How to prepare for your first tattoo
Well well well, you’ve decided to join the tattooed club, how exciting!
Getting tattooed can be scary when it’s your first time, and being nervous is totally normal (Unless, of course, you’re a freak like me, in which case I was fuelled by dopamine and literally nothing could stop me, Sorry mom but look at me now)
Alas, Lucky for you, you’ve stumbled onto my foolproof guide to preparing your mind, body and soul for your first ever appointment.
So let’s get started with the basics;
Start with a good solid sleep
You’re about to put your skin through a bit of stress, and the best thing for both your mind and body is a solid sleep.
If you’re like me, (riddled with anxiety and ADHD) a good nights sleep can be one of the trickiest things to lock down.
My best trick for a good nights sleep consists of:
- Cozy movie night
- A warm soup for dinner
- Potentially a bath or hot shower, (Don’t worry about shaving, we do that for you!)
- Moisturize your bod
- Maybe some sleepy time tea to really set the eepy vibes
- Tuck into bed by 10pm if you can.
Who am I to tell you not to do your nightly scrolling, who knows, you might actually be reading this in bed right now, and if that’s the case, carry on soldier.
But sometimes reading a book can make the eyes a bit more droopy than your phone screen. Personally for me, I love a white noise playlist on low, along with a fan to honk shoo the night away.
Eat a Protein Based Breakfast
You’re gonna need to fuel the ol’ bod heading into your appointment. Often times, the people that struggle the most in tattoo appointments are the ones that skip breakfast. If you’re feeling nervous and eating is tricky earlier on, grab something light or bring some snacks to munch on. Just make sure you aren’t going in with an empty stomach. When going through stress, your blood sugar can actually dip, which causes lightheadedness. Often times, Tattoo studios will have juice boxes, water or candy on hand to help with this, (We always have Juice boxes, sparkling water and treats at Slowside) but please avoid arriving to your appointment with an empty stomach. When in doubt, you can never go wrong with grabbing a smoothie.
Skip the Caffeine
I know, I know, say it ain’t so(OOUUOOUUOOO) but caffeine can in fact thin your blood - It’s actually very similar to alcohol, which is why it’s always advised to not drink alcohol the night before your tattoo. What does this mean? Well it means you could bleed a little more, which can actually lift more of the ink out, causing the whole tattoo process to take a little longer, and be a bit more uncomfortable - it can also affect how your tattoo heals.
“But Oddie, what about people who get drunk tattoos in Vegas?”I mean, Yeah. They do happen. Have you seen any look good? Just look at Tom Sandovals “Cool A” tattoo - It’s maybe the worst tattoo i’ve ever seen. Hilarious tho.
Now, this does depend on each person’s tolerance, so if you’re thinking to yourself “Oh Oddie, i’ve been tattooed and i’ve drank a quad shot iced espresso and been fine, what do you know-” Well well, congratulations my sweet bean, you’re one of the special guys that has less sensitivity to caffeine, AND you’ve been tattooed before sooooo - you know how you and your body reacts. But for those of you getting your very first tattoo, you should go in as clean slate as you can. The goal is always being best prepared for your first experience.
Dress for comfort
I promise you, nobody’s judging your fashion at the studio. You want to wear loose fitting clothing, and choose items that you wouldn’t be upset if it got ink or stencil on it. Most of us are rocking the sweats and baggy T’s and tanks so it really is okay to come in your comfiest attire. There’s also the chance that you might change your mind on the placement of your tattoo, in which case, you want to make sure your clothes can be flexible and comfortable to accommodate the potential placement change.
Again, when in doubt you’re always welcome to bring a change of clothes.
Bring whatever you would like!
Blankets, stuffed animal, headphones, Nintendo Switch, fidget toys etc, whatever might help you self soothe is welcome and encouraged to bring to your appointment. You can also ask your artist if you can bring a friend if it would help you feel more comfortable (Friends and family are welcome at Slowside!). If talking calms you, we shall yap the appointment away, and if you’d rather zone out that’s totally okay too!
It’s never rude to lock in to doing what you need to do. If you wanna watch tiktoks, by all means - your comfort is what matters most so do what you need to do, and we’ll get through it together.
Wash your bed sheets
This isn’t a must do (I get it, laundry tasks are so daunting, not always free or accessible and we’re all just lil guys that need to procrastinate sometimes), but it is absolutely good practice to have clean bed sheets to sleep in for after your appointment. Depending on how your artists wraps your tattoo, (either second skin adhesive bandage, or an old school gauze, plastic wrap and medical tape) as well as the size and style of your tattoo, you want to make sure anything that might come into contact with your new tattoo is clean, dust, debris and lint free as best as possible especially if you sleep with pets.
Try and clean your bedsheets the first night of your tattoo, but prioritize laundry the day you take your bandage off if has been wrapped with second skin (Second skin can be left on for 3-5 days as it is a breathable bandage, Old school wrapping needs to come off within 8 hours of your appointment as it is non breathable)
Soap and Moisturizer
Most drug stores will carry soaps and moisturizers that are fine for tattoo healing. Make sure to pick one up before your appointment so you don’t have to stress about it afterwords. (I try and prepare sample soaps and moisturizers for my clients who are getting their first tattoo, but there are times i run out of stock so prepping before hand is always a proactive choice.) You are pretty much looking for anything that is unscented. You may have heard of just your basic dove bar soap, but I personally prefer the Dr. Bronners unscented Liquid Castille liquid soap as it’s easy to use, lasts a while and is perfect for cleansing your brand new tattoo. If you choose to use a bar soap, just make sure it is a brand new bar before using it on your freshly unwrapped tattoo.
For moisturizers, the most common choice is unscented lubriderm or aquafor which can work totally fine. In my experience, these moisturizers (as they are more of a liquid base than a balm or butter) are tricky to not overmoisturize with so just make sure you are using it sparingly. You want to use about a dime sized amount in your hand, and softly work it over the area of the tattoo until it is fully moisturized. If you are worried about over moisturizing with a more liquid type unscented moisturizer, you can take a paper towel after applying and just dab off any excess product.
For moisturizers, I personally prefer Hustle Butter which you can find on amazon in a few different sizes, or tattoo goo which you can probably find at your local Shoppers or London Drugs.
And that’s pretty much it!
Look at you, all prepared for your first tattoo. I’m so excited for you. Now get in that studio, take some deep breaths and remember, your voice matters!
You always have a right to take breaks, go to the bathroom, have a snack, ask questions and request adjustments if you need them. Tattooing is and always will be a collab effort with your artist’s skill and expertise and remember your body belongs to you and we are in this experience together! Consent is a two way street, and you’re encouraged to speak up if or when you may feel any hesitation. Communication is Key!
Fair warning, tattoos are in fact addicting. Just wait til that post tattoo dopamine hits, and you’re itching for another appointment.
A bonus tip: Grab yourself a sweet treat after, because you made it, you survived and you deserve it.
