoo

Okay, so this isn’t a question, but it does happen often enough that it does have to be addressed. Even if the person doesn’t seem to react all that much, it still can be very uncomfortable for some stranger to come up to you and randomly grab your arm (or any other body part really). Looking at someone’s tattoo only requires your eyes; no other body part needs to be involved. If you feel the need to touch any of us, at least do the polite thing and ask.

So I hope this answered some of your burning questions about tattoos. Maybe I even answered a question you didn’t even know that you had.