Pushing Ink Tattoos and Piercings: Professional tattooist

We specialise in custom tattoos and all types of body piercing. We also offer a tattoo removal service, and stock a wide range of tattoo and piercing products in store

We have been tattooing for over eleven years and put emphasis on the artistry of our profession.

Pushing Ink use only high grade medical needles and equipment, and fully sterile micro needles for all piercings.

We will help you design and fit your tattoo to your look, shape and budget, we also stock a wide range of unique flash books from top tattoo artists in the industry for you to choose from... We advise you to choose your tattoo and artist wisely and always see some of their previous work, that's why we have a large selection of finished pieces for you to browse through in our photos section

Tattoos

Pushing Ink will endeavour to create any design, from Chinese and tribal symbols to portraits and realistic images. This is a guide to how much your tattoo is likely to cost.

Piercings

	BCR	Banbar	Titanium
Naval	25	30	35
Eyebrow	25	30	35
Tongue	--	30	35
Ear	20	--	30
Nose	20	--	--
Lip	25	30	35
Nipple	25	30	35

After Care - Aftercare for most piercings is relatively simple, If done correctly

Hot Compress or Osmosis

(Approx. 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to 1/2 pint of hot water) this is best used with hot, not boiling water

• Soak a cotton pad with the saline solution and place on the piercing for 5 minutes (until it begins to cool). this helps to open the poress of the skin.
• Pour the remainder into a clean container that's just big enough to cover the area
  e.g. navel - mug, Eyebrow - long contact lense container / eggcup
• Soak the piercing for 10 minutes making sure the water is warm at all times. This draws any impurities ortrapped puss out of the piercing
• Your antibacterial solution should be used to clean the area. This can be Benzalkonium Chloride on a cotton bud or our antibacterial solution (Provon, Satin or Antibac) which should then be rinsed off with CLEAN WATER THOROUGHLY

This process can be repeated a few times a week to heal a piercing, however twice a day is ideal to avoid problematic piercing.

• Avoid swimming or contact with chlorine for 2 weeks, and even then, ensure the piercing and surrounding area is thoroughly cleaned with fresh water
• When cleaning the piercing, ensure that all crust formation or puss has been totally removed
• Facial and ear piercings are harder to soak, so cleaning after a bath or shower will make the whole process a lot easier
• If your piercing begins to imbed or the swelling does not go down, it is best to call back to your piercer just in case

Oral Piercings (inside of the mouth)

Oral piercings should be cleaned with antibacterial mouthwash, preferably 1 that is alcohol free. If it contains alcohol the solution should be 1/3 mouthwash to 2/3 water and it should be used after everything you eat, drink, or smoke until the piercing is fully healed.

Expect swelling with oral piercings. This is completely normal and will usually subside in 2 weeks but can be helped by sucking ice and for the first few days of your new oral piercing try to avoid difficult foods, stick to soft things or liquids such as soups.

If you get a piercing you must be aware that there may be some minor scarring to the area. Although not a common occurance, some piercings have the potential to reject or grow out. This is only a caution and affects a very small number of people. We hope your experiance has been pleasant and you will return.

Enjoy your piercing!

First time getting a tattoo?

People decide to get a tattoo for a variety of reasons, some of them good, some of then not. It is an intensely personal decision and one that should never be made under duress. Don't let peer pressure get to you. Just because "everyone you know" is getting inked doesn't mean you have to.

That said, when you decide you really do want to get a tattoo it can be the most exhilarating and terrifying decision. What you need is clear, accurate information. This site was created to help you with that but don't forget to ask around. Talk to people who have had tattoos, particularly if they had the work done locally. Ask questions, study the quality of other people's tattoos, take time to find the right design and decide where you want it.

There are a few other things that you need to consider too. Even if you love your tattoo until the end of your days, the people around you might not feel the same way. For some that isn't an issue; why worry about other people's prejudices? The problem is that other people's prejudices could cost you your job.

Many Police Forces will not train potential officers that have tattoos that could be deemed offensive by members of the public. This can include military tattoos. If you're applying for white collar positions, you might find that exposed tattoos cost you an interview. If you can live with that, fair enough but at least consider the issues before it's too late.

Remember too that group and gang affiliations will stay on your skin far longer than they may stay in your heart. The same goes for that huge tattoo of your girlfriend's name right across your chest; what happens if the relationship ends?

I'm not writing this to put you off but it is important to think through the potential consequences before you go anywhere near a tattooist. Once you're 100% sure, you can start to think about the exact design you want and just where it's going to go.

To help you with that you might want to try out some temporary tattoos. There are thousands of different designs available and a number of different methods of applying them. If you just want to test out an idea for a short while, try a temporary tattoo that's stamped on to your skin and will wash off immediately. If you want to try something for a little longer, use one of the many transfers that are available. For a really long lasting trial, find a Mehndi artist who can apply a design to your skin using henna.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are always those out there with medical concerns about tattoos. Are they safe? What about the transmittion of diseases?

• Yes, blood is generally involved.
• Tattoos are numerous puncture wounds, and should be treated so accordingly.
• Infection may occur if the tattoo is not taken care of properly.
• There is a chance forminor skin reactions due to the method or the dye used.
• Scarring may occur if not done properly.
• Infectious diseasesmay be spread if dirty equipment is used.
• Examples are: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, tuberculosis, tetanus, and HIV (Youngerman-Cole par. 3).

A Checklist to think about before you get your tattoo.

• Yes, it hurts. How much it does depends on the location and your personal pain tolerance.
• Don't forget that some may disapprove of your new tattoo.
• Choose carefully what you want, where you want it, and who does it.
• Don't be afraid to ask for advice.
• Remember that tattoo removal is expensive, time consuming, and painful.
• Think of why you want to get a tattoo.
• Think again of why you want to get a tattoo.
• Think one last time of why you want to get a tattoo.

Things to look for in a tattoo studio before you get a tattoo:

• Is the place clean?
• What are the studio's sterilization procedures?
• Is an autoclave used? (a machine that sterilizesby method of heating)
• What type of training does the artist have?
• Does the the artist wear gloves?

If any of these aspects of your chosen studio and artist are not readily available or seem sketchy to you, simply do not give them your business. There are no substitutes for a clean, safe environment.

Find Us

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Address

5 North Street
Carrickfergus

Tel:(028) 9335 5063

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