
BEFORE YOUR tattoo APPOINTMENT
Properly preparing for a tattoo appointment is just as important as tattoo aftercare. Your body is a canvas for our tattoo artists and the better the canvas, the better the end result. Here are 7 tips from our tattoo artists on how to prepare yourself for the big day.
rest and sleep well
This might be easier said than done, because you are all excited about getting a new tattoo, and can’t wait for the appointment. But being well rested is one of the best ways to make sure you’re ready for the upcoming day.
eat healthy and drink water
The nervousness/excitement might make your stomach turn, and you might not be able to finish a full English breakfast. But make sure to eat a full meal and drink plenty of water before coming to your appointment. Getting tattooed usually takes a toll on the body, so your body needs fuel to get through the day. You can also bring snacks with you to the tattoo appointment.
avoid heavy training
We advise not to start beating your personal records at the gym the day before or the day of the tattoo appointment. Your body needs to be fully rested, and ready for the new tattoo. It would also be a lot easier for you to sit in the chair if your muscles aren’t sore from the workout.
avoid partying/alcohol/drugs
This goes without saying. It is no fun being hung over. Having a splitting headache and feeling nauseous is one thing. You would probably want to lay in your bed the entire day and not move a muscle, just wait for the bed to stop turning. Now picture this scene, but add someone poking you with needles for hours. Welcome to a whole new circle of hell.
no tanning
It is crucial to keep the amount of melanin (natural pigment) in your skin as low as possible, especially when we’re talking about colour tattoos. Tattoo ink is injected into a deeper layer of the skin than melanin is situated, so the melanin will almost put like a brown tinted glass over your tattoo, and in result it will muddy the colours. Regarding that we strongly advise to avoid direct sunlight, and to try not to get a sunburn. You can achieve that by either protecting the area to be tattooed with clothing and/or by wearing a high SPF sunblock, we recommend using at least SPF50. It is also advised against using self tanning creams/lotions etc.
no scrubs
When showering, please don’t exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating makes skin renew itself and the new skin is fragile, making it harder to tattoo. This of course does not mean you shouldn’t shower or wash yourself, just don’t scrub your skin too much. You also do not need to shave the area yourself. If it’s not an area that you don’t usually shave anyway, leave the shaving to the artist.
moisturizing is key
The skin is a tricky canvas, and tattooing a dry, non-elastic canvas isn’t any easier. But by taking care of the elasticity of your skin will help the tattoo artist a ton. we recommend to apply moisturizing lotion/cream/coconut oil on the to be tattooed area for one week before the appointment.
*All aforementioned tips are general recommendations by our artists. The recommendations are not set in stone, as each canvas is different, and each artist works differently. If you have any questions, consult directly with your tattoo artist, not Dr. Internet.
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