Editorial policy, sources and corrections
This single page replaces our earlier separate fact-checking, sources and corrections policies, so all our standards are in one place.
One question per page
Each guide answers one reader need. When two pages overlap, we merge them and redirect the old address to the page that remains. We don't publish lightly reworded variations of the same topic, and we don't add text just to make a page longer.
Sources we use
For health and safety statements we use public guidance from medical and government bodies: Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, the NHS, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and GOV.UK / legislation.gov.uk for UK law. Each guide lists its sources with their publication or review date and the date we last checked them. We don't use forums, product sellers or other blogs as sources for health claims.
How we handle claims
- Health statements must be supported by a cited source. If no source supports a specific number (for example a session interval or a price), we leave the number out.
- Where sources disagree, we say so and show the range.
- Legal, price and etiquette points are labelled with the country they apply to.
- Our own practical advice (checklists, design tips) is written as editorial guidance, not presented as expert or medical opinion.
- We don't diagnose. Pages that touch on health explain when to contact a doctor.
Authorship, review and AI assistance
Pages are credited to the editorial team. We don't invent author biographies or credentials, and we won't display a reviewer unless that person is real, qualified, identifiable and has agreed in writing. AI tools may assist with drafting; a human checks every claim against the sources before publication.
Dates
"First published" is the date a guide first appeared. "Last reviewed and rewritten" changes only when the content is materially revised and re-checked, not for cosmetic edits.
Images
All diagrams and checklists are original, drawn in code by us. We don't publish photos of tattoos we can't licence, and we don't use AI-generated tattoo images.
Corrections
If you find an error, tell us which page and statement it is, and why, with a source if possible. We check the claim against the sources, fix confirmed errors, and update the "last reviewed" date when the change is material. Typo fixes are made without a note.
Independence and advertising
Advertising pays for the site. Advertisers, studios and brands can't buy coverage or review content. We have no affiliate links.
Change log
2026-10-11: full rewrite of all guides. Unverifiable author personas and first-person claims removed; stock/unlicensed images replaced with original diagrams; overlapping pages merged; health claims re-checked against the cited sources; non-working newsletter and search pages removed.