Three things to know before getting your first tattoo in Denver

I remember the day I got my first tattoo in Denver. Although I had gotten my first ever one a few months before when I was back home in Chicago, I did not expect much to be different when going to a new place with an opposite environment when going about getting tattooed again. 

Generally, there are many norms to know when getting a tattoo–both in preparation and after your body is inked–but all of those can vary depending on where you are geographically. Here are three important things to know before getting your first tattoo in Denver.

1. Drink lots of water prior to your appointment. This is a good practice to have no matter where you get your tattoo, but it should always be the first thing you do before the needle touches your skin. Being in a high altitude city like Denver, hydration is more crucial than ever, especially when getting tatted in those conditions. The altitude already impacts our blood oxygen levels, and we must ensure that they can remain as normal as possible when in session since everyone bleeds when getting a tattoo. To prevent high amounts of bleeding, hydration is a necessity, and also assists in the general healing of tattoos.
2. Moisturize your tattooed area. After you receive a tattoo, it is very important to keep it moisturized. Denver is a dry climate, so applying moisturizers to the tatted area such as Aquaphor and fragrance-free lotions prevent the healing area from drying out. Before I got my fourth tattoo (third one in Denver), I remember I purchased a brand new lotion solely for the occasion because I knew I would be using it constantly for approximately two weeks since it is very dry here (especially come winter time).

3. Put sunscreen on your fresh tattoo, specifically during the warmer seasons. Due to the high altitude, Denver also experiences stronger UV rays. Though the sunshine is lovely and makes tattoos glimmer and glisten, it must be kept in mind that fresh tattoos are very sensitive to the sun, and should always be left out of direct sunlight for a few weeks. This is because the sun affects tattoo coloring, so once the main healing period is up, sunscreen should still be applied on tattoos to assist in maintaining colors and preventing fading. 

Taking care of tattoos is always an integral part of getting tattoos. If people learn about the importance behind it prior, it makes the healing process easier once they are there. It is better to go through all the steps of care in a tougher climate, such as Denver, rather than neglecting your tattoos healing. Being in college, going out with friends, ski trips, etc. makes it easy for us to forget to attend to our new tattoos and that’s normal, but taking care of them ensures that they will look glorious for a long time.