Can You Drink Coffee Before A Tattoo – Expert Warnes!

Coffee has become a part of our daily life. Most of us cannot get a kick start if we don’t drink coffee first thing in the morning. And coffee has some benefits to it too. It rids away any sleepiness and increases our alertness and sensitivity. So you may wonder if you can drink coffee before a tattoo or not. As you will be able to stay alert and focused during the tattooing procedure.

Tattooing can be compared to a small surgery. In the tattooing procedure, you get your skin poked by a tattoo needle, and foreign matter which is tattoo ink gets injected deep into your skin. And you know drinking coffee and alcohol is not recommended before any medical surgery. The tattooing procedure is similar to a small surgery so does it mean you cannot drink coffee before a tattoo? I will elaborate on the topic in this piece.

Key Takeaways

• You should not drink coffee before a tattoo.
• You should not drink coffee before a tattoo because it increases sensitivity, anxiety, and jitteriness, and may cause excessive bleeding, dehydration, etc.
• In case you must drink coffee before a tattoo make sure to limit the intake, drink plenty of water alongside it, time it properly, etc.
•  Apart from coffee, you should not drink alcohol, excessive sugary drinks, or drinks that contain caffeine before getting a tattoo.
• Instead of drinking coffee, you can drink water, fruit juice, smoothie, and electrolyte drinks.

Drinking Coffee Before Getting a Tattoo

Coffee is such a popular drink that it is hard to find an adult person who hasn’t drunk coffee before. Coffee has many benefits as it can keep us alert and awake when we are doing some lengthy work. So you may think it could be a good idea to drink coffee before getting a tattoo as you will have the energy and alertness to go through a few hours of the lengthy tattooing process. In theory, it sounds great but can you really drink coffee before a tattoo?

Simply put, you should not drink coffee or any sort of drink that can cause blood thinning. Yes, caffeine can make your blood thin. Coffee can be a fine drink in general but it can cause several issues if you drink it before getting a tattoo. That is why it is recommended not to drink coffee before tattooing or any medical surgery or operation.

Tattooing can be an uncomfortable experience for some individuals, so it is quite common for people wanting to drink coffee before or during the tattooing procedure. Because drinking coffee can make you feel a bit more comfortable and help you bear through the boring, painful, and lengthy tattooing process. But unfortunately, there are quite a few downsides to drinking coffee before the tattooing procedure. It can put you in a jitter and cause anxiety. Any uneasy feeling or negative emotion can cause you more pain during the tattooing procedure. So you may feel more pain during tattooing if you drink coffee beforehand. And the blood-thinning property of coffee can cause excessive bleeding during the tattooing procedure. This excessive bleeding in rare cases can lead to critical health issues. Drinking coffee increases sensitivity which can cause more pain and irritation during the procedure. Not to mention coffee can lead to delayed healing as it prevents blood clotting which makes the wound bleed for a longer time.

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7 Reasons Not to Drink Coffee Before Getting a Tattoo

As I said in the previous portion, there are quite a few reasons not to drink coffee before a tattoo. I have listed them below:

1. Increased sensitivity

Coffee can increase your heart rate and as a result, it will increase your sensitivity. Increased sensitivity can be beneficial for many things but it can be quite bad for tattooing procedures. Because you are going to get poked by a tattoo needle a few thousand times during the procedure. Now imagine how would you feel when the needles penetrate your skin while your sensitivity is high or increased. Most definitely you will feel more pain during the procedure. Even if you use a numbing agent still the pain you feel will be more than usual tattooing. If you want to reduce the pain make sure not to drink coffee or anything that increases your sensitivity.

2. Jitteriness and anxiety

Coffee’s stimulants property in can increase your existing anxiety and with increased anxiety, it would increase your jitteriness. Anxiety before tattooing is quite common as going under a needle to get poked is not everyone’s cup of tea. Drinking coffee before the procedure can increase this anxiety a lot. You would be on edge or feel you’re shaking abnormally while you’re supposed to sit or lay down without making any movement during the procedure. These negative feelings would increase the amount of pain you feel during the procedure. Because stress, anxiety, etc. increase cortisol in your body which increases the amount of pain you feel.

3. Difficulty for tattoo artists to work

Coffee can cause and increase your existing jitteriness, and shakiness of your body and put you on edge. It would make it incredibly hard for you to sit or lie down for a lengthy period without making movements. If you keep moving around or are unable to stop your body from shaking it would make it difficult for your tattoo artist to do their work. The human body is like a canvas to them. How are they supposed to work on a moving canvas? So to stay calm and stay still as much as possible avoid drinking coffee or anything that contains stimulating quality.

4. Excessive bleeding

Coffee can make stop warfarin metabolism which increases its plasma concentration. This plasma concentration makes your blood thinner, so you could say coffee is a natural blood thinner. It is a good quality but it can turn bad if you drink coffee before any surgery or tattooing procedure. The tattooing procedure causes some level of blood loss as when the tattooing needle pokes deep into your skin you would naturally lose a bit of blood. This loss of blood can increase by a lot if you take any blood-thinning medicine or food or drink that could thin your blood. As I explained coffee can be considered a natural blood thinner hence it is not recommended to drink coffee before tattooing or any surgical procedure.

5. Difficulty in sleeping after the procedure

After you are done with the lengthy and painful tattooing procedure your body requires some rest or proper sleep at night to handle the trauma your body went through. But coffee can disrupt your sleep and may make it difficult to take rest or take a good night’s nap. If you do not sleep properly it can cause delayed healing. So avoid drinking coffee or anything before tattooing that can disrupt your sleep cycle later on.

6. May lead to a lengthy session or multiple sessions

Coffee may cause gastrointestinal issues like acid reflux & heartburn. You are supposed to sit still or lay down for a few hours while your tattoo artist performs his job. It can be quite discomforting if you feel heartburn or acid reflux while you are laying down on the tattoo bed. It may cause you to take multiple breaks during the session or stop the session for the day because of the heartburn and acid reflux you are facing. It can cost you and your artist extra time to get over with the tattoo. If you face severe acid reflux or heartburn it may lead to lengthy tattoo sessions because of how many breaks you would need to feel better. Or could lead to multiple tattoo sessions because you were not able to physically continue that day’s session.

7. Dehydration

Coffee can lead to dehydration. Getting dehydrated during the tattooing procedure is a problem. It is a bit difficult to tattoo on dehydrated skin. Not to mention you may feel headaches, dizziness, and other health issues if you are hydrated during your tattooing procedure. So avoid coffee and drink plenty of water before getting tattooed to stay hydrated.

In Case You Must Drink Coffee

If you are a coffeeholic or love coffee too much that you cannot even go on for a day without coffee, then I got some advice for you. You might be able to avoid facing any issues or face very minor issues by following this advice in case you want to drink some coffee before your tattoo session. I have listed things you could do if the case if you must drink coffee before tattooing below:

Limit your coffee intake

Instead of consuming multiple cups of coffee, try to limit your caffeine intake to just one cup. Try not to chug down a big mug of coffee, and choose a medium to small cup to drink your coffee. This limited intake can help reduce the stimulant effect and minimize the potential for increased pain sensitivity.

Drink water alongside coffee

Coffee can be dehydrating, so it’s important to balance it out by drinking water as well. So if you drink coffee before tattooing, make sure to drink plenty of water alongside it.  Dehydration can lead to headaches, dizziness, and feeling ill in general.  And dehydrated skin can make it difficult to make a tattoo. Make sure you’re adequately hydrated before and during the tattoo session to help your body cope with the process and promote better healing.

Time it properly

Try to drink your coffee well in advance of your tattoo appointment. This allows your body time to metabolize the caffeine and minimize its effects by the time you’re getting tattooed. Aim for at least a couple of hours between consuming coffee and your appointment. Drinking coffee right before the tattooing procedure increases the issue you may face during the procedure.

Communicate with your tattoo artist

Let your tattoo artist know if you’ve consumed coffee before your appointment. They can take your comfort level into consideration and make any necessary adjustments during the tattooing process.

Be mindful of your body’s response

Everyone reacts differently to caffeine, so pay attention to how your body responds. If you notice increased sensitivity or discomfort during the tattooing process, inform your tattoo artist immediately. They may be able to offer additional measures, such as applying numbing agents, to help manage any discomfort you are feeling. Do not be shy, if you are facing any sort of issue during the procedure make sure to let your tattoo artist know.

Apart from Coffee What Else You Should Not Drink

Apart from coffee, there are quite a few drinks that you should not drink before your tattooing procedure.

These drinks are:

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol before getting a tattoo is not recommended because it can cause several issues for your drawing and after the tattooing procedure. Alcohol can thin your blood and can increase bleeding during the tattooing process, making it more challenging for the artist to work and potentially affecting the quality of the tattoo.

Energy drinks

Energy drinks often contain high levels of caffeine, as well as other stimulants and additives. Instead of drinking coffee even if you drink energy drinks that contain caffeine or other stimulants component, then the issue remains similar to drinking coffee. Such drinks can increase your heart rate, cause jitters, and make you more sensitive to pain, which may not be ideal during the tattooing process.

Excessive sugary drinks

You should avoid drinking excessive sugary drinks. Consuming excessive amounts of sugary beverages can lead to a spike in your blood sugar levels, which can potentially affect your body’s response to the tattoo process and healing afterward. It’s best to stick to water or other hydrating fluids that have less to no sugar before your tattoo appointment.

3 Drinks You Can Drink Instead Of Coffee

Instead of coffee, there are plenty of healthy alternative drinks you can drink before getting a tattoo.

Such as:

1. Water

Hydration is crucial before any procedure, including tattooing. And just simple water is probably the best thing you can drink plenty of and get only benefit from it and not any side effects. So make sure to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated, as it can help with the healing process and overall comfort during the tattoo session. Try to drink 8 glasses of water a day to hydrate your body.

2. Non-alcoholic beverages

Opt for non-alcoholic drinks such as fruit juices, or smoothies. These can provide hydration and essential nutrients without the negative effects of alcohol.

3. Electrolyte drinks

Consider consuming electrolyte-rich drinks to replenish any lost electrolytes. These beverages help maintain the balance of fluids and minerals in your body, which can be beneficial during the tattooing process. And it can help your body after the tattooing procedure in the healing process too.

FAQs

What is the safe time gap to drink coffee before a tattoo?

The safe time gap is around 12 hours, so you may drink coffee before 12 hours of getting a tattoo.

Can I drink coffee after getting a tattoo?

No, you should avoid drinking coffee right after getting a tattoo. You may drink coffee after 12 hours of getting the tattoo.

Can I drink decaf coffee before a tattoo?

Caffeine in decaf is not much, so you may drink decaf before getting a tattoo.

What should I drink before a tattoo?

Drink plenty of water, in general, you should drink 8 glasses of water daily to stay hydrated. You may also drink fruit juice, smoothie, and other natural drinks that do not contain alcohol, caffeine, or excessive sugar before tattooing.

What not to drink before a tattoo?

Coffee, alcohol, and drink containing caffeine or excessive sugar should be avoided before getting a tattoo.

Final Thoughts

Coffee can be a fine drink but unfortunately, you should not drink it before getting a tattoo. It can cause anxiety and jittering which would increase the pain felt during the tattooing procedure. You might feel more pain for another reason which is increased sensitivity. Caffeine is known to increase sensitivity in general. Coffee is a natural blood thinner so it may cause excessive bleeding during tattooing and hinder the vision of your tattoo artist. In case you can’t spend a single day without coffee make sure to drink a small amount of coffee and drink it at least 10 to 12 hours before getting the tattoo. Coffee can cause dehydration so makes sure to drink plenty of water if you drink coffee for some reason.

There are a few benefits of drinking coffee but the issues it can cause during the tattooing procedure out numbers the benefit by a lot. Instead of drinking coffee, you can drink fruit juice, smoothie, electrolyte drinks, or just water.

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