How to Prepare for Your Tattoo Appointment

Once you have made your appointment, preparing for your tattoo is simple, but there are several issues to keep in mind.  You can help prevent potential medical problems, and increase your own comfort during and after the process by following some simple guidelines.

Your body will treat a fresh tattoo as an open wound, and you can help it heal quickly and effectively. If your blood sugar is level, you will be more comfortable during the process and minimize potential risks, such as pain or fainting. Eat a good meal before getting tattooed, to keep your blood sugar steady. If you have not eaten all day your blood sugar will be low, and low blood sugar could cause you to faint. Feel free to bring juice, soda, a sports drink, or a snack such as candy or a granola bar; these products will increase your blood sugar quickly if you begin to feel weak or shaky. If you begin to feel weak, shaky, dizzy, or otherwise uncomfortable while you are getting tattooed, inform your artist immediately so she or he can help you return to normal before you continue.

Do not drink alcohol excessively the day before getting tattooed, and never get a tattoo while you are drunk.  Alcohol thins the blood, making tattooing more difficult or even impossible. If you come to your appointment drunk, your artist will refuse to tattoo you, and you may lose your deposit, at the artist’s discretion.

If you have a blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia, make sure you have taken your medicine and the disorder is under control. If you have diabetes, it is especially important to eat well and check your blood sugar before your appointment. If you take a blood-thinning medication, such as aspirin, coumadin, warfarin, or an anti-clotting agent (among others), speak with your artist about whether and how this medication will affect your ability to get a tattoo. If you have a blood borne illness, such as HIV or hepatitis, please disclose this information to your artist for his or her safety as well as your own. Any medical issues you discuss with your artist at Miraculous Creations will be kept confidential.

If you have a cold, flu, or other temporary illness, your immune system is compromised because it is already working to heal the illness. You can still get tattooed, at your artist’s discretion, but be aware that healing may take a few extra days. If you have a fever, you cannot get tattooed; please call as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment so that you do not lose your deposit. If you have a rash, burn, broken skin, or sunburn in the area that will be tattooed, you must wait until the skin has healed before it can be tattooed. Some scars can be covered with tattoos, but they must be fully healed.

On the day of your appointment, do not apply lotion, makeup, tanning creams, or other products to the area that will be tattooed. Do not shave the area in advance; the tattoo artist will shave your skin immediately before the tattoo, and shaving in advance could cause razor burn or other skin irritation, making the process more difficult and painful.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to the area to be tattooed. For example, wear a sleeveless shirt when receiving a tattoo on your arm, or sandals when receiving a foot tattoo. Although the artist will wash and bandage the area after your tattoo is complete, keep in mind that your clothing could become permanently stained with ink, ointment, or blood.

To heal your tattoo, you will need mild antibacterial soap, A & D ointment, and unscented lotion. If you do not have these products at home, we can provide them for you at Miraculous Creations; we carry several brands of each product, and they are widely available at pharmacies as well.

Finally, bring a tip! If you are happy with the tattoo you receive, please remember to show your appreciation by tipping your artist. Whether to tip, and what amount to give, are completely up to you, but the scale is similar to that at a restaurant.

- Ryen Welker

Miraculous Creations Body Art/Tattoos  387 Park Avenue  Worcester MA  01610  508.755.1379