+Tattoo Aftercare +
How To Take Care Of Your New Tattoo:
1. Most Importantly, above all else: WASH YOUR HANDS !!!
Never touch your tattoo without first washing your hands thoroughly with liquid soap.
Always wash hands after touching your tattoo to prevent the spread of germs to surfaces and other people.
2. You may remove your bandage in a clean environment within 1-3 hours, or leave the bandage on overnight (recommended) allowing the freshly tattooed skin to settle.
Upon removal of your bandage Immediately wash tattoo with a mild liquid soap such as Soft Soap, Dial, Dr. Bronner's or Dove liquid.
Do not use bar soap as it can harbor bacteria and will dry out your new tattoo.
3. Wash the tattooed area gently with your clean hands in a firm circular motion, once or twice daily.
Gently pat the tattooed area dry with a clean disposable paper towel.
DO NOT RE-BANDAGE. Your new tattoo needs oxygen to properly heal.
4. After washing, you may apply a very thin coat of an aftercare product of your choice.
Some examples would be an unscented lotion such as Lubriderm, Aquaphor ointment, or a natural product such as shea butter.
Re-apply as needed and always remember that less is more.
Topical aftercare helps with itching and scabbing which are normal parts of the healing process
but they do not clean or make the tattoo heal any faster.
Your skin will heal itself and the most important thing again is to keep your tattoo clean.
If scabs form, DO NOT pick them as it can cause damage to your tattoo and also potentially introduce bacteria from your finger nails into the open area of skin.
5. A tattoo is an open wound until it scabs over and the skin starts to grow back over the pigment.
This is the most important time to avoid harsh chemicals such as chlorine pools & hot tubs. Avoid any kind of soaking, bathing, swimming or otherwise.
Showering is totally fine and recommended.
Other things to avoid during early stages of healing are things such as, tanning beds, hair removal, direct sunlight, or abrasive environments that could scratch or irritate the tattoo.
Working out and physical activity will not really harm your tattoo but it is incredibly important to protect it from collisions with other people, gym equipment etc. and always wash the tattooed area afterward.
+ AFTERCARE PRODUCTS +
Lubriderm, Aquaphor, Curel, Aveeno or any generic/natural scent free lotion.
DO NOT USE: Vaseline, Bacitracin, Neosporin, Preparartion H, A&D ointment or any similar greasy/medicated products on your healing tattoo. It can hinder healing, clog pores and so forth.
Tegaderm & Saniderm are similar alternative bandage products that vary from a standard bandage, and can be left on longer to speed healing time using your skin's own natural healing properties.
The aftercare with these products vary, so please allow your tattoo artist to explain individual aftercare for this process if you are not familiar.
Your artist will provide a separate aftercare sheet to those interested in this method of healing.
RISK OF INFECTION IS MINIMAL IF THE AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOLLOWED CLOSELY.
Please contact your artist if you have any questions or concerns.
We advise that you contact a physician at the first sign of infection.
Every Person heals at a different rate.
You can expect your new tattoo to take approximately two weeks to heal on the surface and two months to heal completely.
Tattoos may continue to be dry or feel tender even after the first initial weeks of flaking.
+TEGADERM BANDAGE AFTERCARE +
1. Keep on for up to 3 days. The bandage will collect fluid (plasma and ink)- this is normal. Wait to exercise for 24 hours.
If liquid begins to seep out, remove the bandage (see below). If you notice uncommon redness around the perimeter of the bandage, remove it (this indicates a temporary skin sensitivity).
2. The bandage is water resistant, but not waterproof. Showering is fine but avoid soaking.
3. To remove: run the area under warm water. With clean hands, lather over the bandage with liquid, antibacterial hand soap or castille soap (ex. Dial, Softsoap, Dr. Bronner's). Find a loose edge and work the soap into the area as you pull the bandage out and down, away from you. Gently clean the tattoo. Do not re-wrap.
4. You may experience flaking for a few days. If desired, use a small amount of unscented lotion (ex. Eucerin, Jergen's, etc.) to moisturize.