A tattoo is a lifelong commitment. There is a list of stuff you should know before getting a tattoo. This includes the selection of a design, the selection of your tattoo maker, cost of your tattoo or its aftercare but this is not enough. If you are planning to get a tattoo, you should also know what to eat before a tattoo and what to eat after a tattoo.
Many people skip food to eat before getting a tattoo but that’s not a great idea. If you want your skin healthy and perfect, be aware of what to eat before getting a tattoo instead of skipping your meals.
So here is the right and healthy guidance for preparing your skin when you get a tattoo.
1. What to Eat Before a Tattoo?
Since tattoos will have a slight effect on your skin, therefore you will not want to keep your skin dehydrated before. Here are some healthy foods rich in vitamins, protein and minerals to eat before getting a tattoo.
1.1. Protein Intake
Proteins help your body improve and modify your skin and muscles. They are essential for building and repairing your body, which also adds to your skin because they are body-repairing nutrition. Therefore protein-rich foods like seafood or chicken are highly recommended to eat before a tattoo appointment. Eggs, almonds, tofu, plain Greek yogurt, and walnuts are also suggested for your healthy skin.
Protein intake plays a crucial role in modifying skin tissue. Eating a decent amount of protein meal makes your skin look healthy and glowing.
Protein intake not only helps in the wound-healing process but also helps in raising energy levels in your body. This is effective for the pain your body is going to get through and will also recover your skin faster.
1.2. Vitamin C Intake
You might have observed most of the skin products contain vitamins. It is also proven by dermatologists that vitamin C plays a crucial role in healing your skin. Therefore when you get a tattoo, consume vitamin C meal and repair your skin faster.
It is highly advised to eat foods rich in vitamin C such as broccoli, banana, and citrus fruits like sweet orange, Mandarin orange, and grapefruit. Moreover, you can also add red meat to your meals which is rich in vitamin A and will keep your skin healthy.
The vitamin enables your body to manufacture collagen and this can be effective to heal your wound created by the tattoo needle. It has antioxidants that can help in skin enhancement.
1.3. Zinc Intake
Eating zinc supplements is beneficial for our bodies in many ways. It not only helps in creating DNA or supporting the immune system but also it is effective for our skin.
Zinc is an important mineral in foods like whole grain breakfast, mushrooms, blueberries, beans, and dry fruits like almonds. They are positive supplements to eat before your tattoo appointment. Not only this, dark chocolate intake before those long sessions of tattoos is also useful for your healthy skin.
1.4. Water
Drink plenty of water to keep your body and your skin hydrated to fight the painful effect of the tattoo ink needle. Fluids play a crucial role in giving energy to your body. Naturally, the tattoo ink needle will cause excessive bleeding to your skin but if you are well hydrated with proper fluid levels, your blood will not flow much.
For almost every treatment of your body whenever you think “Will your body heal?” Then water is like a best friend for your body. It is recommended for almost every type of treatment.
You can also keep yourself stay hydrated with some natural vegetable or fruit juice. Lime water is also highly recommended for keeping your skin stay hydrated before the appointment. There is a probability of getting mild trauma from the blood flow. Therefore, to stay hydrated drink a lot of water.
2. What to eat at the tattoo session: Snacks
Generally, tattoo artists allow you to bring snacks to eat to the parlor but morally you should still take permission from your artist that if it is okay to bring snacks or not.
So here is a guide for what healthy snacks to eat at the time of the appointment, also to divert your mind from the blood flow.
- Low-fat bars
- Chocolates and nuts with low sugar.
- Vitamin C fruits like oranges, and grapefruit.
- Lemonade or natural fruit juice.
3. What to eat after a tattoo session?
A lifelong commitment and this body modification tattoo is a choice, but your health should be your priority. After getting a tattoo, tattoo aftercare is very important. This also includes your proper diet plan which should be maintained at least for a month. You should not only know what to eat before a tattoo but also after a tattoo.
Here is a guide that you should include in your diet after a tattoo appointment. Similar to the guide of what to eat before a tattoo appointment, you should include vitamin C-rich food and a sufficient amount of protein in your list.
- Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and this will help your blood-wounded skin to heal fast.
- Berries like blueberries or strawberries are also rich in vitamin C. They also help when your skin shrinks. Your skin will heal and glow fastly.
- Citrus fruits like oranges or grapefruit are always recommended for your skin health. It will help your skin to look young which helps in healing your wound created by the tattoo needle unexpectedly.
- Vegetables with dark leafy greens are highly recommended for your skin, it will help your skin to heal faster. Broccoli has vitamins and minerals that are good for your damaged skin, it will heal the wound faster.
- Dermatologists have proven, that consuming avocados regularly will make your skin look soft and smooth. This means that the roughness of your wounded skin from the tattoo needle will heal faster and become softer. Moreover, avocado contains vitamins A, D and E and protects your skin from sun damage.
4. What to Not Eat Before a Tattoo Appointment?
Tattoo commitment is not an easy part to do, hence be aware of what you should avoid eating before your tattoo appointment. You should always avoid food that is high in sugar content or rich in fats. Here are some unhealthy foods in the healing process of your tattoo that you should not eat.
Avoid alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks intake because it can affect your blood sugar level. Therefore, you should avoid coffee or energy drinks on the morning of the tattoo session. Along with this avoid alcohol consumption at least for two days before your session and have a good night’s sleep. These drinks will not only make you uncomfortable but also your blood can flow excessively in the tattoo process.
Fruit juice is highly recommended to drink before your tattoo process but not the one which contains high sugar. Dairy products can make you feel bloated and they make your skin fat and heavy. Therefore, avoid consuming dairy products if you don’t want your tattoo to get changed or spoiled.
Soda and foods like instant noodles have lots of fat and salt, so avoid consuming them before your tattoo appointment. Too much salt can make your skin dry, so avoid eating foods with excessive salt.
Final Words
In this article, you must have got an idea of what to eat before a tattoo. So fill your stomach with healthy foods as recommended and also make sure you are eating foods healthily for the healing process.
Here is a bonus tip, since direct exposure to the sun can damage your skin, so in the tattooing process, it will be difficult for the tattoo artist to use a needle on your skin. Therefore, use sunscreen two to three days before your session if you go outdoors.
FAQs
Q1. What to know before getting a tattoo?
Few steps to keep in mind before getting a tattoo
Step 1: Tattoos are not cheap.
The fee for your tattoo depends on its size. The more your tattoo uses ink, the more expensive it will be. Make sure to get a tattoo that is affordable to your pocket.
Step 2: Place where you are getting a tattoo.
Some people love having a tattoo and some people are neither comfortable in getting a tattoo nor watching them. So make sure you are fine with getting a tattoo anywhere because tattoos are life commitments. There are complications for the removal of a tattoo.
Step 3: A meaningful tattoo
If you are planning to get a tattoo, get a meaningful design because covering a tattoo might not be possible every time.
Step 4: Tattoo artist research
To not come back home with a wound, make sure the artist from whom you are going to have your tattooing experience is experienced. Get the reviews of your artist from people who get a tattoo from the same artist. Your health should be your priority.
Q2. What type of clothes should we wear after getting a tattoo?
Wear loose clothes after and at the time of the tattoo session. This is because tight clothes can change your design and your wound will not heal faster. Once your tattoo heals, you can come back to your normal routine and wear whatever you want to wear.
Q3. How long will your tattoo take to heal?
Upper skin where you have designed takes about three weeks whereas inner layers take about three to four months.
