Client management and satisfaction is one of the most important aspects of the tattooing profession.
One element to consider is the fear of needles and tattoo pain: the tattoo artist must be good at eliminating this fear in advance to make the session as pleasant as possible.
In this article, we want to suggest some techniques to use to manage pain during your clients’ tattoo sessions.
Practical tips on how to manage client pain during a tattoo
Let’s start with a small certainty: getting tattooed causes a certain amount of pain.
Obviously, the level of suffering is personal and depends on:
- the stamina and tolerance each person has
- the area of the body being tattooed
- the size and style of the tattoo
And while it’s true that actual pain is usually less than expected, especially when the client is particularly scared, it’s equally true that getting a tattoo involves one or more sessions that are more or less painful.
For this reason, the first thing a professional tattoo artist must do when approaching a new tattoo is be honest and reassure them that pain is normal during the tattooing process.
This aspect is very important, because it psychologically prepares the person to accept the pain and allows them to have the right mindset to face the session.
Another fundamental aspect to decrease client fear is clear and direct communication: informing them about the duration of the session, the procedure that will be performed, and the hygiene rules to follow after the tattoo. This will make them aware and lead them to trust you more.
The studio where a tattoo artist works is also very important for two different reasons:
- Welcoming: welcoming clients into a hygienically clean and tidy space immediately gives an idea of professionalism and competence and generates an immediate relationship of trust.
- Comfort: the more comfortable the client is during the session, especially for longer tattoo sessions, the less perceived suffering there will be and the more likely they are to be distracted and relax.
Instructions to provide to the client before a tattoo
There are some tips that the tattoo artist should provide to the client a few days before the tattoo is done, as they help reduce pain and limit discomfort during the session.
First of all, it is essential not to drink alcohol.
As an anticoagulant, alcohol makes blood vessels more fragile, with the risk of causing more bleeding during the tattoo and less ink setting on the skin.
Furthermore, alcohol can put the body under additional stress: it increases sensitivity to pain and makes the insertion of pigments into the skin through small needle pricks more painful.
Finally, alcohol affects blood circulation: by dilating blood vessels and altering circulation, it slows down the tattoo healing process.
For more or less the same reasons, it is useful to avoid, in the 24 hours preceding the tattoo, the intake of:
- stimulant drinks (coffee and energy drinks)
- vasodilator medications
On the contrary, it is good to advise drinking plenty of water before a tattoo.
In fact, water promotes skin hydration, making it tighter and firmer and therefore easier to tattoo, and helps the ink set better between the layers of the epidermis, reducing pain and bleeding and shortening the duration of the session.
Nutrition is also important: getting tattooed causes a significant consumption of energy. Consequently, facing this activity with maximum strength increases pain resistance and allows you to manage the session without too much effort.
What to do if a client perceives too much pain during a tattoo
Despite all the previous recommendations, every person has a different pain tolerance and it can happen to tattoo a client who perceives too much pain during the session.
In this case, it is good practice for the tattoo artist to take short breaks during the tattoo to allow the client to recover and continue when they feel ready.
It can also be very useful to try to distract the person being tattooed, perhaps by chatting or playing music to shift their attention: this strategy helps the mind overcome the painful aspects of a tattoo.
Furthermore, calmness is a fundamental friend: even when the client gets agitated due to too much pain, staying calm and explaining step by step what you are doing helps them relax and stay focused on their goal, which is getting the tattoo of their dreams.
In conclusion, being a good tattoo artist doesn’t just mean having excellent technique and perfect manual skills, but also being attentive to individual needs, listening to client feedback, and adapting the tattooing process accordingly.
Professional tattoo artist courses at Milano Tattoo School
Do you want to become a professional tattoo artist with a comprehensive course that prepares you to independently carry out the future profession of a tattoo artist?
Milano Tattoo School is the most important art school specialized in training professional tattoo artists.
Thanks to the 1500-hour Tattoo Operator Course, future tattoo artists are best prepared and obtain the Professional Certification from the Lombardy Region.
Not just technique, preparation in all tattoo styles, practice on real people, knowledge of tools, and development of necessary skills: MTS prepares the tattoo artists of the future to be able to handle all aspects of this profession.
The next Tattoo Operator course at Milano Tattoo & Piercing School starts on October 9, 2023, and spots are limited.