Custom tattoos by Stefan Buttigieg in Żabbar, Malta

You must be 18 or over to get a tattoo in Malta. The Control of Tattooing Act (Cap. 270) makes it illegal to tattoo anyone under 18, and a parent's consent doesn't change that. Bring valid photo ID to your appointment.

Send a DM on Instagram to @inkalley_tattoo with two or three reference images, the body area you have in mind and a rough size. Stefan replies within a day or two with a sketch direction and an appointment offer.

Price depends on size, placement, detail and time. Once the design is agreed you get a flat price for the full piece, or a per-session estimate for larger work. No hidden fees.

Yes. A small non-refundable deposit secures your date and covers the design time, and it comes off the final price on the day. The exact amount is confirmed when the appointment is locked in.

Stefan works mainly in blackwork, black-and-grey realism, fine-line and colour. Every piece is custom: bring references for the feel rather than the exact design, and the sketch is drawn from scratch around your idea and the body area.

Ink Alley is a private studio in Żabbar, in the south-east of Malta. It's appointment-only, so the exact address is shared once your booking is confirmed.

The surface usually heals in two to three weeks, and the skin underneath keeps settling for a few weeks more. Keep it clean, lightly moisturised and out of direct sun, don't pick it, and skip swimming until it has fully healed. Written aftercare and a small kit go home with you on the day.

Rarely. Most days are booked weeks ahead and the studio works one client at a time. If a gap appears it's posted on the Instagram story, but booking by DM is the reliable route.

Needles and tubes are single-use, ink caps are fresh every session, surfaces are wiped between clients, and gloves are changed whenever anything outside the workstation is touched.