Not to state the obvious, but a lot of thought should go into your tattoo before getting one. This doesn’t just start and end with knowing what you want and being certain you want it branded on you for life. We’re also pretty sure you don’t want to step into the tattoo parlour only to be turned around because you haven’t eaten in the last few hours. From those initial steps of thinking about getting a tattoo to preparing for the big day itself, here is our step by step guide for what to do when getting a tattoo.
Before Booking Your Tattoo
You may think there’s something romantic about spontaneously getting a tattoo, or never being exactly sure what you’ll find when you wake up from a night out. But thinking through a tattoo before getting one is more than advisable. Especially when it comes to your first one. Ultimately, it’s permanent and you don’t want something you’re not completely happy with sitting on your body for the rest of your life. When getting a tattoo, you should consider:
- The design you want that you’d be happy to have displayed on your body, potentially that other people would see.
- Placement – where do you want it on your body. Consider any changes that might happen with that body part and whether you’re happy for that to affect your tattoo in the future.
- How big or small do you want it?
- Is there a particular style you want? Sometimes discovering a tattoo artist you love first rather than the idea works out better.
- Open a discussion with your artist or tattoo parlour about what you want, so that you both are on the same page with the same vision.
- Talking to the artist that’ll do it also means you can find out what designs simply don’t work and end up looking bad once they start healing.
By giving your design some food for thought, you’re allowing yourself the time to be absolutely sure you want it. Especially if it’s a big design, it’s not a decision you want to rush. You also want to ensure you’ve done the research and have an artist you are happy with.
Preparation Before Getting It
In the evening and day running up to your appointment, there are a few ways in which you should prepare for your getting a tattoo. By following these tips, you’ll avoid feeling more pain than you should and have a smooth sailing, calm experience.
- Don’t drink alcohol before getting a tattoo, as it can thin your blood and therefore make you more likely to bleed whilst having your tattoo done.
- You should avoid other blood thinners like coffee, too.
- Ensure you have eaten at least three hours before getting your tattoo and keep hydrated.
- Eating sugary foods is helpful, as your body may go into shock just like when having blood tests.
- Consider the clothing you wear in order to be both accessible whilst having the tattoo done and comfortable afterwards.
Aftercare for Your Tattoo
When it comes to looking after your tattoo after it is done, it’s important to remember it is essentially an open wound. Above all else, you should also pay attention to your artist’s instructions on aftercare. You’ll find that advice on creams and so on can differ from artist to artist, but if it’s your first tattoo it’s good to just take on board what they say. If you’re a veteran, you’ll likely know what creams work for your healing process.
- They will wrap your tattoo once it’s done – keep this wrapped for a few hours afterwards.
When you do unwrap it, ensure you clean it with warm water and unscented, anti-bacterial soap. - Don’t scrub it as this could affect the healing of the design, but you can carefully wash away any blood and excess ink.
- After unwrapping it for the first time, allow it to be exposed to air before potentially rewrapping again.
- When you plan to wrap it again, you should apply a protective layer of your chosen cream to keep it moisturised.
- Wrapping is recommended when wearing clothes that could rub or irritate it and when going to bed for the first couple of nights, as excess ink will bleed off it and could stain.
- The tattoo will eventually begin to scab. Ensure you don’t pick at it; allow it to naturally heal. Keeping it moisturised will sooth the area and help you avoid temptation to pick.
- Each designs healing period depends on the amount of detail and size – it should take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month to fully heal.
When it comes down to treating your tattoo, it’s important to ask as many questions as possible both before and after to ensure you’re getting the complete care with this big decision. Not only are tattoos permanent, but they’re also expensive. By following our guide, you can ensure you’re readily equipped for the day and that your healing process is straightforward and without differing opinions getting in the way. Keeping it moisturised and protected is the key to a well-healed tattoo.
Alice is a writer and bargain hunter for Promo Codes For, a website where you can find the latest offers and codes to save you money on your online shopping. Not only a fan of tattoos, Alice also enjoys reading, binge-watching Netflix, and travelling.
