Before your tattoo: how to prepare.

Eat, drink, rest

Have a proper meal and some water before you come in. If you feel faint, dizzy or unwell during the session, tell your artist straight away so you can take a break. Longer sessions are easier when you arrive rested.

Come sober

Please avoid alcohol beforehand and come to your appointment sober. Public-health guidance advises against being tattooed under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Protect the skin — especially on holiday

The skin you want tattooed needs to be healthy on the day: no sunburn, cuts, grazes, rashes or infection. On a beach holiday, keep that area out of the sun in the days before your appointment. If the skin isn't ready, the appointment may need to move.

Moles, skin conditions and scars

Tattooing over moles isn't advised, because ink can make changes in a mole harder to spot — tell the studio and the design can be adapted around them. A skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis doesn't automatically rule out a tattoo, but dermatologists advise waiting until it is stable; if you have ever formed raised or keloid scars, talk to a dermatologist first.

Medicines and health

If you take blood-thinning medicine, have a bleeding disorder, take medicines that affect how skin heals, or have a condition that affects your immune system or healing, talk to your doctor before planning a tattoo and mention it when you enquire. Never stop or change prescribed medicine to fit an appointment. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, health guidance generally recommends waiting until afterwards.

Numbing creams

Please don't apply numbing creams or sprays before your appointment unless you have agreed it with your artist first.

What to wear and bring

• Loose, comfortable clothing that gives easy access to the placement.
• Your reference images, if they are not already in your inquiry.
• Something to eat and drink for a longer session.
• Any ID the studio asks you to bring when it confirms your appointment.

General information, not medical advice. Your artist's instructions come first; for anything worrying, see a doctor.