One of the most frequent questions that appear among the beginners is the question about the permissibility of alcoholic drinks before tattooing, during the process of tattooing and during the process of healing. Professional artists are in solidarity with doctors on this question and speak with one voice: tattoo and alcohol are not compatible. The substantiations of this opinion can be divided into 3 main groups: related to physiology, having practical value, concerning ethics.
First of all - about medical arguments. Why it is impossible to drink a glass of cognac, brandy or whisky "for courage", going to a tattoo salon? Strong drinks contribute to the dilation of blood vessels, blood flow is accelerated, which can lead to bleeding when the tattoo needles penetrate the upper layer of the epidermis. Protruding drops of blood will push out the coloring pigment, blur the borders of the figure, which will complicate the tattooist's task, but will not reduce the intensity of painful sensations in any way. Using vodka as a dope will also lead to an increase in pressure, which may result in the formation of subcutaneous bruising.
For the same reasons it is not recommended to drink alcohol after the tattoo, even if you really want to celebrate the event at a friendly party. The body may react to the intake of alcohol in not the most desirable way:
- Long regeneration of the skin;
- inflammation and peeling;
- Skin scars and scars formation, which can be eliminated only with the help of doctor's intervention.
Alcohol before tattooing
Some movies show scenes where a person going for a session with a tattoo artist, pre-drinks several bottles of beer and is tipsy. This situation has nothing to do with real life as it is not allowed to drink alcohol before the procedure. Such a restriction is due to the following reasons:
- even weak alcoholic beverages significantly increase blood circulation, which can cause severe bleeding due to trauma to the skin with needles;
- Under the influence of ethanol, capillary walls relax and dilate, which can cause the pigment to leak out and the image to be blurred. To achieve the expected result, you will need correction, which is accompanied by additional financial expenditures;
- The tattoo procedure can become unpredictable for the master himself, because alcohol affects the turgor of the skin;
- If you drink a can of beer before the procedure, there is a risk that the picture will turn out pale.
Tattooing
In addition, we should take into account that a person who is even in a light state of intoxication, not very objectively evaluates the situation and in the future may regret the decision. Also, we can not exclude that the drunken person will interfere with the master of his work.
In order to minimize the risk of undesirable consequences, professionals recommend abstaining from alcohol at least three days before the session. This time is enough for the body to be cleaned of the alcohol decay products and the blood pressure to normalize. You should keep in mind that not only beer, wine and stronger alcohol, but also energetic drinks are prohibited.
One more restriction is that before the session it is forbidden to take aspirin, as this drug helps to thin the blood. All this will affect the duration of the session and the speed of healing of the skin.
Decide what you want
Seriously. Don't just go to a salon and get a tattoo. Think about it. The tattoo doesn't have to have any deep and dramatic meaning, but its design should at least coincide with your temperament, preferences, image. And don't let anyone (not even your girlfriend/boyfriend) tell you to do this or that. It's your skin. Be the boss and know exactly what you need. Look through books, read about the meanings of different tattoos, choose the right one for you. If you wish, copy your favorite designs or parts of them. Based on this, you can then develop an individual sketch. It will be a little more expensive, but this way you are guaranteed to stand out among other tattooed people. Don't hesitate to come for a consultation and discuss all the details with the master first. Tattoo masters are always very happy to work with an adequate and interested client.
Is it possible to drink alcohol after a tattoo?
To the question whether it is possible to take alcohol immediately after tattooing, experts also give a negative answer. Tattoo is a kind of surgical intervention, after which the body needs to recover. Most often this period takes about 5 days, but in some people it lasts longer (depending on the speed of healing of the skin).
After the session it is worth refraining from beer, wine and any other alcohol for at least 3 days. Ethanol and other active components contained in alcoholic beverages activate the lymphatic process and assist in the excretion of pigment dye from the skin.
In addition, ethanol increases blood circulation, dilates capillaries and reduces the concentration of platelets. All this leads to the fact that the wounds formed during the contact of the needle with the skin bleed for a long time, and their healing process is delayed. Because of this, a crust may form on the surface of the picture, which when removed will partially spoil the picture.
A tattoo that is healing
If a large bleeding surface is left in the place where the tattoo was printed, this also increases the risk of infection penetration. In neglected cases, germs entering the body through the wound can provoke sepsis - blood poisoning, which, if not treated in time, is often fatal. How many days you can't drink after the session should be clarified by the master who performs the procedure. This period varies from 5 to 15 days and depends on the following factors
- age - the older the person, the longer it will take for the skin to heal, due to slower metabolic processes;
- the depth of the introduction of the coloring pigment - This parameter varies depending on the pattern itself and what paints the artist uses;
- skin type - Dry epidermis takes much longer to heal;
- immunity - If a person has recently had a cold, flu, or acute exacerbation of a chronic disease, the tattoo will take much longer to heal than a person with a strong immune system;
- the location of the design - On the abdomen, chest and neck tattoos take longer to heal than on other parts of the body.
How much you can not consume alcohol after a tattoo depends largely on the experience of the master himself. If the procedure was performed by an experienced specialist with a long experience, who tried to traumatize the skin as little as possible, the recovery process will go quite quickly.
If, however, during manipulations on the surface there are a lot of microcracks, the healing will take a longer time, so you will have to refrain from alcohol for a longer time.
For your information! Alcohol should not be consumed not only after tattooing, but also after the permanent makeup procedure.
Save some money
A really good tattoo doesn't come cheap. So you should already have plenty of money saved up beforehand. It's your life, your choice, and you deserve it! And it is not necessary to bargain. Tattoo artists, like other artists, are not machines. They don't produce something ordinary and commonplace. They risk their health every day performing tattoos. If you think that a master's work is so easy and they don't get tired at all, you are deeply mistaken. By the end of the day the back, arms and brains of the master hurt no worse than those of a steel mill worker. Good craftsmen are paid by the hour. But discounts are possible, but this most often happens at the master's personal initiative or on the stock from the salon itself.
How can alcohol do harm?
The main reason why you should not drink alcohol after getting a tattoo is that the consumption of alcohol has a detrimental effect on the healing process of the skin and increases the risk of complications.
A tattoo is essentially the same wound that appeared due to a large number of punctures, and in order to heal it, the immune system triggers the recovery processes. The ethyl alcohol present in alcohol is a poison for the body, so the latter will try by all means to eliminate it, while the healing of the tattoo remains in the "background".
Alcohol consumption
Leave to the master for a tip.
You do leave change to the waiter or driver if you are satisfied with his services, don't you? Here and with the tattoo master you should do the same. Especially if you had a complicated tattoo, and the process took many hours. Leaving a little money over and above the amount to the master, you will significantly raise his mood, and you can gain a good relationship for the future. Perhaps in a month or two you will run to the salon again and a kind, cheerful and knowledgeable person will be waiting for you there.
Having returned from the salon, do not forget and strictly follow all rules on the subsequent tattoo care. Because the quality of the whole work, the work of the master and your hard hours in the salon will depend on the proper healing. Good luck and thank you for reading our article!
Picture Source 50 Cool Half Sleeve Tattoo Ideas
Consequences of drinking alcohol after a tattoo
If you ignore the recommendations voiced by the master, drinking alcohol before or after the session, you need to be prepared for complications. Most often drinking alcohol before or after a tattoo session leads to the following consequences:
- uneven distribution of paint - occurs because of the mixing of blood and pigment dye. This defect can be eliminated only with the help of correction;
- appearance of irregular shades in the picturewhich in general spoil the whole image;
- improper healing of the skin. If tissue repair is delayed, the crust on the wounds will appear too late, which may cause most of the pigment to come out, and gaps will appear in the image.
Often it happens that the negative effects do not appear separately, but all at once. Often, their elimination requires laser removal of the pigment followed by re-painting.
Trust the master
So, you have looked through the portfolio and chosen the master that you want to perform your tattoo. And since you are confident in his professionalism, trust him. Listen when the master says that your idea for a tattoo does not work. Discuss how and what can be improved. Don't let him manipulate you too much, but listen to technical advice.
Thesis #8: You can take the usual "cold powders" when you have a hangover
Status: Myth
Anticold combinations contain several components, and at least two of them can interact with ethanol. Firstly, most drugs of this group contain paracetamol, sometimes in a dose of 1000 g. Its combination with alcohol increases the risk of hepatotoxic reactions. Secondly, many anti-cold combination drugs contain 1st generation antihistamines. Alcohol can potentiate their depressing effect on the central nervous system, contributing to the development of hypersedation and drowsiness [3]. Therefore, drugs of this group should not be recommended as a means to relieve hangover symptoms.
Sources
- Alcohol-medication interactions. Alberta Health Services. – [Электронный ресурс] – URL: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/healthinfo/AddictionsSubstanceAbuse/hi-asa-beyond-abcs-a… (Дата обращения 09.12.2019).
- Alcohol-medication interactions. Alberta Health Services. – [Электронный ресурс] – URL: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/healthinfo/AddictionsSubstanceAbuse/hi-asa-beyond-abcs-a… (Дата обращения 09.12.2019).
- Green G. A. Understanding NSAIDs: from aspirin to COX-2 //Clinical cornerstone. 2001; 3 (5): 50–59.
- Weathermon R., Crabb D. W. Alcohol and medication interactions //Alcohol research. 1999; 23 (1): 40.
- Adams W. L. Interactions between alcohol and other drugs //International journal of the addictions. 1995; 30 (13–14): 1903–1923.
- Noureldin M. et al. Drug-alcohol interactions: a review of three therapeutic classes //US Pharm. 2010; 35 (11): 29–40.
- Moore A. A., Whiteman E. J., Ward K. T. Risks of combined alcohol/medication use in older adults //The American journal of geriatric pharmacotherapy. 2007; 5 (1): 64-74.
- According to GRLS as of 12/12/2009.
How to prepare for the session itself
Source here and below: Pexels
It is important to get a good night's sleep the night before the procedure. This will allow your body to feel more relaxed.
During the day, and especially on the day of the session, do not drink alcohol or take drugs. Try not to take blood thinning medications on the day of the session. All this complicates the work.
It is good if the day before you carefully clean the skin area where there will be a tattoo and use a scrub. At night you should apply a moisturizer, especially if your skin is prone to dryness.
You should also eat well before your session. This will make you feel more comfortable. Take lunch with you or consider having food delivered in advance.
Illness, fever and other cold-like symptoms are signals that it is better to stay home. Choose clothing that gives the artist easy access to the future tattoo site. Wear what you don't feel sorry for, and if you wish, take clothes with you for a beautiful photo at the end of the job.
Take a charger. Usually studios have them, but not necessarily enough for everyone.
Note that most masters forbid taking cheerleaders and animals into the studio.
Cancel the gym and pool 7-10 days in advance.
