Considering a Tattoo?
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get:
Still can't find an answer to your question? Send us an e-mail. Were happy to help!
What forms of Payment are accepted?
Some of our artists accept CASH ONLY payments.
Some of our artist accept PayPal payments for deposits with online appointment booking.
Some of our artists accept CASH, as well as Credit Card payments.
We sell online digital gift cards- Credit Cards Accepted.
We sell Gift Cards in the studio- CASH or Credit Card.
Please see your artist for more information on their payment options.
There are several ATMs within a few doors of our location.
We do not accept Checks.
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Do you do piercings?
Unfortunately we do NOT offer any piercing services at our studio. We exclusively tattoo. We are happy to make recommendations for some of the best local professional piecers.
Do you accept walk-ins?
YES! we do. We can accommodate walk-ins, or same day appointments, when we have an artist in the studio with open availability.
We take them first come- first serve.
We do recommend calling ahead, to make sure were not all booked with appointments for the day. (especially if you have a long drive)
We also usually recommend sending artwork ahead of time via e-mail, when possible. It helps us determine whats involved with the piece to know how much time we need with you, and if we can accommodate you. It also helps us determine if the tattoo needs time to be drawn or if prep work time is needed.
We do LAST CALL at 8:30PM when we are available, but the earlier you can make it in, the more likely it is we will have time.
If you have something that will require more time than we have, we'll give you some scheduling options, if you'd like to come back another time.
If you have sent us an inquiry about a same day tattoo via an internet form of contact, and we have not responded... we are likely all tattooing.
We do value your interest, we just can't tattoo and check e-mail at the same time.
Were Sorry!
Is there a Studio Minimum?
Our studio Minimum is $100.
What does that cover? It basically covers the bottom line material cost for setting up for a tattoo.
The studio pays rent, utilities, insurance, set up material cost for procedures. ( and its quite expensive).And your artist also pays for his/her tools like machines, tubes, needles, and inks for your tattoo out of pocket.
Can I get a tattoo for less than the minimum?
No.
Charging less than our minimum, no matter the size of the tattoo would not cover our cost to do the tattoo.
How old do I need to be to get Tattooed?
In Pennsylvania the legal age to receive a tattoo is 18 years old. Please remember to bring your valid government issued ID, for proof of age.
If I am a minor, can an adult "Sign for Me"?
Golden Sage unfortunately does not offer services to minors under any circumstances. We make a conscience decision to mandate an 18 and up policy for all tattooing services, regardless of written parental consent.
We are however, happy to offer consultations for minors 16 and up. We believe its never to early to start asking questions, getting real information and positive feed back from professionals, on your future choices!
Im over 18, do I still need to bring ID?
Yes! Everyone coming for a tattoo procedure, no mater the age of the client, extent of the tattoo procedure, or fact of already having tattoos, needs to bring proper identification with to their appointment. ID checking is an insurance mandated practice, and is generally ethical and professional. Please bring your valid government issued ID with when filling out new client forms, and make sure to have it available upon request any time you return for a procedure.
What are acceptable forms of ID?
Acceptable forms of Photo ID, must be government issued, will have have name, date of birth, and photograph.
They include a valid "State Issued Drivers License", a valid "State Issued Identification Card" a valid "US Passport", a valid "Government Issued Military ID", or a valid "Government Issued Employee ID". If you are not a US citizen or are traveling from abroad, a valid "Passport" from your country of origin, a valid "US Working-Visa ID Card", a valid "Green Card/ Permanent Resident/ Non Resident ID card" are acceptable, granted they have both name, DOB and photo.
We reserve the right to decline services if we deem a form of ID to be invalid, non-authentic, forged, defaced, non-legible ,altered or tampered with, expired, stolen, fake, or in any way to be a possible inaccurate representation of legal Identification or proof of age. Falsifying Identification on a waiver, and fake ID's are criminal offenses.
We do not accept School ID's (high school, or university), unless they are "Officially Government Issued", valid and include name, DOB, and photograph" No high school ID's will be excepted under any circumstance. Drivers permits, Birth Certificates, and Hospital Birth Records, will not be accepted, as they do not contain a photo.
"Junior Drivers Licenses" are considered valid "State Issued" granted they contain the above criteria. US, and State Issued "Game, Fishing, and Hunting ID's" are acceptable under most circumstances, as well as State Issued "Weapons" or "Concealed Carry Permits", again,assuming they are valid and meet the above criteria.
We can not accept photocopies of ID's.
What kinds of Health Concerns can be problematic, and how should I address Questions?
Since medical abnormalities or conditions such as Diabetes, Thyroid concerns, Immune compromization, Allergies, Auto Immune disorders, skin issues,… and many other medical situations like recent surgeries, recent births and breast feeding, and other changes in your health can effect the way the body heals wounds, ( and in turn cause serious health complications) Please, please, please, bring relevant medical information to the attention of your tattoo artist, BEFORE getting tattooed.
In some cases, consulting with your medical professional may be needed to determine if getting tattooed is a healthy choice for you.
Some medications like Blood Thinners, Antibiotics, and medical devices like Pace Makers are a concern and warrant speaking with your health care practitioner. Don't forget to mention them to US in addition, so we can be informed, and discuss what might be problematic for a tattoo.
We recommend a consultation for questions,
When in doubt, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Can I bring my children to the Studio?
Due to the nature of the procedure, the safety and wellbeing of the children, staff, and clients....
CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED BEYOND THE LOBBY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Minors under the age of 16 are not permitted to be in the studio with-out a Parent present.
Well behaved children are welcome in the Lobby for the duration of Consults as long as they are under an adults supervision.
Children are permitted in the lobby with the supervision of an additional ADULT that is NOT being tattooed, while a parent is getting tattooed.
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We recommend that other arrangements are made for children to be entertained and supervised outside of the studio, to allow appointments to run as smooth as possible and respect the conditions required for our artist ideal working environment.
Clients 18 and up, that wish to have a friend sit with you in the procedure area during your tattoo, may not have friends under the age of 18 "sit in"with them for legal reasons.
Adults 18 and up receiving tattoos may request permission from their artist to have their own minor children 16 and up accompany them in the procedure area, with good cause, as long as the Adult is the legal parent or guardian. This is at the discretion of the Artist, and may warrant proof of age and guardianship.
Is a Consult necessary?
Its not always necessary, but in some cases your artist might need one with you before scheduling.
We'll always get you set up with a consult if you would like one, or have questions. They are a great way for the artist and client to meet, and connect, and make sure they will work well together on a tattoo.
We usually suggest one, if you are interested in a larger scale project or a cover up or add on of any kind. We will take photos, and tracings for design purposes.
If its your first tattoo, a consult is an excellent idea for getting informed about a tattoo procedure, what to expected for healing and aftercare, health questions, and also tips for planning a tattoo concept and researching reference material. Your artist can also answer questions on their pricing, and scheduling protocol.
How do I Schedule?
When you have decided what Artist your interested in working with, you'll want to contact them for scheduling. Some of our artist use scheduling tools like apps and others use more tradition methods. You may call the studio to inquire, however e-mails are usually the best way to reach us. We cant always answer the phone when tattooing.
You can see the "Contact page" for the studio's general e-mail and a direct e-mail form ( put the artist's name in the title so he or she will know its for them), or better yet..
See the artist's individual page using the drop down menu on this site for their personal e-mail, any scheduling links, or the best way to reach them.
Be patient. Some times we can take a few days or more to respond when there is high volume!
What if I don't have an Artist in mind?
It's not a problem. We suggest looking over the Artist portfolios first. Love the studio but still can't decide on an artist, or have no preference?... send the studio a general e-mail to our address on the "contact page".
Include a general description of what your interested in getting done, and any reference material you might have to help us determine who's a good fit. If you have tricky availability, or other scheduling needs, let us know those up front too. We'll take a look at your request and get you matched up. and moving forward with the best fit for your needs.
Are Consults Free?
YES! Always.
Free in cost, and Free of obligation,
We do prefer you show up though.
Gift Certs?
We have two kinds available.
You can purchase physical Gift Cards in the Studio, we can accept CASH or Credit Card for them. Any amount you need.
(If your making a long trip for one, call and make sure someone is available to help you with a purchase, our hours can fluctuate)
OR
If your a homebody/hermit, or last min holiday shopper, we offer easy online purchase for digital gift certs. You can purchase on our website thru "Squares digital gift cert program" You'll be sent a confirmation e-mail. Digital Gift Certs can be purchased for your self, (trying to save for your next tattoo?) or sent as gifts via e-mail to friends and family. You'll need the code in the e-mail to redeem with us.
As always, gift cert/cards are not redeemable for cash, and non-refundable. They also do not have an expiration date... and we are not responsible for lost or stolen cards.
How much does a tattoo cost?
Pricing questions have a lot of variables to them.
The best answer you can get about pricing on a tattoo is by having a solid understanding of what you want, and setting up a consult with the artist you want to work with.
All of our artist are going to price their own work. So we cant give you a quote for something someone else is going to do for you.
Size, Location, Art Style and technical factors that increase time, or difficulty with a project will all impact the cost of a tattoo.
Tattoos can range from our minimum which is $100 and generally take 15 mins or less... all the way to sleeves and back pieces that take years, and 100's of hours to complete.
We can usually work with you on a design, to stay near a specified budget you denote.
Small pieces we can usually give pretty accurate quotes for when we have all the information about it.
Medium size pieces we can almost always give you a ball park estimate on, which involves guessing how long a piece might take. We can usually give a range.
Large scale projects are almost impossible to guess just how many hours of work will be involved to complete something. Some of our artist will quote hourly or session rates for larger scaled projects that require multiple sessions, and extensive on-going work.
We do not give group discounts, multiple tattoo discounts.
We do not charge for drawing time, or for set up time.
We do not do payment plans. Payment is due at the time of service.
We can not give quotes for tattoos over the phone.
More questions about Cost? send us an e-mail!
Do you have designs for me to pick from?
Since we are a completely custom studio, we don't display traditional "Tattoo Flash" for browsing/choosing remade designs from Flash Artists, in the studio.
Some of our artist may have some personally created pre-made/prepared designs available, if your in the market for a spontaneous piece of art.
Ultimately we work from scratch to design exactly what you need.
Can I supply my own design?
YES!
If you have something pre-made in mind and all ready to go, bring it in with you, or e-mail it ahead of time. We'll check it over to make sure there aren't any issues, or any changes we would recommend,. We'll make sure it translates well for the tattoo process, and ages well on you body over time.
Some times we'll need to make some minor changes.
We can also use materials you bring as references to design you something custom, based off your inspiration.
Talk with your Artist, not all of them will take on prefabbed designs.
If Im not sure what I want, will an Artist design some sketches for me to choose from?
If your having trouble narrowing down a concept, or have several and not sure which you want to get, a consult is always the way to go.
We can work with you to hone in on a good design candidate. Before we start working on artwork, we like to have a solid understanding of what were creating, and our clients expectations. It makes the best creative environment to give you what your going to love.
Since each of our artist works independently, its best to consult with them, about the amount of creative liberty you can give, your needs for the piece, and the amount of time and energy they are capable of providing with their schedule or work load.
I sent an inquiry and I haven't gotten a response yet?
If you've sent us an e-mail directly to the studio, it could take up to a few days to get a response. We usually check the inbox everyday, but we may be waiting for a particular artist to be available to write you, or be checking on scheduling options to get back to you with.
If its been more than a week, and no one has reached out with a response, you can try sending the e-mail again, or check the address. You can also use the contact form on the website here.
Occasionally e-mails mistakenly get marked read, end up in a spam folder, or have not been received due to a typo in the address.
We don't check social media daily for messages.
So if you've sent an IG Direct Message or FaceBook message, we may not see it for a few days, or more. Our response to DM's are usually "Please e-mail the studio with pricing and scheduling inquiries".
So you can skip the extra step and e-mail your questions directly.
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If you have called or stopped in and left either a Voice Mail or Message with another artist in person, they sometimes take a few days to get forwarded and then a response. Make sure, you left contact details. We have lots of clients and don't alway know you by first name, or have your contact info easily accessible or at all.
Try calling or e-mailing with a follow up in a few days to make sure we have your info correct.
Are Deposits Required?
Some of our artists have deposit policies.
The individual artist pages contain all the information you need about their scheduling, deposits, and cancelation policies if they have any. If you have a question, were happy to get you an answer.
Can I get a refund?
Since Tattoos are not returnable, we are not able to issue refunds on services.
If your refund questions are in reference to a deposit. In most cases we consider deposits to be non-refundable. You can check out the artist deposit polices on their page in the drop down menu before leaving one, or double check with the artist when scheduling so you completely understand the terms. Contact them about any extraordinary situations or exception questions you might have.
We try and be really good people.
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If you've made payment with an artist via an electronic method, Credit Card, Gift Card/Cert, PayPal, and you believe there may be a error in the amount charged to you, or have questions about anything billing or receipt related, please inquire with the artist directly that did they work for you. They manage all of their own payments.
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In an extreme situation where your concern can not be mitigated and you have made attempts to reach an artist concerning settling a matter please reach out to management in regards with assistance with a dispute.
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I need to cancel an appointment?
If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment, please get in touch directly with your scheduled artist, via e-mail or by phone, as soon as possible.
See your artist page or directly inquire with them about cancelations, rescheduling, or deposit information if it applies.
Do I tip Tattoo Artist?
As the definition implies, Gratuity for services is never required in order to receive Excellent Service. Traditionally and Socially it is a common practice to Tip a Tattoo Artist.
Tipping or no Tipping, its always a pleasure to have your Trust, your business, and your referrals!
What do I do if I need a touch up?
Skin and Tattooing are not always immune to imperfections with healing. Sometimes a touch up us normal.
Most of our artist will go over any guarantee they have or don't have on your tattoo, and any touch up procedures they have, when they go over the aftercare of your tattoo. If they have not covered touch up information about their work, please get in touch with them.
There are sometimes tattoos we are unable to guarantee due to the nature of them, and complications that accompany them. We usually make sure you are aware of these disclosures before committing to a tattoo that is problematic.
Can I be allergic to tattoo pigment?
Will my tattoo hurt?
Yes, its possible for anyone to have an adverse reaction to any substance they put in or on their body. While both allergic reaction and dermatitis reaction risks are significantly low, pigment manufacture recommend a patch test if you believe you may be more at risk of a reaction. For more information on this topic, since its a complex one, please send an e-mail to the studio with your questions and concerns. Tattoo artist can use many different colors and pigments from many manufactures. If theres a question we can't answer we can get you in touch with a pigment manufacture who can.
The physical sensation of getting tattooed can vary a lot depending on many factors. The body location, your personal pain threshold, the artist, and the extent of the tattoo work. It can be hard to predict what a first tattoo will feel like if you've never gotten one, but the most common reaction we get from clients is "that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be". Generally there are areas that are more sensitive than others. Talk with your tattoo artist if you have questions.
Can I take something for the pain?
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Please refrain from consuming alcohol before getting tattooed, or we will need to deny tattoo services. Please refrain from taking anything illegal, or any oral pain medication that may increase bleeding, thinning of the blood, or prevent clotting as a side effect.
Any type of local or topical numbing products like Lidocaine, or Bactine should be discussed with your tattoo artist prior to the tattoo appointment. Some products have the ability to interfere with the tattoo process.
When your tattoo is finished, there is no restriction on what you can take afterwards to help manage pain or discomfort.
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What are the risks of infection?
Since tattooing creates an open wound, there is always some possible risk of infection. HOW high or low the risk is for an individual depends on the condition of your health, how fast you heal, how well you care for the healing tattoo, and what it becomes exposed to during the healing process. Please see our aftercare instructions for additional information and don't forget to provide any important health information to your tattoo artist before hand.
Vegan Tattoos?
We get Vegan related questions often, but not always the right ones. Most people inquire about Vegan tattoo pigment because its the part of the tattoo that they will carry with them forever , but forget to ask about the rest of the products we use.
Artists will use different pigment companies, each company has their own product formula. In recent years, most pigment companies will label or advertise their pigment as vegan friendly if it is. Your artist can give you more information about the specific pigments they use.
We also use a variety of antiseptics, soaps, and ointments for tattooing that will have contact with your skin. We like to have available Vegan Friendly Ointment as an alternative to traditional ointment (which usually contains lanolin a wool product) for use during a tattoo. You'll want to make sure we have it in stock if its important to you, we only break it out for special requests. Tattoo soap used in our studio is made with vegetable derived glycerin.
Can you tattoo over scars?
Most scar related questions do best with an in studio consultation. We'll want to take a look at the scar tissue in person, to give you the best answers to your questions. We will take a look at the tissue its self, get some more info from you about how old it is and the type of skin trauma its from, And then give you some feed back about the best game plan for your objective.
Friday the 13th specials?
We don't currently participate in any Friday the 13th tattoo pop culture phenomenon, commonly referred to as "THE Friday the 13th special" Sorry Kids.
Where can I find good fonts for lettering?
We love using dafont.com it has a preview option to see what the text will look like. All the fonts are free, so you can download ahead of time and try some options out, and they are both PC and Mac compatible.
We can download anything for you that is free, and compatible if you need help putting something together. Or your welcome to bring your pre-printed text in with you, as long as the printer quality is fine. We can resize lettering for you if need be. Please remember to double check and triple check any names, dates, and all the spelling!
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Tattoos and the Gym?
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If a gym or workout is in your regular routine:
We usually suggest avoiding public /shared equipment coming in direct contact with your fresh tattoo. Most sweat covered germ-wicking gym clothes wont act as a barrier from bacteria, or things like ringworm or other fungus that could come in contact with your open wound.
We also usually will suggest taking it easy on a particular muscle group that was recently tattooed, for the first 1-3 days, to allow it reduce any swelling or major irritation.
IF you are a professional or amateur Athlete, or Physical Fitness is your career:
Talk with your tattoo artist before scheduling your appointments. Most often we will just provide some recommendations for accommodating career based activities and after care. Contact Sports, Sparing , Intense Training for Marathons, Competitions, Swimming, Outdoor sports and other physically high demanding activities may warrant scheduling around activities to allow enough heal time for new tattoos.
Tattoos and Tanning?
New and healing tattoos should always be kept out of the sun. Sun exposure on a fresh tattoo can damage the healing skin, and the artwork underneath. The use of a tanning bed on a healing tattoo should also be avoided. A towel or loose breathable clothing item can be used to cover the area if need be.
After a tattoo has healed, it is ok to expose your tattoo to the sun or artificial sun, but keep in mind ALL UV exposure does contribute to the aging of the tattoo. We recommend the use of sunblock to protect your tattoo from UV rays, and increase the longevity of your artwork.
What should I bring to my consult?
Bring yourself, and any reference material you might have for the tattoo. You can share a Pinterest board or other internet based finds, images saved on other digital devices, and printed or physical items we can take photos of. We'll usually photo copy any originals. You may also e-mail any references or links ahead of time. We may ask you to bring high resolution digital media copies or original proffessionaly printed photographs for portraits.
Dont forget, references dont have to be just pictures of tattoos, we encourage other types of reference materials as well. Anything that helps us to better understand what your thinking, or like.
We may need to take photos of cover ups, or tracings for larger projects so be prepared to have access to pertinent body parts.
If your thinking you would like to schedule a tattoo appointment while your in the studio for the consult you may want to have your schedule and any deposit your artist may need, handy.
How should I prepare for my tattoo appointment?
Make sure you are healthy, hydrated, and that you have recently eaten. A meal or snack with sugar or carbohydrates an hour or two before your appointment will help reduce blood sugar drops that some people can experience. Don't worry, if you arrive and haven't had the opportunity, check in with us first, let us know you've arrived for your appointment, and you should have some time while we get everything else prepared.
Bring your ID and be prepared to sign a release form with some new client information we keep on file, if you are a first time client. We use a digital APP for ours. The first time will take a bit longer, but when you return for any future services, you'll just be prompted to sign in.
Make sure you wear something comfortable, items that will allow access to the tattoo area, and nothing you are worried about getting ink on. (tattooing can be messy, and pigment does NOT wash out of fabric).
There is normally some amount of down time for clients as we make sure artwork is finalized and prepped and our work stations are set up for your tattoo. (generally estimate at least 30 mins)
If you would like to bring entertainment for your self for wait time in the lobby before we are ready for you, or during the tattoo, books, kindles,magazines, phones, tablets, laptops, for movies or web surfing, or personal music devices with headphones, are all welcome.
We appreciate general hygiene, but it is not necessary to prep or shave a tattoo area for us ahead of time. If you routinely receive pedicures, before you get a foot tattooed is fine, but you'll want to refrain from them while a foot tattoo is healing.
We can not tattoo over sunburn, so make sure that the area you are planning to tattoo has not be recently burnt or pealing.
I have a vacation planned, or a pool at home, should I get tattooed or wait?
Where can I find aftercare instructions?
If you are planning to be in the sun or the water (lakes, river, oceans, pools, hot tubs, waterparks etc.) you'll want to make sure your tattoo is either completely healed before your vacation or pool time or schedule for a time afterwards where it can.
We have a whole page dedicated to the care of your tattoo. You can find it under the DISCOVER tab on the main menu or by clicking TATTOO CARE.
Can I bring moral support?
Absolutely! You are welcome to bring a friend or family to sit with you during your tattoo. See our age guidelines on the FAQ page for information about minors. We can accommodate ONE companion in an artists station per client. Our lobby is small, so we don't encourage large entourages or groups for appointments in order to enable us to have space for other appointments to comfortably wait.
What should I wear to a Tattoo Appointment?
Are your Artists licensed?
Wear something comfortable, clothing items that will allow access to the tattoo area, and nothing you are worried about getting ink on. (tattooing can be messy, and pigment does NOT wash out of fabric).
Zip up hoodies work great for access to backs while covering fronts.
Sports bras, bikini tops are more easily moved than items with underwire, and can still tuck a shirt out of the way under it.
If your trying to keep a piece under a visible clothing line, wear or bring something with a similar cut or length as you would normally, to check if it covers. Easy foot wear for afterwards is great if your planning a foot tattoo.
How is equipment sterilized?
In the U.S, both state laws and local laws provide guidelines for tattoo artist, and tattoo studios. Most licensing is by state regulation in the U.S. In PA we currently have no such state wide legislations for tattooing. There IS however Philadelphia based licensing for tattoo artists working within the Philly city limits. There is NO Pennsylvania State Tattooing license either mandated, OR available with the exception of Permanent Cosmetic tattooing and micro-blading.
What are the right questions to ask about Tattoo Health and Safety in PA?
All of our tattoo artists use single use disposable equipment that comes pre-sterilized and individualy packaged by the manufacturers. The sterilization method used for this is ethyl oxide gas (EO gas).
Decontamination of procedure areas and furniture are done with hospital grade germicides.
In PA the state does not set criteria for health and safety standards for either protecting workers or the public . Some local governments (like the city of Philly) may have county, borough, or city health codes that relate to general industry, professional services, and tattooing.
Its important to understand the regulations one might expect to be in place may not be legal obligations for tattoo studios to follow.
Parts of the tattoo industry in some states are still widely "self regulated". Which means, many studios determine their own standards based off the level of professionalism we hold our selves accountable for.
PA's studios in the majority are not required to be health inspected for operation, and artists are not certified or licensed in tattooing to be able to work in PA.
Additionally just because a local area may issue licensing (like Philly) some licensing criteria consists only of an annual registration/license fee for studios or artists, and does not rely on education or work practices to determine eligibility for licensing.
Nationally in the US, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) does mandate that all workers who may reasonably expect to be exposed to blood or OPIM (other potentially infectious materials) be annually certified in a BBP (blood borne pathogens) course.
While OSHA is primarily concerned with the health and safety of workers, Artists that comply with annual BBP certification (and also non mandated first aid and CPR training) generally have more updated education and training in reduction of cross contamination and safe work practices, that directly affect their clients as well.
In PA, because of lack of regulation, some blood donation organizations may not accept blood or plasma donations from donors that have received a tattoo with in the last 24 months in PA.
Many traditionally used methods for sterilization of equipment, tools, and some decontamination methods are becoming modernized or obsolete in the tattoo studio.
Its important to ask the right questions about sterilization. In studios that do not use ALL disposable equipment/tools, and use hospital sterilization methods, a steam autoclave should not just be onsite, but proper operation, maintenance, cleaning, spore testing, and record keeping are important for insuring functionality and sterilization of tools.
Offsite Ethyl Oxide manufacture sterilized pre-mades when stored correctly can maintain sterility for up to 5 years. Artists should be storing medically clean materials and sterilized equipment and tools per manufacture guidelines to maintain sterility or medically clean integrity, and should be checking expiration dates on products.
Permanent Cosmetic Application/Tattooing in PA is regulated and requires certification. Ask a professional Permanent Cosmetic Technician about procedures that involve microblading, or permanent facial tattooing like eyeliner, brows, lips, scar camouflaging,, hair texturing of the scalp, and chemical tattoo removals.
Tattoo Removal procedures (via laser and other methods) are always regulated in PA, and questions should be directed to a licensed professional.
Some types of other body modification, such as certain types of piercings, scarification, skin implantations, branding, and suspensions, MAY be regulated in PA.
Do you do "White Ink" tattoos, "UV Ink" tattoos, or "Glow in the dark ink" tattoos?
What do I need to know about hand and feet tattoos?
We routinely receive questions about ALL white tattoos. These are tattoo designs done exclusively in white tattoo pigment to create a very subtle and delicate ghost like permanent mark.
White tattoos work the best with simple line art type designs. We typically don't recommend certain body parts like hands, feet, elbows, and wrists, that won't hold pigment well. We also don't generally recommend all white script or lettering tattoos, because of the lack of legibility. Were happy to meet with you for a consultation if your considering a design like this to discuss potential risks of yellowing, scaring, fall out, and other healing and longevity concerns associated with them so you can make a decision if its a good choice for you, or if there are other ways to achieve a design that may be just as subtle or delicate.
On the topic of UV and other phoso-florecent pigments:
Tattoo pigment made in the US is NOT regulated by the FDA. So some novelty type pigments like these have absolutely no regulation about what ingredients are safe to put in them. Being a newer introduction to the industry we don't yet have solid info on how they age, and the how they may affect the body and your health long term.
So our artists have made professional decisions to not use them in their work at this time.
Due to the nature of the location we generally do NOT offer a guarantee on hands and feet tattoos.
Why is this? The skin on the hands and feet (also elbows and knees) behave a bit differently to tattoo than the rest of the body's skin. Our bodies create different tissue there, for natural and obvious reasons. Hand and feet tissue have a higher need for motion and movement with the number of joints and bones, a higher level of dead skin cells, callous tissue, and the depth and characteristics of the tissue including elasticity, cell thickness, and numbers of layers, can very greatly from one millimeter to the next, transitioning from joints, knuckles, palms, heals, soles. They are meant to withstand an extrodanary amount of wear and tear durring your life time, and experience the most contact with the environment, elements and heavy daily usage.
One of the challenges your artist's face, is the inconstancies in the tissue and its texture. This makes for difficulty in proper depth with application, unpredictable results with fall out and blow outs, and decreased ability for thiner, and crisper lines than else where.
Hand, feet, (also knees and elbows to some degree) will be more difficult to heal, and require some extra attention with aftercare. Life style and career choices can effect the longevity or quality of a hand or foot tattoo. Tattoos here generally are prone to more wear and tear.
Most but not all, hand and feet tattoos need to be touched up over time.
Its best to set up a consultation and talk with an artist about what your hoping to achieve. we can give you insight on how well your concept can be achieved on the hand or foot, and what to expect.
Because everyones bodies can vary, we would love the opportunity to give you a personalized professional opinion.
Do you do Finger Tattoos?
Some studios or artists wont apply tattoos here for the same reason we discussed in the hand and foot topic above. We like to address our concerns with healing, and longevity with clients wanting finger tattoos. Its important for clients to understand the potential pitfalls, and the realistic expectations for tattoos applied to these areas, as they dont always appear as clients expect them too.
After being clear on the quality restraints and your expectations, if we are capable of achieving your desired effect in a finger tattoo, we would be happy to work with you to do so within the limitations we can give you for the design and location.
Do you do Inner Lip tattoos?
Inner Lip tattoos are applied to the interior of the lip inside the mouth, into the mucous membrane. There is difficulty to regulate pigment application depth, it is rather unstable, contributing to loss of pigment in a short amount of time. For a tattoo artist, they are difficult, unpredictable, not so fun, and high risk for us for needle sticks due to the constraints and conditions of the area were working in
None of the artist at Golden Sage currently offer inner lip tattooing.
Have no fear though, if you simply cant live without one, there are ample artists at other studios that would be happy to provide you this service.
Do you do Permanent Cosmetic Tattooing?
None of our artist's are trained or certified in Permanent Cosmetic Tattooing. If your looking for microblading or permanent cosmetic services we would be happy to send you a referral to some of the best certified accredited and talented technicians in your area.
Can I send you a pintrest board?
YES!
Pintrest and your design boards are great for showing us what kind of design vibe your interested in, and helps to convey a visual story about what you like.
Sending a board or using one for consults and concept designing can be a great idea.
Tip: not all the references need to be images of tattoos. Other sources of inspiration from art, photographs, anything, can be helpful.
Do you do Hand Poked tattoos?
They go by many names, Hand Poked, Hand Tapped, Hand Pushed, Stick and Poke. The application of a tattoo with out the use of an electric tattoo machine.
YES!
Please check out our Artist's Pages and Guest Artists to see who currently specializes in Hand Applied, machine free, traditional hand methods of tattooing.
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Can I book a Tattoo Party?
If you have a larger group of friends or family that would like to make appointments together for the same day, we can usually accommodate groups.
You'll want to send group accommodation requests to the studio e-mail goldensagetattoo@gmail.com
Its best to give several week notice or more since we'll want to have multiple artists available and our day free of other appointments. Make sure your inquiry includes any dates that your inquiring about specifically ,the number of people looking to schedule time, artwork or references, sizes and locations. The more information you can give, the better we can schedule accommodations and prepare, making more efficient use of time for your group, and an enjoyable experience.
Food consumption is always restricted to our waiting area in the lobby. The same house rules for age, and number of extra bodies in the procedure areas apply always.
There is no alcohol permitted in the studio, and consumption before a procedure will result in us declining to do the tattoo at that time.
Do you offer Apprenticeships
Mentoring or Apprenticing is not something studios usually advertise as an available service to the public, or as a job opening to fill.
We have and currently do educate and intern artists interested in learning how to tattoo and build a career foundation.
We do not routinely look for candidates, as it is a huge responsibility on a studio, an artist, and requires a great sacrifice of time and other responsibilities to be able to devote energy and the necessary resources to passing a trade on to another generation of artists.
Serious questions, and inquires are always welcome because we love talking about what we do, sharing insight, and helping the community grow in a positive way.
Were never too sure when the right situation or opportunity becomes available again.
Send management professional inquires at:
How can I inquire about donations to Charitable events?
Golden Sage is a supporter of community, charity, and an advocate for supporting great causes.
Send us an inquiry at goldensagetattoo@gmail.com for community support, events, volunteering, etc.
or
For requests for monetary donations, advertising, gift cert raffeling or the like, send an e-mail to management at goldensagetattoo.theboss@gmail.com
You may also forward mailings, event posters, or literature for events or support for causes to our physical address located on the contact page, or by stopping in to speak with us.
Are you hiring?
For up to date information on hiring, station availability, guest artist availability/scheduling please send an inquiry to management at
goldensagetattoo.theboss@gmail.com
Please include contact information, any relevant career information (experience, location, career needs), portfolio and or a link to social media, and any questions you may have for us.