What You Need To Know About Drinking Alcohol And Getting Tattooed

What You Need To Know About Drinking Alcohol And Getting Tattooed. Most of us love tattoos or at least know of a tattoo enthusiast. People tattoo themselves for different reasons. They may get them to express who they are, to remind themselves of particular happy memories, to pay tribute to loved ones, to appreciate art or they may simply do it for the culture. The reason does not really matter. What is really important is the process of getting the tattoo and safe healing after getting a tattoo.

You’ve probably watched “The Hangover”, it’s a movie where a bunch of friends binge drink and do all sorts of crazy stuff. Then there is Stu, the guy that got too drunk and got a replica of Mike Tyson’s face tattoo. The next morning, he could neither remember anything nor believe what he saw! No one wants to be this guy. For this reason, this article is going to take you through what you need to know about drinking alcohol and getting tattooed.

Most people prefer to consume alcohol then get a tattoo to help numb the pain during a tattoo procedure. Well, this is not always the case. People are different, while some may feel that taking alcohol reduces the pain, others will definitely feel that the pain is more intense when they are drunk.

All in all, it is not advisable to consume alcohol and get a tattoo. Consuming alcohol after getting a tattoo is also not recommended.

Below are the reasons why you should avoid booze before and after getting a tattoo.

1) Thinning of Blood

It is scientifically proven that consuming alcohol leads to temporary thinning of the blood. Thin blood clots at a slower rate, meaning that one will bleed more if they consume alcohol and proceed to get a tattoo. Although you can not bleed to death from getting a tattoo, there are a couple of problems associated with blood thinning. They include ink dilution and visibility issues.

2) Visibility Issues

When your blood thins, it means that you will bleed at a higher rate than usual out of the small puncture wounds that result from tattooing. Too much blood pooling on the skin will make it hard for your tattoo artist to see what he or she is doing which might reduce their accuracy. This may result in getting a low-quality tattoo. Consuming alcohol before getting a tattoo is as good as shooting yourself in the foot aka a very bad idea.

3) Ink Dilution

Excessive bleeding at the tattoo area can lead to ink dilution by the blood. When a lot of blood mixes with ink, your tattoo may end up looking faded. Afterward bleeding may flush out ink out of the tattoo area which means that the tattoo may look patchy once healed.

4) Impaired Judgment

Getting a tattoo is an important decision that you have to live with for the rest of your life. Remember, ink is permanent. You do not want to get a tattoo that you will regret living with because you made a poor decision while intoxicated. Your conscience should be clear when you decide to get a tattoo.

You need to approve of the tattoo design you want, its size and the place you want it tatted on your body. You also need to make sure that the stencil is applied to your liking. Also, you will need to make sure that you listen keenly to aftercare instructions given which are vital for your recovery. You can only do this when you are sober.

5) Tattoo Refusal

You risk a tattoo refusal when you show up at a tattoo studio while intoxicated. When a tattoo artist realizes that you a drunk, they will most definitely turn you away. Tattoo artists require their clients to sign a liability waiver or a consent form. Legally speaking, no consent form or contract is valid upon agreement with an intoxicated party. Therefore, a tattoo artist will not consent to tattooing your body. They risk damaging their reputation when they tattoo intoxicated clients which no one really wants to do because it hurts their business.

6) Tattooing Mood

Getting a tattoo should be a positive experience. Getting a tattoo with a hangover or while intoxicated may not be a positive experience. Apart from the ill-side effects you get from the hangover, you might also not be able to sit still which is an important requirement of a tattoo procedure. This may result in giving the tattoo artist a hard time which can end up with you getting a low-quality tattoo.

7) Drinking Alcohol after Getting a 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. It may also stain your clothes and bed sheets.

Excessive bleeding will delay scabbing which will lead to slow healing. During this time, your wound is also at risk to infections.

Drinking after getting a tattoo may also be disadvantageous because anything might happen, you may lose your balance, trip, and fall which may result in scaring your tattoo which is the last thing you want.

To be on the safe side, avoid consuming alcohol 48 hours before getting a tattoo and 72 hours after getting a tattoo.