Hydrate yourself Drink lots of water for 24 hours before your tattoo and avoid dehydration. Hydrated skin will take the ink easier. Avoid thinning your blood You should avoid alcohol and aspirin for 24 hours before getting a tattoo.
Wear comfortable clothes Wear loose, dark clothing which allows the tattoo artist easy access to the area. Eat before your appointment Eat a solid meal before your appointment. Eating a meal high in protein instead of sugar will sustain you longer. If you have a long appointment bring a snack, such as a granola bar and fruit juice.
Prepare your skin Moisturize with your normal moisturizer for a week beforehand. Avoid getting a sunburn. Do not shave! Your tattoo artist will shave the area before the tattoo to assure that any irritation/infection does not interfere with the tattoo process.
Prepare for aftercare Stay out of the water and keep your tattoo out of the sun for several weeks. Your tattoo artist will give you additional aftercare instructions, ie; when to remove any bandages, when to clean it, what to clean it with, and what to look for to make sure it is healing correctly. Aftercare kits containing soap and tattoo aftercare are available for purchase.