Caring for Your New Tattoo
Caring for your new tattoo is pretty straight forward, and every artist will have slightly different advice. The goal is simple – keep it clean and dry.
Follow THESE directions, not what your friend told you. Your friend did NOT tattoo you.
- LEAVE YOUR BANDAGE ON FOR 3-4 HOURS
Leave your bandage on for a minimum of 1 hour and no longer than 4 or 5 hours. (we would rather you left it on longer as opposed to washing it in a dirty bar bathroom) DO NOT RE-BANDAGE without speaking with us first.
- AFTER REMOVAL OF BANDAGE WASH THOROUGHLY WITH HOT WATER
After removal of bandage wash thoroughly with hot water and preferably a mild, liquid, UNSCENTED, soap. (dial, equate, etc…)
- PAT DRY WITH A CLEAN PAPER TOWEL
Pat dry with a clean paper towel and let air dry for one hour or more before applying aftercare.
- APPLY A THIN LAYER OF PRODUCT:
Apply a THIN layer of product (FRAGRANCE FREE HAND LOTION, TATTOO GOO) and massage in to the skin to the point where it just barely looks moist.
DO NOT GOOP ON A PILE OF A&D OINTMENT.
If using lotion, make sure the product has the words “FRAGRANCE FREE” on the label, otherwise there may be a small amount of chemical additive to make it smell just a little better and that is what will irritate it.
We do not recommend ointment because of its high petroleum content. This will block your skin from breathing which is the most important thing for not only healthy but especially healing skin. It needs to be able to breathe to avoid clogging pores, etc.
- KEEP YOUR TATTOO CLEAN WITH SOAP AND WATER
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF HEALING YOUR TATTOO IS KEEPING IT CLEAN WITH SOAP AND WATER.
If you are out and about, working, getting dirty, wash it more than if you are sitting on the couch watching Scooby Doo re-runs.
- REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR A WEEK OR TWO:
Repeat this process for a week or two depending on the how the tattoo looks.
It will peel like a sunburn after a few days. (It is totally normal to see colored flakes of skin shedding) If it does scab in a few areas this is nothing to worry about, just let them fall off on their own. DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK AT IT.
- NO SUN, NO SOAKING IN WATER OF ANY KIND:
DURING THE HEALING PROCESS….NO SUN, NO SWIMMING POOLS, NO JACUZZIS, NO OCEAN, NO SOAKING IN WATER . This could soften it up too much and cause areas healing to come off prematurely which will leave blank spots that will need touching up.
- AFTER YOU ARE ALL HEALED:
After you are all healed (usually about 2 weeks) stop in and say hello so we can make sure it does not need to be touched up and to get a nice healed portfolio picture.
Touch up work is included in your original price for up to a year or so, unless you desire to CHANGE the tattoo in some way. If this is the case there may or may not be a small fee.