BODYCARES BEFORE YOUR TATTOO SESSION

What to do the 7 days before your session?

Now that you have decided on the design that you will get and you have a date to do your tattoo session, we are going to prepare for that session with some basic measures:

- Moisturize your skin very well by applying a moisturizing cream twice a day. This will help the skin to be much more elastic, less suffering during the tattooing process, and a better healing. Of course, do not use cream the same day of the session.

- Avoid sunbathing in the days before the tattoo, as you could burn yourself and the session should be cancelled. It is also not convenient for you to waxing or lasering because they irritate the skin (better shaving).

- Exfoliates the skin. Removing impurities from the skin pores is another way to make the procedure more comfortable for you and easier for your tattoo artist. Gently exfoliate the skin without irritating it using a loofah or a non-chemical exfoliator.

- Avoid taking medications, especially those that can cause bleeding such as aspirin, do not drink alcohol or take drugs before a session.

The big day has come!

Finally, your tattoo session has come!. What can I do to control my nerves and enjoy my first tattoo session? Take note!

- Rest well. Try to sleep well the night before. Do not let your nerves keep you awake and go to bed early so as not to face the session tired, which could increase your feeling of discomfort.

- Hydrate. In the same way that we have applied cream so that our skin has the nutrients it needs, our body needs fluids and that water that you will drink (you can also drink herbal tea or juice) will help make the skin more resistant and better support the session.

- Eat. It is a frequent mistake of many clients to go to the studio without having eaten due to nerves or rush. Lack of food, combined with the pain from the tattoo, can make you dizzy and even faint. Although it may seem like your body is inactive while getting a tattoo, but it is actually expending a great deal of energy during the process. Also, if you are hungry it will be more difficult for you to control the pain. If the session is going to be long, you can bring snacks to recharge your batteries, such as nuts or energy bars, which provide quality calories.

- No drugs or alcohol. Avoid topical numbing creams for less pain, non prescipted pain relievers, drugs, and alcohol. In addition to the detrimental effect of the last two on our body, it can bring problems to your tattoo.

- Be comfortable. Wear clothes and shoes with which you are comfortable during the session. Keep in mind that you will be in positions that may be uncomfortable for you (depending on the area) and that the process may be long enough to be bothered with pants that are too tight or shoes that rub against you.

- Be patient. Getting a tattoo is a very exciting step, but the process itself can be somewhat tedious, depending mostly on the size of the design. Don't get nervous, try not to move and try to keep yourself entertained with anything: talk to your tattoo artist, look at your phone, play with an app...

Now you are ready to enjoy your tattoo session!

AFTERCARES

A tattoo is much more than a piece of art embodied on the skin. It is also a wound that must be healed. The final result will depend on each person's skin and also on subsequent care, which is key to preventing complications.

How to take care of a tattoo the first days?

- When you leave the studio you will wear a bandage (tattoo armor). This bandage serves to protect the tattoo from bacteria and absorb the fluids that the skin expels, so leave it for a minimum of 8 hours and a maximum of 24 hours, before removing the bandage you must moisten it to prevent it from sticking and hurting the skin when removing it.

- Before handling the tattoo (washing it, moisturizing it, etc.) also wash your hands with soap and water. It is perhaps the best advice I can give you and a key step to avoid infections.

- Wash the tattoo with cold water, without perfume. Pat the skin dry with a single-use towel or kitchen paper.

- After washing it, do not cover it again with the initial bandage, let it air dry for 30 min and wash it again this time with saline solution, you will do this 3 times a day for 4 days.

- After 4 days you will begin to hydrate it with a neutral cream, the final result of the tattoo artist's work will depend on your care. Apply only a thin layer, enough to cover the skin and keep it hydrated.

 How many days do I have to put cream on the tattoo?

- Ideally, you should apply the cream every time you wash the tattoo after the 4th day it is done, for a month and keep moisturizing it regularly. It will help keep it pretty, that the colors (if you have them) look bright.

What not to do after a tattoo?

- Do not scratch yourself. While it is healing, it is normal for the skin to dry out, ooze ink, and scab over. The more color work you carry, or the thicker the stroke, the more likely this is to happen. You must let them dry and fall on their own, otherwise, you could be left with areas without pigment.

- Avoid bathing with hot water and of course, avoid bathing in the sea, swimming pools, saunas or turkish bath.

- Avoid sun exposure at all costs the first 15 days. You can use clothes to cover the tattoo or not expose the area. When it has healed, you can expose it to the sun in a moderate way, always with a high protection factor sunscreen suitable for tattoos.

- Internal care is as important as external care. Getting a tattoo means subduing our immune system, so avoid any kind of excesses during the first weeks (alcohol, tobacco, strenuous activities, etc.).

Depending on your healing process, the area of the tattoo and the care you have given it, it will be healed in about 4 or 6 weeks.