Food and water

Drink plenty of water! Staying hydrated before getting a tattoo can help your skin be more resilient, making it easier for the ink to be applied. It’s likely that during the tattoo you won’t drink a whole lot, but being dehydrated could lead to feeling faint and unwell during your session. Staying hydrated is also important for preventing dry, flakey skin, which won’t make your tattoo any easier.

Eat a well balanced meal before-hand.

While getting tattooed feels like you aren’t doing much, your body is actually expending a lot of energy during the process. Getting a tattoo is causing trauma to your body, so it’s super important to have enough energy to get through without having your blood sugar drop too low, which could cause it to feel more painful and make your body shaky.

Bring a snack and something to hydrate with.

You can take a snack break if you need one! A little food and water along the way will help you maintain energy and avoid feeling lightheaded or passing out.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol up to 24 hours prior to your appointment.

It may be tempting to drink some liquid courage before a tattoo, but this is not recommended. Apart from reducing judgment, alcohol also reduces your general physical/mental condition and stamina. In addition to this, alcohol also has a blood-thinning effect that may cause you to bleed more easily. Excessive bleeding will reduce the quality of your tattoo. Coffee and energy drinks containing caffeine have a similar effect, and should therefore also be avoided before having a tattoo done.

Other Preparations

Removing Hair?

For best results, remove excess hair-growth before getting a tattoo with an electric trimmer. Leave the close shave to your artist so you don’t walk in with cuts, micro abrasions, and ingrown hairs. If you wax, it is important that you get this done a week in advance so that your skin has time to recover completely after the treatment before you get started on the tattoo.

Get some sleep!

Doing anything when you’re overtired is hard, but sleep is crucial before a tattoo so that you can be aware of how your body is reacting and have some control over it. Some people also find that getting tattooed on little sleep can cause it to hurt more, but of course this varies for each individual. Being well rested is always a good thing and will make your session easier.

Wear something comfortable.

Having a tattoo done can take a long time. You also might have to spend time sitting or lying in unusual positions for the artist to get to the right spot. This can be uncomfortable if you are wearing the wrong type of clothes. Generally it is best to wear light and loose clothes that do not inhibit your movements. It may also be a good idea to bring a pillow. Also consider tattoo placement when deciding what to wear. For example, a skirt or gym shorts for a thigh tattoo, or wearing a zip/button down in reverse for a back piece.

Pain Management

Can I take OTC Pain Killers?

Not all types of pain killers can be used when having a tattoo done. We recommend avoiding Ibuprofen, Aspirin, or any NSAID painkiller that will have a blood-thinning effect. Always discuss with your tattoo artist prior to your appointment.

Do you allow the use of numbing creams?

Yes, but there’s a few precautions you should take for the best outcome. The FDA has issued a warning for consumers to avoid certain topical pain relief products due to potential for dangerous health effects. Some of these products contain lidocaine at concentrations that are higher than what is permitted for over-the-counter, topical pain relief products. Products that contain high concentrations of lidocaine intended to be used for prolonged periods of time could lead to increased absorption of the drug through the skin, which may lead to serious injury such as irregular heartbeat, seizures and breathing difficulties. In addition, many numbing creams on the market have knock-offs with unregulated ingredients, so verify that you are purchasing from a reputable source.

If you choose to use numbing cream, we recommend you do a patch test well before your appointment to ensure that you are not allergic and that your skin will have a neutral reaction. If your skin reacts poorly, it may effect how the ink absorbs and settles into the skin.

Every body reacts differently to numbing cream and we want to ensure you make an informed decision. Communicate with your artist if you choose to use numbing cream.

The ol’ fashion way:

The first moments of getting your tattoo will probably hurt, regardless of your pain tolerance. Don't worry — that feeling won't be as intense the whole time. As your body builds up natural adrenaline, the pain generally begins to taper off. Practicing mindfulness, controlled breathing, and meditation can help with accepting the pain.

Bring low movement entertainment to your appointment.

The best way to get through a long tattoo session is distractions. You can bring a book, or even better, audio books so you don't have to move to turn the pages. If you’re getting a leg tattoo, bring your knitting. Play games on your phone. Watch a movie on your phone. Bring a Nintendo DS or Switch. If you bring an electronic distraction, bring a backup battery charger.