Plenty has been said about tattoo aftercare, everyone has a different set of magic rules, secret formulas and do’s & don’ts but what about the pre-tattoo preparations?

The client, thinking about having 9 beers the night before their complex linework.

Your skin is the biggest organ in your body so what you do the day before can be just as important as what you do the day after. As a tattooer, whether you like it or not, you become something of a connoisseur of human skin, the better the canvas, the better the tattoo.

Stayed up late? we can tell.

Had a few too many drinks? Busted.

Not drinking enough water? We could tell just by looking at you.

Hard day on the junk food? Obvious.

Here are the some hot pre-tattoo tips to ensure your skin is ready come time for your appointment

Get enough sleep
Can’t stress this one enough. You’re asking a lot of your skin when you get tattooed and the least you can do is let it rest up before you put it through the wringer.

2. Feed to succeed

Unfortunately corn dogs and white monster don’t contain all the nutrients your body requires to function. Treat yourself to a nice healthy meal the night before your tattoo. clean protein and veggies possibly? in addition to being a nutritional plus for your skin you will also sleep better. The day of make sure you come in having eaten something, an empty stomach can inhibit your body’s ability to cope with the stress of a tattoo and can mean its a more painful experience than necessary.

3. Don’t get hammered

This one seems like it goes without saying but you would be surprised how many times this one goes unheeded. There might not be a more important rule to follow the day before your tattoo. Nothing affects the skin more negatively than getting drunk 12 hours before a tattoo. Your body is full of poison, your blood is thin, truly a worst case scenario. Now I hear you thinking “Do I need to avoid drinking completely?” and as a selfish tattooer I would say yes but as a reasonable person I would say, have a couple drinks if you want but be reasonable, north of 2 and you’re pushing it.

4. Only cool drugs

Listen I’m no medical doctor, a fact that should be both obvious as I am writing a blog that no one will ever read and comforting to anyone who should at any point require medical assistance, though i do have my first aid. That being said I can safely assume that the key to healthy skin is not cocaine, ketamine or molly. I’m not your mom and dad so I cant tell you how to live your life but if you’re at all concerned about how your tattoo is going to go tomorrow then I would stick to Harold Ramis’ advice from the movie Knocked Up.

5. Hydration

Your body is like 75% water. I don’t know if that’s exactly right but I’m not gonna waste water by googling it so lets just assume I’m right. drinking enough water before, during and after your tattoo is about as important as it gets so make sure you’re getting enough h20. Chug with caution though, there is a such thing as too much of a good thing! I once drank 8+ litres of water the night before a tattoo and my skin was apparently terrible to tattoo.

6. lotion & moisturizer?

It may seem like a good idea to use skin lotion and moisturizer before getting a tattoo but just like with drinking water its possible to over do it. Too much lotion applied before a tattoo can make the skin greasy and can make it hard for your tattooer to get a nice stencil to stay on. If you’re going to moisturize do it the night before, don’t go crazy with it and have a shower before your appointment.

7. Shower

I’m not explaining this one, show up clean.

8. odds n’ ends

Don’t get a sunburn. Don’t fall off your bike and get road rash in the exact spot you’re getting tattooed. Don’t have a fireworks fight and get 3rd degree burns. Don’t soak overnight in a vat of liquid. Don’t wear cologne to get tattooed. Don’t wear perfume to get tattooed, I cannot stress enough how much cologne and perfume are completely unnecessary to the process of getting tattooed. If I forgot anything then so be it, this a pretty good start and I would say a fairly comprehensive guide to what to do before a tattoo.

The world’s most comprehensive guide on what to do before a tattoo. hands down.

Get enough sleep