The answer is yes. Having needles pierce your skin does hurt. But what you really want to know is "How MUCH does it hurt, and can I handle it?" It's not nearly as bad as what you might imagine. The pain comes from the cluster of needles on the tattooing machine piercing your skin very rapidly. This sensation, however, doesn't feel like the poking pain of an injection--it's more of a constant vibration. You will be amazed at how quickly your body releases endorphins,(http://www.healingsprings.com/ENDORPHINS.htm ) (pain killers), which dull the pain significantly.The pain will also vary according to where on your body you get worked on. Skin above bones (collarbone, anklebone, etc.) tends to be more painful than other areas. Remember, you are volunteering for the experience. The amount of pain will depend on your psychological attitude.

Here at Raptor Tattoo, we require a parent or legal guardian to sign a waver form if you are under the age of 18. You must be at least 16 years old.

All tattoos are charged by time. Our rate is $150.00 per hour and we have a minimum charge of $80.00 for a 1/2 hour. These prices do not include GST or ointment.

Your new tattoo is applied under the strictest guidelines. We are a health inspected & approved studio.

All needles are new and sterilized in a steam and pressure sterilizer known as an autoclave. All tubes are sterilized in the same manner. The needle and tube assemblies used in each client remain in a sealed, sterile bag until they are removed in front of the client. Pigment receptacles and excess pigments and any other items are disposed of after use. Disposable gloves are worn by the artist at all times.

If you come in for your appointment with a sunburn, psoriasis or eczema, we will not guarantee that the ink will hold in the skin. The simple reason is that you are coming in with damaged skin, and damaged skin does not always hold the ink. If you do need a touch up after getting a tattoo with this condition, you will have to pay a materials charge.

If you have acne in the area to be tattooed, you need to pick a different spot for the tattoo. We cannot tattoo over acne as this can cause an infection (through spreading the bacteria that causes the acne to the tattoo).

If you come in with tanned skin, or have natually darker skin, certain colours are not going to show up well. If you insist that we use them, they can look muted, discoloured or faded upon healing. In short, darker or tanned skin makes it like you are looking at the tattoo through tinted glass.