It can be intimidating to get a tattoo because it is a significant commitment. Learning how to prepare for a tattoo ahead of time can help make the appointment go smoothly and ensure that you come out the other side with a well-healed piece of body art that you’ll proudly wear the rest of your life.
Before even entering a tattoo parlor, we’ve compiled the most crucial actions you should take and the most crucial factors to think about. Learn more by continuing to read.
How to Prepare for a Tattoo?
Here are some tips on how to prepare for a tattoo.
1. Stay Hydrated
You need to hydrate your body before sitting down in that chair. A glass of water feels like the most amazing thing ever when we aren’t feeling our best, which is a situation we have all experienced. Prior to getting a tattoo, it is even more crucial!
Because hydrated skin absorbs ink much better than dehydrated skin, your artist will have an easier time during the entire process. Keep a water bottle nearby during your session if you didn’t have a chance to hydrate adequately before your appointment.
2. Ease Up on the Skin Care Products
You may use a variety of skin creams and lotions in the morning, but on the day of your tattoo, you should think about avoiding them, especially makeup and fake tan in the areas that will be tattooed.
Skin is a different medium for a tattoo artist to work with, so the best thing to do is to make sure it’s clean and free of any products to make it easier for your tattoo artist to apply the ink directly to your skin.
3. Avoid Sunburn
In the weeks before getting your tattoo, be diligent about applying sunscreen. When the time comes for your tattoo, you definitely do not want a sunburn.
Not only would it increase the discomfort of getting the tattoo, but it might also prevent it from healing properly, resulting in uneven ink placement. In some cases, tattoo artists will not even cover up a sunburn.
The days leading up to your sitting should be spent out of direct sunlight at the very least.
4. Shave the Area You’re Getting Tattooed
You are getting tattoos on your skin, not on your body hair, keep that in mind. Remove any long or thick hair that might obstruct the tattoo needle and complicate the tattooing process by shaving it off.
It’s not a bad idea to save time and make your session more effective by doing it yourself, even though tattoo artists typically have razors and shaving cream on hand to do this for their clients when needed.
To avoid having to wait for any cuts or nicks to heal completely before getting your tattoo, use caution when shaving. Leave it to your tattoo artist if you’re not confident in your ability to properly shave the area.
Read More: How Deep Does a Tattoo Needle Go?
5. Keep Your Skin Clean
Using the tattoo machine to apply the ink to your skin is a delicate procedure, and any obstacles in front of a clean and simple application can result in a tattoo with imperfections.
Make sure to exfoliate and keep your skin clean, particularly the morning of your tattoo. It will be much simpler for the tattoo artist if you clean up any dust and dry skin.
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6. Get a Full Night’s Sleep
You want to be comfortable when you’re in the tattoo artist’s chair, but you won’t be if you’re exhausted. Give yourself plenty of time to fall asleep the night before by going to bed early, especially if you think that your anxiety about getting a tattoo might cause you to stay up later than usual.
Being tired will also make the session feel like it’s taking longer, so make sure you’re not spending the entire time in your tattoo artist’s chair yawning and feeling the urge to stretch and fidget.
So make sure to get those Z’s! Sleep is also crucial for your body’s ability to heal itself after an injury.
7. Don’t Show Up Hungry
Remember that you’ll be sitting through the tattoo session for a while, so avoid arriving hungry. Before coming, make sure you eat and drink enough—not so much that you feel bloated or uneasy, but just enough that your stomach won’t growl and you won’t feel dehydrated.
Bring a small snack and something to drink if you expect to be sitting for a lengthy period of time. Bring something portable and simple to eat so you can enjoy it when you have a moment of downtime.
Naturally, shorter tattoos might only take an hour or two, in which case snacks might not even be necessary.
Don’t bring any messy food in, either. Avoid anything that is likely to spill or leave crumbs because tattoo artists like to keep their studios tidy.
8. Wear the Proper Clothing
Wear clothing that makes it simple for the tattoo artist to access, and keep in mind the area you plan to get inked. Shorts might be the best choice if you are having a tattoo placed on your leg. An upper-arm tattoo might look better on a tank top.
If you’re getting a backpiece tattoo, think about bringing a zip-up hoodie or a button-up shirt so you can easily conceal your front torso if it makes you more comfortable.
Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting soiled or inked on. Although most tattoo artists take care to protect the clothing of their clients during the tattooing procedure, it is still possible to get ink or stencil on your clothing while getting a tattoo, especially if the tattoo is a large piece.
It’s best to wear something that is easy to wash because blood or plasma may seep onto your clothes after your appointment.
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9. Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask your tattoo artist or any of the other staff members any questions; you want to feel at ease and confident in what you’re doing.
Ask them to give you a brief overview of their policies if you want to know what kind of procedures they use to ensure that their facilities and equipment are kept secure and hygienic.
It’s a good way to ensure that you are getting tattooed with properly sterile equipment and may also help to calm your nerves.
Any worries you may have regarding the tattoo itself should be brought up as well. Don’t just cross your fingers and hope for the best if you’re unsure whether, for instance, a particular color will look good on your skin type. Instead, bring it up to your tattoo artist.
If you adhere to their aftercare instructions, some tattoo artists will provide complimentary touch-ups, but don’t count on it. This is the time to inquire if you have any questions about whether touch-ups will be covered.
Also Read: Can You Get a Tattoo at 16?
10. It’s Customary to Tip
It is customary to tip your tattoo artist (at least in the United States), even though doing so is strictly voluntary.
Make sure you have enough money on hand (or money in your bank account, if you’re paying with a debit card) to cover the tip after adding it to the total cost of your tattoo.
There isn’t a predetermined or fixed amount for tips. We don’t have a set custom for tipping tattoo artists like we do for tipping wait staff. A good general rule of thumb is to tip between 15% and 20%, but it’s best to avoid tipping either too little or too much.
11. Postpone Your Session If Needed
You’re excited to get your tattoo done and you might have had to wait a long time for your tattoo artist to have an opening. To be sufficiently prepared, you may have even needed to request time off from work and arrange for a babysitter.
However, if you feel the need to, you shouldn’t be reluctant to reschedule your tattoo appointment. It won’t be a good experience for you or the tattoo artist if you aren’t fully prepared for your ink. If you get a sunburn, wake up with a throbbing headache the morning of your session, or have fallen ill, call your tattoo studio and let them know.
Although the shop should have no trouble rescheduling your appointment, you should be aware that there may be a fee if you give the tattoo artist a very short notice to cancel if they don’t believe they’ll have enough time to book another client into the vacant slot.
12. Don’t Forget About the Aftercare
When you do decide to get your dream tattoo, it is essential that you always heed the aftercare instructions provided by your tattoo artist. You should also make sure to buy a high-quality tattoo healing lotion to speed up healing.
Related Reading: How Long After a Tattoo Can You Swim?
Can I Use Numbing Cream before a Tattoo?
Numbing creams have become more widely used because people’s main worry about getting tattoos is the pain they will experience during the procedure.
But does tattoo numbing cream really work?
A tattoo’s pain can sometimes be avoided by using numbing creams, but this is not always the case. Using a numbing cream may be an option for you if you are struggling to get through a session and are finding the pain to be intolerable.
Before your session, make sure to discuss this with your tattoo artist because, depending on the artist, failing to arrive at your appointment with the area already numb may result in cancellation.
Final Words: How to Prepare for a Thigh Tattoo
Remember that any pain is only momentary and don’t believe anyone who says getting a tattoo won’t hurt.
Getting a tattoo is an exciting experience that everybody looks forward to. You and your artist will both benefit from the appointment more if you are well-prepared.
By heeding the advice given above, you’ll be prepared and impress your tattoo artist with your tattoo etiquette.
One of the most crucial phases of getting a tattoo comes after your appointment: aftercare.
FAQs about Prepare for Tattoo
What Should You Not Do before Getting a Tattoo?
Drink a lot of water during the week; avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before getting tattooed.
Should I Take Painkillers before a Tattoo?
Therefore, avoid taking analgesics prior to getting a tattoo.
What Body Part Hurts Less for a Tattoo?
The least painful spots to get a tattoo are your forearms, stomach, and outer thighs.
Can I Fake Tan before Getting a Tattoo?
While getting a self-tan before getting a tattoo won’t necessarily affect the tattoo, a lot of it will probably be removed during the tattooing process, so I’d either avoid it or do it a few days beforehand.
Do Tattoo Artists Care If You Fall Asleep?
If you sleep during the tattooing process, the tattoo artist might not even notice, but they might look up a little worried.
