When you decide to make a tattoo appointment, you might want to consider the following:
First of, you should seek out professional tattoo artists whose visual style suits your needs and desires. This is important because, working in their style, the tattooers will be able to provide their best work. Allowing them to interpret your ideas in their way, using their knowledge of tattooing and the human body, will add to that. This way you also make sure you're getting a unique piece instead of just copying stuff of the internet.
Good, now that you found your tattooer, get to work. If the new tattoo is to be a small one, schedule hours may be more flexible, but if you wanna go a bit bigger, think about tacking a day off from work or everything else. The appointment will last for hours and it's best to get a good head start. Make the appointment and pay the deposit - it's small and deductible from the final price. It's ok to ask for a quote, but do not expect an exact number, a lot of things may influence it.
In the days before the appointment, try to get some good quality sleep and nutrition/hydration. It helps a lot both with your coping during the process and your skin's coping with the abuse it takes. The day will be easier and it will make for a much better experience overall. Additionally, use some lotion to hydrate the skin in the area to be tattooed.
Show up, be positive, you are getting a new tattoo, it's supposed to be a great day!
Aftercare
The aftercare process is fairly simple, but there are a few things you may want to keep in mind.
You will need to have: dermatological/antibacterial soap, paper towels, aftercare cream.
You will be leaving the tattoo shop with your brand new tattoo, fresh and clean, wrapped in plastic foil (cling film) for protection. Keep it on no more than three hours and no less than one. Right after taking it off, clean the tattoo with warm water and a more gentle dermatological soap or antibacterial soap. Make some foam in your hands and then apply it on the freshly tattooed skin. Wash quickly and well. Rinse plenty but do it fast. Gently dry the skin with paper towel. Let it dry some more and breathe with no aftercare cream for the next five minutes. After five minutes apply the aftercare cream.
The following ten days keep the tattoo clean and hydrated applying the recommended aftercare cream daily.
THE AFTERCARE CREAM
To ensure that the healing and scarring process goes smoothly, the newly tattooed skin needs to stay clean and hydrated using the aftercare cream ten days following the tattoo session. Whenever you apply the cream, do so using a small amount and rub it really well into the skin. Leave no excess cream on the surface of the skin. It will prevent it from breathing properly and may result in slower healing. Apply cream at least once per day, but do so whenever the skin feels dry.
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The first five days following the appointment, do not soak the tattooed skin in water. Wash it anytime you feel the need to, but do it quickly and apply cream after . Prolonged baths, sauna, swimming pool etc. are forbidden, the healing process will be affected. When you shower, cover the tattooed skin with a thicker coat of aftercare cream, this way the water will just glide over the cream and not affect the tattoo.
Sports and other intense physical activities should be avoided in the first week following the appointment as abundant sweating, dust particles, bacteria etc. that might result from such activities may be damaging.
Keeping the tattoo clean and hydrated during the healing process is critical.
After the 10 days one may continue using lotion on occasion.
Enjoy! <3