Preparing for your tattoo appointment

I accept cash and credit cards, although cash is preferred.

PLEASE DO…

• EAT A MEAL BEFORE YOU COME IN

  This will ensure that your blood sugar is at a good level to support the surge of adrenaline that happens when you get tattooed. If you get tattooed on an empty stomach, you are more likely to pass out and the tattoo may seem more painful. We have snacks and drinks if you need a boost later in your session.

• PREPARE FOR THE HEALING PROCESS

  A fresh tattoo is an open wound. Plan on refraining from any rigorous activity/sports/outdoor activities for about a week, no swimming for 2-3 weeks, and no prolonged direct sun (or sunscreen) for 4 weeks. You can read my full aftercare instructions here.

• PRACTICE GOOD HEALTH & HYGIENE

  Be rested and hydrated. In fact, drinking lots of water up to 4 days in advance (as well as refraining from drinking heavily) can help with pain management and make your skin easier to tattoo. The better you treat your body before your tattoo appointment, the better it will handle the whole process.

• WEAR THE RIGHT CLOTHES

  Wear something that allows me to access the area where you want the tattoo, plus a few inches in every direction.

PLEASE DON’T…

• SHOW UP EARLY

  We don’t have a receptionist, and we really like to have the last few minutes before the appointment to prepare for our interaction with you. (The door may even be locked until then.) If you are more than 10 minutes early, please wait until your scheduled appointment time to come in.

• COME IN IF YOU ARE SICK

  A) We really don’t want to catch whatever you’ve got. Tattoo artists don’t get sick days.

  B) Getting a tattoo is rough on your immune system, which needs to be functioning well in order for the tattoo to heal properly. If you are recovering from an illness and you get a tattoo, this will both prolong your illness and affect the healing of your tattoo.

• DAMAGE YOUR SKIN WHERE YOU PLAN ON GETTING TATTOOED

  This includes getting sunburned, wrestling with your cat, cutting yourself shaving, scratching a bug bite, or using products that may cause you to break out.

OPTIONAL…

SHAVING BEFOREHAND:

This is only recommended if you are REALLY hairy in the area where you plan on getting tattooed, and just a buzz is fine. I’ll do the cleanup. Be careful not to cut yourself!

THINGS YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BRING:

• One well-behaved adult human friend

• Snacks/drinks (although we have a good selection here)

• Headphones if you want to zone out to your own music

• A blanket/pillow

GOOD TO KNOW…

I CAN’T TATTOO YOU IF:

• You are sick (Getting a tattoo is rough on your immune system. Plus we don’t want to get sick from you.)

• You are on antibiotics, certain steroids, blood thinners, or oral acne medication.

• You have a heart condition and you haven’t checked with your doctor to see if it’s ok to get a tattoo.

• You are recovering from a recent injury/surgery

• You got sunburned on the area you want the tattoo.

• You are/are trying to become pregnant.

• You are nursing (pumping may be an option, ask your artist.)

• You have a significant bug bite, scrape, pimple, sunburn, active eczema, fresh scar tissue, or any other kind of injury/condition on the area where you want to get tattooed.

THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT:

• Practice your yoga/meditation breathing.

• Consume snacks and sugary drinks periodically throughout your session.

• Come in rested and hydrated.

• You may take an acetaminophen, but it may only help a little.

• Do NOT take large doses of ibuprofen/NSAIDs (it thins your blood). Consult with your artist if you need it for other reasons.

• Do NOT come in with numbing cream. Consult your artist first.

• We can spray Bactine with lidocaine on the area during the tattoo.

• We have pain stims that look like weird spiky hair curlers that you can squeeze in your hand, or you can bring your own stress ball.