Does skin need to be prepared?

[bellabride]

At age 57, I'm going for my first tattoo next week: I think on abdomen, but will take advice of tattoo artist.
Do I need to do anything to prepare the skin, eg extra moisturising?
And what is the aftercare?
How long before completely healed?

I didn't prepare the area except it will need shaving to remove tiny hairs.

I was advised to wash with soap and water, don't submerge in water and then use palmers coco butter to moisturise it. My latest one itched like a bitch for a few days and I struggled not to scratch it. Had to slap my leg a lot

Think it took 2-3 weeks to look pretty much healed

Have a good shave a moisturise the night before. The artist will wash and prep your skin when you get there.

Have an amazing nights sleep and make sure you've had a big breakfast and plenty of water on the day of. Take a sugary drink in case you need perking up during.

I always have poachies and avocado on toast beforehand and take a bottle of water and a bottle of lucozade or full sugar coke with me.

You must must must get some hustle butter. Best aftercare in the whole world.

Where on the abdomen are you going?

I guess it depends on how big or detailed. I have just got my first at 55 yo. It is a fine line tattoo on my arm where the skin isn’t thin so it healed quickly without issue. Tattooist put a skin over it instead of clingfilm and I kept it on for 3 days. I just use shea butter after showering.

Ds had on under ribs had had clingfilm on it - instructed to wash it daily with warm water and apply coco butter. Much bigger and more detailed than mine.

I was told to only leave the film on mine for a few hours and then to remove it and wash the tattoo

Oh, this is all a great help: I'm so excited!
Feeling very brave and adventurous, and will be guided by the advice of the tattoo artist as to size/ exact location.
I'm fancying a Ganesh elephant god/ yoga/ mandala type image, in colour.
The place has been recommended to me by friends whose tattoos I've seen.

Enjoy the experience - mine didn’t hurt at all

Good luck op!

Be aware that it's very addictive, you'll be back in 6 months for another one.

I was only ever supposed to get 1 and now I have 4

How did it go OP?

Luannee, I'm only going next week: it can't come soon enough for me!
Will report back.

Definitely have a good breakfast and take a snack/drink

My last one I had breakfast, tattoo started at about 11am and I had sweets/lucozade/cups of tea throughout. Finished at 6pm and I went straight to McDonald's as my body was NOT happy with me

Bepanthem nappy cream is what i’ve used on all 12 of mine.
No prep needed but they will shave the area.

Lots of people warn off Bepanthen now but I can’t remember why.

Have a look a Tegaderm OP. You may need to order it online. Leave the original film on for however long your artist tells you then once rinsed and dry, put a large enough piece of Tegaderm over the tattoo (or several pieces of its large) and then you can mostly ignore it as long as the Tegaderm holds firm. No scabbing, no mess, super fast healing, brilliant stuff.

It will take 2-3 weeks to heal, the skin does not need to be prepared before the tattoo, except for your daily care.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits

Lots of people warn off Bepanthen now but I can’t remember why.

Have a look a Tegaderm OP. You may need to order it online. Leave the original film on for however long your artist tells you then once rinsed and dry, put a large enough piece of Tegaderm over the tattoo (or several pieces of its large) and then you can mostly ignore it as long as the Tegaderm holds firm. No scabbing, no mess, super fast healing, brilliant stuff.

Bepanthen even does a tattoo cream now. I was told to use Palmers coco butter and mine healed beautifully

I used Palmers too once the Tegaderm did it’s thing.

Tegaderm is what she used on mine I think. After that I just used a tiny layer of tattoo goo but I heal tattoos so well. Piercings on the other hand..