Getting a tattoo is a big decision because it’s going to be on you for the rest of your life. It’s not something that you should rush into and you should think long and hard about what you want. Ask yourself if you’ll still like the design ten years down the line and if you can’t answer that, you should think of something else.

If you’ve weighed up all of the pros and cons and you are definitely sure that you want to get a tattoo, you need to make sure that you are prepared for the process. These are some of the best tips to follow when getting your first tattoo.

Research The Shop

You’re trusting somebody to put a permanent tattoo on you, so you want to be sure that they know what they’re doing. We’ve all seen pictures of awful tattoos and nobody wants to be the unfortunate person that has to live with it on them for the rest of their life, so do your research. Find a few tattoo shops in the local area and check out some reviews. Look at pictures of their previous work as well so you can get a sense of how good they are. Don’t just go for the cheapest one you can find because there is probably a reason that they’re so cheap.

Prepare Yourself On The Day

Before you go in for your session, you need to prepare yourself. Always avoid drinking alcohol before a tattoo because it thins your blood and it can cause problems. You should also have something to eat and drink some water, you could be in there for a while and you don’t want to go light headed. You may also want to use some tattoo numbing cream before you go in to help you manage the pain. Depending on where you have it, tattoos can be quite painful, especially if you have never had one before, so don’t be embarrassed about taking precautions.

It’s also a good idea to wear comfortable clothes that allow easy access to the area that is getting tattooed. If you are getting a leg tattoo, for example, you don’t want to wear tight jeans that will cut off your circulation and make you uncomfortable when you roll them up.

Take Care Of It Afterward

This is probably the most important thing to remember. We all know that a good skin routine is important, and you should pay the same attention to your tattoo as you would to your normal skincare process. Make sure that you wash the tattoo gently with warm soapy water and then use tattoo balm or a good quality moisturizer. If you don’t look after it, it could fade or run and end up looking terrible. You can also get an infection if you don’t clean it properly, so ask your tattoo artists about aftercare and follow their advice to the letter.

As long as you follow this important advice, your first tattoo experience will be an amazing one.