Have you ever wondered how to prepare for your tattoo session? What to avoid? What to wear? What to bring with you? Whether it’s your first tattoo or not, here are a few tips for you to consider:

Do not drink alcohol 24 hours before your appointment
Have a good night sleep
Eat a nutritious meal before
Drink plenty of water, stay hydrated.
Moisturise skin
Wear comfortable clothes
Arrive clean
Bring food and sugary drinks/snacks with you.
Bring distractions like headphones or a book.
Get clean, dark sheets on your bed
Buy soap, paper towels and cream for aftercare

Let’s break these down in a little more detail. There are a few extra tips in the end as well!

No alcohol or drugs:

Alcohol thins your blood. Best to stay away from it starting a few days before your appointment. Otherwise you will bleed more, which in turn going to slow down the application of the tattoo, affect your healing and the pain or discomfort you feel.
You must be completely sober on the day of your appointment to avoid impulsive decisions regarding design and placement. You have to approach the process with a clear mind.

Be well rested:

Make sure to have a good sleep the night or two before. This will provide you better healing and the least amount of discomfort during the session.

Eat before your appointment:

A good quality, nutritious meal will help you go through the session with more ease. It also helps minimise your sugar level drop during the process.
Eat vegetables, fruits (apple, banana, berries), whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, bulgur, oatmeal), protein (chicken, tofu, fish), seeds and nuts.

Stay hydrated:

Drink plenty of water starting several days prior if possible. This will help your skin be in the best condition, allowing easier tattooing and better healing.

Moisturise:

Make sure your skin is well moisturised in the area you want to get tattooed. Start at least a few days before or ideally do it for 2 weeks for best results.

Wear comfortable clothes:

Especially for longer sessions, comfort is vital.
Choose clothes that allow easy access to the area you want tattooed. Something made of a lighter material, that makes it easy to keep it in place with a tape if needed.

Back: wear a shirt the other way round, so it covers you from the front.
Hip, upper leg: skirt, loose shorts or dresses.
Lower arm and lower leg: T-shirt, shorts, skirt.
Upper arm: sleeveless top, tank top.
Chest, sternum, stomach and ribs: shirt

Clothing may get stained, wear darker colours.
Bring hot water bottle or extra layers if you are usually cold.

Arrive clean:

Do not come right after a gym session or training, without a shower.
Do not wear excessive amount of perfume.

Bring snacks and drink:

Grab some sweets, chocolate, sugary drinks or anything that keeps your blood sugar up. This will help you feel great during the session.
For longer sittings a food break is also likely, so bring or order some lunch.

Bring distractions:

A lot of people bring headphones and listen to music, watch their favourite movie or podcast to take their mind off the pain, relax and make time go faster. Some clients read a book, some prefer to talk with the artist. Whatever works for you is fine with me!

Get clean sheets on your bed:

This can help you avoid infections, and keep irritation to a minimum.
Something darker as sheets will be stained.

Buy soap, paper towel and cream for aftercare:

A bar of plain soap can work well to clean your tattoo. Avoid added perfume if possible.
Get cocoa butter, second skin or the cream recommended by your artist.
I advise to get fresh paper towels also to tap dry your tattoo.

All of the above will make your session go as smooth as possible. Here are a few extra tips:

Research your artist. Search online and also ask around for the best local artists in the style you like. Compare their work, especially the healed tattoos.
Make sure you and your tattooer are on the same page with the design and price. Ask about payment options.
Feel free to ask for resizing the design, or have the stencil moved if you are not happy with the placement.
Do not shave the area prior to your arrival to avoid razor burns and cuts. You can trim the hair if it’s necessary to make shaving easier. Your artist will prepare the skin on the day of your appointment.
Avoid excessive caffeine intake, it can make you anxious and it may affect your ability to sit still.

How to prepare for your tattoo appointment?