You should not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours before the tattoo appointment, because alcohol dilutes your blood. This also applies to all other substances that dilute your blood, such as drugs or medication (e.g. aspirin).
Alcohol thins your blood, which can make the tattooing process trickier for your artist, and can worsen your healing too. Excess blood while you are being tattooed could mean more ink gets pushed out of your skin, leaving you with a lackluster tattoo.
It is advisable that you refrain from drinking for at least 48-72 hours after getting a tattoo. It is normal for plasma and blood to ooze 48 hours after getting a tattoo. However, alcohol consumption will increase the bleeding rate due to blood thinning. Excessive bleeding may lead to bigger problems.
Drink a lot of water during the week; avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before getting tattooed. Please do not shave the area; we will do it for you at your appointment. Avoid aspirin or blood thinning medication at least 24 hours before your tattoo; ibuprofen, acetaminophen, & other NSAID pain relievers are OK.
Drinking before or after
Drinking before and after getting a tattoo is a no-no. Alcohol thins your blood, which means excess bleeding. When you bleed more than normal, it can cause visibility issues for the artist, potentially compromising the quality of the design. Excess bleeding can also thin the ink.
In general, a blood test can measure alcohol in your body for up to 6 hours after your last drink, while breathalyser tests work for between 12 and 24 hours. Urine tests, such as the ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test, are also effective for around 12-24 hours after use.
Because alcohol decreases your normal blood clotting ability, you may experience increased bleeding during the tattoo session. The blood can cause problems for your tattoo artist and may make it more difficult for them to do their job. The artist has to focus on accuracy while sticking to the design you requested.
Alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks can thin your blood. We recommend you skip the morning coffee or energy drinks on the day of your tattoo session or avoid drinking alcohol the night before your appointment. These drinks act as a stimulant that can make you nervous and uncomfortable.
Don't drink a bunch of caffeine or energy drinks before coming in. It will thin your blood and make you less likely to sit still. You may need a doctor's note if you have medical conditions like a bleeding disorder, a heart condition, or are on antibiotics.
We would suggest you to avoid going out in the sunlight in the first 24 - 72 hours. This is the time when your tattoo needs to rest and not come into contact with continuous heat or water.
You can thicken your blood after drinking alcohol by consuming foods that are high in vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble nutrient that got its name from the German term “koagulation.”
It is generally recommended that you avoid smoking or using any substances that could irritate your skin after getting a tattoo.
Tattoo artists recommend you eat one to two hours before your appointment and a meal full of protein and vegetables is a good choice. Beyond the nutritional benefits, it's unlikely that a healthy meal will overstuff you to the point of nausea — a bonus if you're especially squeamish around needles.
Alcohol, in low to moderate amounts, thins the blood, reducing the risk of clots. But moderation is key - and doctors don't recommend drinking alcohol to protect against DVT.
We advise that you don't drink coffee before getting a tattoo. Sure, drinking coffee, or any drink that contains caffeine, may calm your nerves, but this is a temporary effect and should be avoided. For one, caffeine is known to thin the blood, which can increase bleeding and reduce healing.
Cannabis as well as alcohol has almost the same effect on the body i.e. thinning the blood, increasing blood pressure and also speeds up the heart rate. It may cause complications during and after a tattoo session, so please, avoid consuming it 24 hours before and after the session.
Unfortunately, you would have to skip coffee intake the day before you are getting permanent makeup. But why can't you drink coffee before cosmetic tattooing? The explanation is simple: excessive caffeine, entering the body, promotes vasodilation and increased blood pressure, and also thins the blood.
If you have no underlying health conditions, fainting during a piercing or tattoo is usually caused by something called Vasovagal or 'reflex' Syncope. This is a reflex reaction to trauma, pain, or any other distress, and is responsible for over 50% of fainting episodes!
It is important to eat a good meal the night before your session and a slow energy releasing breakfast - this way, once your body works through all it's reserves it can feast on the additional calories from your previous meal(s). Without these additional calories you could become dizzy and worse case, pass out.
From 1 to 6 months
After a month, any itching and redness should have completely gone. In fact, your new tattoo may look fully healed! However, the skin under your tattoo can continue to repair itself for up to six months until it's considered healed. During this stage it's important to keep up your aftercare routine.
In some cases, the breathalyzer may detect alcohol for up to 12 hours. In other individuals, the breathalyzer test may work for twice that long. Although the average person metabolizes about 1 alcoholic drink per hour, this rate varies.