• First and foremost — come prepared! Once you know what you want, bring some reference material or a clear idea you can vocalize to your artist.
• Eat a good meal and let it settle. You could also bring your water bottle or something sugary to sip on (like soda). When you get excited or nervous about your tattooing, your heart rate increases, making your blood sugar suddenly plummet. Blood sugar drops can make you dizzy or, if you haven’t eaten, even pass out. Consuming a sugary drink can help keep your blood sugar stable and keep you feeling comfortable.
•  Only adults 18 and up are allowed in the shop. If you have young children, we recommend making arrangements for them. Adult conversations, music, and situations are expected. We do our best to clean the entire shop twice daily. Nonetheless, a tattoo shop is considered a biohazardous environment, which is unfit for children under 18 years.
•  Trust your artist’s recommendations! We can only speak for the artists at our shop and their level of knowledge. We have seen many tattoos age and spread, tattoo trends that quickly faze out, and bad designs forced onto an artist. If we recommend a different size, using different colors, or a small change to the design, it’s because we want you to leave with the best piece possible.

Everyone’s body is unique and therefore heals differently. If you follow your tattoo artist’s guidelines, your tattoo will look close to its final form in 1-2 weeks, with the most intense healing happening in the first week.

Yes, sort of! The feeling of getting tattooed is most commonly described as a slight burning sensation. The body area where you are getting your tattoo and your pain tolerance will play a minute part in the tattoo experience. It’s usually more bearable than expected.

Yes. All areas of the body have differing amounts of blood flow, so some body parts are more prone to bleeding. In general, bleeding is minimal. Do not drink alcohol or take any drugs (including over-the-counter pain relievers) the day you are getting tattooed. These will thin your blood, making it less likely to clot and prevent proper healing.

No. Illinois state law prevents anyone under the age of 18 from getting tattooed.

Yes, if all paperwork required by the Illinois State Health Department is brought in. Parent consent covers all piercings besides oral and genital, which are considered sexual piercings and will not be performed on any minor. You will need:

1.) Minor’s photo ID

2.) The parent to be present, and their government-issued photo ID. Important! The parent must be physically present during the time of the piercing.

3.) Original Birth Certificate; NOT A COPY

4.) All parties must have matching last names and addresses, which proves guardianship

Most definitely – but only when done by a professional artist in a sterile environment, with proper materials and consideration to aftercare. We encourage you to ask your tattoo artist questions to learn more about our sterile procedures.

Aside from the time put into the art and design, we adhere to a strict set of laws and personal standards to safely apply a tattoo. For every tattoo we create, many precautions are taken to ensure your (and our) safety, including:
-Brand new needle(s)
-Disposable ink
-Surgical soap
-Many high-quality pairs of gloves
-Plastic barriers for clip cords, lights, chairs, etc. to ensure a sterile work field

No lakes, jacuzzis, rivers, or pools until the “crusty” stage is over. The chemicals used to maintain pools and jacuzzis are extremely harsh, and all of the above are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and unclean bodies. Remember that your piercing is an open wound directly in link to your bloodstream. On the other hand, salt and ocean water is some of the closest natural liquids to amniotic fluid that can help heal the piercing–if done in moderation.

During the healing process, your body floods the pierced tissue with white blood cells. These cells dry and form the “crusties.” Normal secretions are clear, pale white, and pale yellow; These are good and a sign that your body is doing what it should. Don’t worry.

If your secretions are green, purple, or black and the surrounding tissue is swollen, red, or emitting heat when you hold your hand to it (fever), these are signs of infection. We recommend you stop by and speak with your piercer. Many times, people have issues we can easily resolve. If a trip to the doctor is recommended, DO NOT REMOVE YOUR JEWELRY for any reason; If jewelry is present, you can flush out the infection. If jewelry is removed, the infection is now stuck in your bloodstream, which can make you extremely ill.

For tattoo pricing info, see HERE. For piercing pricing info see HERE.

You will need to follow a few key instructions after your microdermal procedure to ensure that your skin heals properly. Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap (fragrance-free) before handling your dermal. For daily cleaning, use antibacterial soap (fragrance-free) on your clean fingertips and massage around the dermal. Refrain from using loofas or washcloths, so you don’t snag your dermal! For the next one and half weeks, you will need to wear a circular Band-Aid on the dermal 24 hrs a day. You will change it once every 24 hours and perform sea salt soaks for no less than 5 minutes at a time, which will allow the Band-Aid to adhere to your skin properly. After the first week and a half, you should only wear the Band-Aid at bedtime for the next month. This step will allow the dermal anchor to harden under the skin. Try to eliminate stringy bedtime quilts, hair, or anything that could attach around the dermal and rip it out.

Long-term sea salt soaks at least 3x a week will break up any dirt/makeup buildup under the dermal head.
If you have any concerns about your dermal, please contact Chitown Tattoo & Piercings immediately. The longer you wait, the worse the problem could get. Do not try to fix the issue or try anything yourself! As long as you are careful and follow our cleaning instructions, you should have no problems with your dermal. If you suspect an infection, call your doctor.

For the sea salt soak:
Add 1/8 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt to 4 oz of distilled water. If you’re using tap water, it should be boiled and cooled to room temperature. After the sea salt soak, rinse with water, and allow the skin to dry for at least a half-hour.

Keloids are formations of scar tissue that grow because the body defends itself due to trauma or surgical incisions. They are generally non-painful and contain no substance (they do not leak, pus, or bleed). Keloids can be treated with tea tree oil and other measures. Medical treatment or surgery is also a measure to get rid of keloids.

How can you tell if you have a keloid?
Non-keloid growth: If it hurts, seeps, oozes pus, or bleeds, it is not a keloid.
Sebaceous cyst: A closed sac of cheese-like or oily material.

You will need:

• Liquid antimicrobial soap
• Liquid antibacterial soap
• Non-iodized sea salt
• Shot glass or medicine cup
• Tea tree oil
• Cotton balls
• Distilled or bottled water

Step 1. Wash hands with antibacterial or antimicrobial soap.

Step 2. Use only antimicrobial soap on the infected area.

Step 3. Apply a warm compress on the infected area for 5 minutes. The heat will soften the area, allowing treatment and easier passage into the body.

Step 4. Mix 1/8 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt with warm water and tea tree oil and soak on the area for 5 minutes.

The warm water will again allow the skin to absorb the treatment. Repeat this process daily until you notice positive results. For more troublesome areas, contacting a physician is advised. Any allergic reaction to tea tree oil should be discontinued and followed up with a doctor.