Here are some answers to frequently asked questions that we get here at Lucky's... if you have a question that you don't see here, feel free to contact us at Lucky's Tattoo@MySpace or call us at either shop, Northampton -(413)587-0004 or Amherst-(413)256-0078. We will do our best to answer any questions you may have and help you to make a comfortable and educated decision about your own body and your body modification choice.
Frequently asked questions...
Q.-Do I need an appointment to get a tattoo or piercing? A. We
do not take appointments for piercings, they are always done first come
first served. We do suggest making an appointment for tattoos to assure
you will get it right when you want it, as well as being given ample
time to confer with your artist to get your design just right for you.
We do take walk-ins for tattoos if we have the availability.
Q.-How old do you have to be to get a piercing or tattoo at Lucky's? A.-To
be tattooed you must be 18 with a valid government issued I.D.(such as
a Permit, Drivers license, passport or Armed Forces card. we will also
accept a birth certificate with other photo I.D.) For most Piercing,
you must be 14 years old with a birth certificate or other government
issued I.D. and be accompanied by a parent or guardian with Valid I.D.
We will NOT do Genital or nipple piercing on anyone under the age of
18. We WILL do earlobes on children under 14 at artists discretion, so
you should call first.
Q.-Does it cost extra to have an artist draw something up custom? A.- No,
our artist will be glad to draw your design up just for you. We do
require you book an appointment, which requires a $60 deposit, but
that deposit of $60 goes towards the cost of your Tattoo. We do not
charge to draw.
Q.-Does it cost more for a color tattoo? A.-No.
It doesn't matter what colors we are using, all Tattoos are priced by
time. We run at $100 an Hour, with a $60 shop minimum.
Q.-Does it hurt? A.-Pain
is different for everybody, but the short answer is yes, a little.
Piercings take less than a second if done properly by a qualified and
experienced artist. Most people react by saying "that was it?"... The
pain of a tattoo varies from person to person. It also can vary by
location. Some people compare it to a cat scratch or a sunburn.
Q.-Can I go swimming after? A.
After getting a Tattoo you must wait 3 weeks to Lucky's.. month to go swimming
or go in a hot tub. For piercings, you must wait until it's fully
healed to submerge it in any body of water UNLESS you can cover it with
a waterproof bandage (such as Tegaderm, or Clean Seals) which you can
find at any drug or grocery store.
Q.- Can I have a friend hold my hand? A.
This varies from artist to artist. We do however let a friend come in
the back with you to be there through your modification...depending on
the procedure, they may or may not be able to actually touch you, but
they can be there for moral support. If you are under 18, your Parent
or guardian MUST accompany you into the piercing room. Q.-Are other people going to be watching? A.
We have Private rooms for ALL our procedures for your privacy, so you
don't have to worry about being on display for strangers to see.
Q. Is my piercing going to leave a scar? A.
Any time you puncture the tissue, it can leave a scar. Though with a
healthy piercing scarring is very minimal, if however, the piercing
gets played with, infected, torn or abused with harsh chemicals such as
peroxide, iodine, or hibaclens, chances of scarring are greater. If the
piercing begins growing out, remove it before it gets all the way to
the surface to minimize the scarring. If you do get a piercing scar,
massaging the area with cocoa butter or vitamin E can help reduce the
discoloration or residual tissue.
Q. Why don't you use ear piercing guns? A.
There are many reasons that any professional shop will not use ear
piercing guns. Most importantly, they CAN NOT be sterilized. Multiple
people using one eargun can easily spread diseases such as Hepatitis.
Most ear piercing gun jewelry is made of inferior metals and cause many
people to have allergic reactions. We have pamphlets full of research
at both our shops and would be more than happy to go over why spending
the extra money to have your piercing done with a sterile needle is far
safer and better for you than gun piercing.
Q. The shop down the street said they would do the same piercing/tattoo for less money, why shouldn't I go there? A.
Price shopping is never a good idea when it comes to your body. You
deserve to have the best work possible done in a clean and safe
environment by experienced and trained professionals. You get what you
pay for. inferior, cheap jewelry can lead to a host of problems that
can be more expensive or impossible to fix down the road. Our shops and
artists only use the highest quality jewelry and supplies and won't cut
corners to save money and compromise your safety. There's a saying that
I think holds true most of the time and thats "good Tattoos aren't
cheap, and cheap Tattoos aren't good". So choose your Artist wisely,
and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Q. I have a picture of my own, can your artist do it? A.
Usually. Feel free to bring as many pictures and examples of designs or
styles that you like. The more you can explain to our Artists, the
better they can draw up exactly what You want.
Q. How long does it take a body piercing to heal? The healing time for a body piercing varies depending upon what you’ve had pierced. Some parts of the body heal more quickly than others. For instance, if you pierce your earlobes, you can expect them to heal within two months and be ready for jewelry other than the original piercing jewelry. The belly button is in an area that heals slowly, however, because it’s right where the body twists and turns, which slows the healing process. It also doesn’t get as much air circulation because it is covered much of the time. It can take up to six months or even a year for a belly button piercing to heal completely. Some general healing times are: Ear lobes..........6-8 weeks Cartilage...........4-8 months Eyebrow...........4-8 weeks Nostril..............2-4 months Septum.............1-3 months Labret..............2-3 months Tongue.............4-6 weeks Nipple..............2-4 months Navel...............5 months-1 year Genitals............6 weeks-6 months The better you care for a body piercing, the more quickly it will heal, so be sure to take proper care of your piercing to ensure you will heal in the least amount of time possible
Q. How can I tell if a piercing is infected? All body piercings will have some drainage during the first several days. This is because you have basically given your body a puncture wound, and your body will bleed for a while, and then have drainage of some fluids as it heals. These fluids are actually good for you, as they keep the area moist and clean and will protect the pierce from some of the dirt and germs that might come in contact with the area. It is mostly plasma and white blood cells. Drainage will be mostly a clear, watery discharge, although it can sometimes be somewhat white or off white in color. The drainage will form “crusties”, dried plasma around the jewelry that can be washed off after being softened by your warm salt water soak. A piercing is most likely infected when the discharge is either green or yellow, or if the area becomes swollen or inflamed again after the initial swelling has subsided. If you suspect anything is going wrong with your healing feel free to come down to either Luckys locations for a free check-up by your piercer.
Q. What should I look for in a good body piercing studio? A good body piercing studio must first and foremost be clean, clean, and clean! The most common cause of infection is piercings is simple exposure to germs, so look for a piercing parlor that is very strict about its cleanliness and sterilization procedures. They should have a separate room where nothing else is done but piercings. They should always have an operational autoclave, which is a wet steam sterilization unit that is to be used to clean and sterilize all tools and equipment used during piercing. They should be able to show you a current spore test, which will show you that their autoclave is working properly. They should also pierce only with single-use, disposable needles that are pre-wrapped. Ask them if this is what they use, and insist that the needles not be opened until they are actually ready to do your piercing so that you can confirm they are sterile-wrapped. Look for experience and qualifications. Have all the piercers been through anapprenticeship program? If so, for how long did they train and where? How long have they been piercing? Also make sure they are licensed to operate a piercing studio by their state’s department of health. In most states this is now mandatory. Also check the date to make sure it isn’t expired. Finally, look for a certificate of membership in a professional society such as the Association of Professional Piercers, an organization that supports safe and professional piercing practices and offers extensive ongoing training. Look at their portfolio, do the piercings look well placed. Reputation speaks volumes, ask around.
Q. Is your shop the coolest shop in the whole entire universe??? A. Yes. Yes it is.
