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having a nice *short* tattoo session next Saturday... a marvellous eye thing above the tree person.... anything over 4 hours for me is too long - as I have discovered to my detriment..... it sort of goes... first 20 mins... ouch 20 mins to 2 hours ... oh that's nice I have endorphins. 2 - 3 hours... that's sightly less nice.... 3 - 4 hours... please can I go home now. I have picked a poor hobby for someone with a low pain threshold 🙂

This. I think from both sides it's a recipe for misery. The artist most likely is going to lose focus (who doesn't after a long day). I have sat for 6-7 hours a few times and I always say I won't do it again. Between breaks (even short ones) the time really adds up. Then, you are a giant open wound just asking for an infection. It really takes a toll on your body. PRICE shouldn't have anything to do with your decision. Save your money and get the tattoo(s) you really want.

I can't help you with East Coast, but any high profile reputable shop should be able to point you in the right direction.

yeah, you're into uncharted territory for me. also agreed that allergic reaction is much different than an infection.

An allergy and infection are two different things. If your doctor said you have an infection, that doesn't mean you are allergic. I agree with @JAC1961 - If I got an infection twice at the same shop, I'd find a new shop. Who knows what else you could get.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I doubt that many if any here have enough knowledge of chemistry to know whether that's what caused your problem. If you really believe that's what caused your problems, I'd still recommend trying a different artist for your next tattoo and find out which ink they use. It could be a cleanliness issue at the place you got your existing ones.

Who knows! It hurt a lot though, so I'm not sure if I want to do it again. This piece took me about 6 hours of tattooing plus one hour consult/aftercare. I'm super happy with it! (I hope pictures are okay in this thread, though it looks more crisp IRL)