How to Prepare for a Tattoo Session: Alcohol, Food, Sleep and Medication
InkMeetHow you arrive at your appointment affects how the session goes. A rested, fed and hydrated client usually sits more calmly, copes better with pain and gives the artist skin that is easier to work on. Here is what to think about in the day or two before your tattoo.
Skip the alcohol
Alcohol dehydrates you and can make you bleed and bruise more easily, which makes the skin harder to tattoo and the ink harder to place cleanly. It also affects your judgement, and many artists will refuse to tattoo someone who has been drinking. Many studios ask you to avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours beforehand: follow your artist's instructions, and don't turn up having had a drink to steady your nerves.
Eat properly and drink water
A session can last several hours, and an empty stomach is a common reason for dizziness or fainting. Have a real meal one to two hours before you arrive, drink water through the day, and bring a snack and a drink for breaks. Steady food works better than a sugary rush followed by a crash.
Sleep well, and don't come in ill
Tiredness lowers your tolerance to pain, and the same session can feel much harder after a bad night. If you have a fever, an infection or a cold that has worn you out, tell your artist and reschedule. Tattooing a body that is already busy fighting something can slow healing and makes the session more unpleasant.
Medication: tell your artist, don't self-adjust
Some medicines, such as blood thinners and in some cases anti-inflammatories, can affect bleeding. Never stop a prescribed treatment on your own to get tattooed: talk to your doctor or pharmacist, and tell your artist what you take. Likewise, don't start painkillers just to be ready without asking for advice first.
Prepare your skin
Arrive with skin in good condition: no sunburn, no cuts, rashes or irritation on the area. If the skin is dry, moisturise it in the days before. Don't shave unless you are asked to, as the studio will usually shave the area itself with a clean razor, and skip scrubs or harsh treatments the day before. A tattoo should not be done on sunburnt or broken skin.
Practical details
Wear loose clothes that leave the area easy to reach and that you don't mind getting a little ink or cleaning product on. Bring ID, your deposit confirmation, your reference images and a phone charger. If you plan to use a numbing cream, ask your artist first: some artists prefer not to work with them.