How to prepare for a tattoo session
(originally published in my monthly newsletter “A Letter To You”)
Everyone I know, including me, gets super excited about a tattoo session day! What many of us forget is that besides only waking up and going to your tattoo studio, there is actually a whole week preparation for the big day.
So here are a few important tips for you to be in your best moment to get a new tattoo, and how to prep your skin, your body and mind so you also make your tattooer’s day the best! :-) — click on the button in the end of the post for even more tips in my full guide.
Sleep and eat well
Lack of food or sleep on the day of a tattoo session can lead to anxiety, low blood sugar levels, dizziness, light-head, headaches or even fainting. So eat a good light and nutritious meal before your appointment and make sure you are well rested. Don’t forget to take snacks and if you feel the need at a longer session, ask your tattooer if you can bring a proper meal besides snacks. Being well-rested and well-fed is also good to keep your energy up during the session and it helps with pain endurance in many cases.
Drink enough water
As I mentioned before for several times, hydration is super important, not only for a good healing, but also for a good tattoo appointment. Water helps with a nice blood flow and, surprise, it also helps with pain management. But how? Well, when you are dehydrated, your very smart body will pull fluids out of your tissues, which will cause body ache, pain and sometimes migraine. So let’s help our bodies by getting enough hydration throughout the day. Bring your water bottle to the appointment and food snacks that contain water in it like watermelon, celery, oranges and strawberries. Make sure to also drink enough water before and after the appointment, as well as during.
Moisturise your skin
Do this every day, for one week before the appointment. This is important to keep your skin elastic. It will make the needle go in much easier and it also prevents flakiness and dryness which can also lead to bad healing. It is also very important to protect your skin from sunburn and avoid tanning in the area to be tattooed, at least two weeks before the appointment. Some tattooers (like me, for example) won’t tattoo skin that has been sunburned.
Shower before
Body hygiene is super important, since tattooing is a profession that puts the tattooer in a close contact with other people’s bodies. So please know that a showered body with clean clothes make a better experience for many tattooers. It also helps you to prevent some forms of infections.
I hope these few tips help you to be more prepared for your tattoo session so you can fully enjoy the experience. ;-)
Click on the button below to get the full guide on how to prepare for your tattoo session with me with even more tips:
