AFTERCARE
Time to take care of your new tattoo!
After the bandage is applied, please leave it on until you get home to avoid any and all germs. Ideally, leave it on for no longer than an hour.
Healing a New Tattoo: The First 48 Hours
Once you get back home, remove the black bandage & throw it away. Never re-apply an old bandage for any reason.
Wash your hands thoroughly before washing your tattoo with warm water and an antibacterial & fragrance free soap. Use your fingertips and do not scrub.
Gently pat your tattoo dry with a fresh towel. Do not use any aftercare ointment on it right away. Let it breathe the first night.
Crawl into bed with fresh & clean bedsheets. This is essential to preventing infection. Do not let your pets sleep in bed with you while healing a tattoo.
When you wake up, wash your tattoo with antibacterial soap, and this time apply a thin layer of aftercare cream. Less is more - please don’t glob it on!
Wear clothes that allow your tattoo to breathe appropriately. Loose fabric or none at all, if possible. Do not re-wrap or re-bandage the tattoo.
Be mindful throughout the day of your new tattoo. If anything bumps or touches it, please gently wash it again. Germs are everywhere & a tattoo is an open wound. Please wash it and apply your cream at least three times a day during the first three days.
Engage in relaxing activities like staying indoors & avoiding sweaty/strenuous tasks. The bigger your tattoo, the longer your rest period should be.
Things to Avoid for the First 3-4 Weeks After Getting a Tattoo
Avoid scrubbing your tattoo or using any exfoliating soaps/scrubs
Avoid aftercare products that contain petroleum. They can suffocate your tattoo & promote scabbing.
Avoid using bug spray or sunscreen on your tattoo until it’s fully healed.
Avoid harsh fragrances in soaps, like Bath & Body Works and Lush products.
Avoid the sun. Tattoos are heat-sensitive while healing & your tattoo will rapidly start to burn if it’s in direct sun exposure.
Avoid picking or scratching any of the ink flakes. This will pull the ink right out!
Avoid swimming. No rivers, lakes, oceans/sandy pools, hot tubs, or baths. Showers only!
Avoid tanning beds. They are equivalent to direct sun exposure and come into direct contact with other people’s germs.
Avoid public gyms if possible due to germs. If you must go, never let the fresh tattoo touch any of the equipment!
Normal vs. Abnormal Healing for Tattoos
Itchiness
Flakes/ small scabs
Swollenness during the first 48 hours
Clear discharge during the first 48 hours
Minor ink fallout (especially in high-traffic areas like wrists, hands, ankles, & feet.)
Radiating heat/fever
Yellow or white puss
Bumps or blisters
Severe pain
Bright redness expanding out further than the tattoo
AFTERCARE PRODUCTS I RECOMMEND
You can purchase these products online, at your local drugstore, or at the studio after your appointment!
TOUCH UPS
I DO offer touchups for tattoos for free within the first year of you getting them, provided all of these aftercare instructions are followed properly. If you have some patchiness during the healing process, let me know as soon as you can and we’ll get you in for a touchup in as soon as four weeks!