What to do and Bring to a Long Tattoo Session

A long tattoo session can be a daunting task for both the artist and the client, especially if you have never been in this situation before. It is important to prepare your body and mind so that you are ready for what lies ahead.

In this article, we will discuss how to prepare for a long tattoo session.

What to Eat Before a Tattoo

Make sure to include foods that will give you sustained energy throughout the day. This includes fruits and vegetables like bananas, oranges or other citrus fruit, apples, tomatoes etc., whole grain cereals/bread with honey or peanut butter spread on them along with milk for calcium intake.

Drink lots of water but avoid caffeinated beverages as they have diuretic properties. Too much caffeine consumption might dehydrate you, further worsening your situation during long sessions.

What to Do Before Getting a Tattoo to Ease the Pain

Use Ice to Numb the Pain

Use ice instead of numbing cream. Ice the area before starting your session. This will help numb the skin and make it easier to tattoo. Ice works better because it constricts blood vessels which lessen the pain. It also reduces swelling and makes your skin numb for long periods compared to other topical analgesics that only offer temporary relief.

Choose an Experienced Tattoo Artist

Make sure to avoid super cheap deals and stick with reputable, experienced ones who have been in this line of business for a long time. This way you can be assured that they know what they’re doing and causing minimal pain. This is important because some tattoo artists might not even know how much pain their work will inflict on people, especially if they’ve had little or no experience at all.

Wear Loose Clothes

Wear something comfortable, like sweatpants or yoga pants during a long tattooing process. You do not want anything too tight around you as this can cause discomfort while getting inked on.

Avoid Getting a Tattoo When you are Sick

This is important because your body’s immunity will be weakened, so it can’t handle the stress caused by getting a tattoo. You should wait until you are completely recovered from any illnesses like colds, flu or other diseases before going in for one to keep yourself safe and healthy.

Take an Anti-inflammatory Medication Before Getting Tattooed

Taking ibuprofen 30 minutes before getting tattooed will help ease any discomfort during the process by reducing inflammation and redness while lowering the body thanks to its antipyretic effects. However, you should not rely on this method alone if your tattoo is bigger than the size of a quarter because it will take too long for them to be effective.

Communicate With Your Artist

This will help ensure that both parties are on the same page during long sittings. Artists need to know when to take breaks or stop if things get too unbearable for their clients to avoid doing permanent damage to people, especially those who have never been in this type of situation before.

Pick a Less Sensitive Body Part for a First Tattoo

If you are getting a tattoo for the first time, pick an area of your body that is not sensitive like your back because it has fewer nerve endings than other parts. This way you will be able to endure more pain during longer sessions without having to stop halfway through or go home before finishing.

What Should I Bring to a Long Tattoo Appointment?

Bring a Good Book

If you’re getting inked on a long-term basis, make sure that you have something interesting with you because chances are it will take longer than expected. Bring an audiobook or something else to occupy your time while waiting for the process to finish.

Phone Charger & Electronics

Make sure to bring your phone charger so you can stay connected with the outside world. Not only are phones essential for communication but also help pass time while waiting or when you get bored of reading your book. A tablet is also a good option to consider.

Snacks

Remember to always come prepared and bring some snacks along with you since tattoos take hours depending on size and other factors involved, which might affect how much time goes by until completion. Having food nearby ensures that hunger does not set in while you’re getting tattooed and that you don’t feel the need to get up from your seat for a quick bite.

Bring a Friend

This might be some light conversation but having someone there with you throughout the process could keep your mind off of what’s being done at hand. This is especially good if you’ve never had a tattoo before.

What Should I Eat During a Long Tattoo Session?

Protein is essential in this situation. Having a high protein meal before getting tattooed can help you build up your energy levels which are essential in maintaining good posture.

Leafy dark greens are another good option to boost energy levels. They are rich in iron content, essential for red blood cell production and oxygen transportation throughout the body. Good examples of leafy, dark green veggies include spinach, kale, turnip greens etc. They also have a high water content so they help rehydration.

Foods High in Vitamin C also help to speed up the healing process and builds collagen, which will increase the elasticity of your skin, making it more resilient to tattoo bruising. Some good sources of vitamin c are fruits like oranges, grapes, strawberries, kiwi fruits etc.

What to Do During a Long Tattoo Session?

Drink Plenty of Fluids

Make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the process. Not only will this help you stay hydrated but also keep your skin healthy and be less prone to infections due to high moisture content, which is especially important during long sessions when in close contact with needles.

Take a Break When Needed

If you feel exhausted or overwhelmed, take a break for some fresh air so that you can come back feeling refreshed instead of sluggish from sitting down all day while getting tattooed. It’s good practice to get up every hour or two just because it gives your legs time off and lets them rest in slightly different positions than what they are used to.

How Do You Get Through an 8 Hour Tattoo Session?

Stretch Every Two Hours

Make sure to stretch your legs and back every two hours so that you can keep yourself limber. This is helpful for the tattoo process and benefits artists by keeping them from getting stiff or sore during long sessions, which means more efficiency on their part.

Get Your Tattoo Done in the Morning

The best time to do a long tattoo session would be in the morning. This is because your body tends to have more energy and will thus enable you, as well as your artist, from being able to get through it faster. There are no distractions during this time too, so less likely for something else to come up that may derail them from getting things done on time.

Try Not to Be Distracted

Be sure not to let yourself get distracted throughout your process because if you cannot concentrate then chances of errors occurring only increase whether due to lack of focus or other mistakes made. It slows down everyone involved, so you should try your best to be mindful of what’s going on so that the process can go smoother.

Stay Positive

If you’re getting a bigger tattoo that takes longer than expected, make sure to focus on the good parts of it instead. During your session, there might be some dull moments, but remember why you got inked and what will come out from all this time devoted to something new for life.

Get Plenty of Sleep the Night Before

If you’re going to be tattooed for a long time, make sure that it’s not on consecutive days. This is because the body needs rest and if it doesn’t get enough, there will likely be negative effects later down the line such as inflammation or fatigue, which can slow things down significantly.

Decrease Stress

Stress is one of the biggest enemies when it comes to getting good tattoos done. Cortisol is released due to stress. Cortisol decreases immune system response thus making healing slower after getting tattooed. Cortisol also depresses cognitive function i.e. memory/learning abilities, focus, and mental clarity too. Therefore, it is essential to control your stress levels before getting tattooed.

What Is Considered a Long Tattoo Session?

A long tattoo session is classified as anything over 5 hours so you should do some research beforehand on preparing yourself mentally and physically for this. Stick and poke tattoos may only take a few minutes while others may take hours before they’re finished depending on size and other factors involved, determining how much time goes by until completion.

It’s important to bring an audiobook or something else to occupy your time while waiting for the process to finish and ensure that you don’t feel hungry during a long tattoo session. Don’t forget your phone charger and snacks so you can stay connected with the outside world.