Tattoo Aftercare Instructions

Taking Care of Your New Tattoo:

1. Remove bandage in 1 to 2 hours
2. Wash your hands thoroughly
3. Wash your new tattoo with warm soapy water and your fingertips (Avoid getting your fingernails into the action while washing). Do not use a washcloth until healed completely
4. Rinse your new tattoo well to remove all soapy residue
5. Pat dry your new tattoo with a clean, white paper towel
6. Apply a THIN FILM of a natural healing ointment (such as Vitamin A&D ointment) or a SINGLE Antibiotic ointment (such as Bacitracin, Mycitracin, or Poly Sporin) to your new tattoo. Triple antibiotic ointments are too strong for healing tattoos. They are intended to heal infections not shallow wounds which are not infected.....don't use them on your new tattoo. Be sure that the ointment is not "gopped" on or in any way thick as this will suffocate your new tattoo. As with any wound, a healing tattoo must breath to properly heal. Applying ointment too thickly is one of the biggest mistakes people make while healing a new tattoo.

Repeat steps 2 through 6 a minimum of 3 times a day for the first four days. Washing more frequently during the first four days is fine and will not harm your tattoo. However, do not continue this practice beyond four days.

From day five into the second week repeat steps 2 through 5 about 2 or 3 times a day. Use a white, unscented, moisturizing hand lotion (such as Lubriderm, Eurcerine, or Suave) during this healing period. Use the hand lotion after washing and any time your new tattoo begins to feel "tight" or dried. These feelings are your body's way of telling you that your tattoo is drying out too much.......listen to your body.

During the first 2 to 3 days an ice pack may be used on your covered (use a patch, a clean white towel, paper towel, or clothing to cover) tattoo to relieve that "sunburn" feeling, to more quickly reduce any swelling you may have, and to aid in the speed of the healing process.

Re-Bandage your healing tattoo only if:

1. You work in a hospital, nursing home, doctors office, or other patient care situation
2. You work in a day care center or around small children.
3. You work in a dusty/dirty work environment (such as construction, plumbing, etc.)
4. You work in a food service kitchen
5. Your clothing is rubbing on or irritating to your new tattoo

If you do require wearing a bandage during healing, change your bandage at least every 4 hours, being sure to wash, rinse, dry, and re-apply ointment/lotion each time you change your bandage. Leaving a bandage on too long will result in healing issues.....be diligent in your care.

The DO NOT's of aftercare

DO NOT soak your new tattoo in a bathtub, Jacuzzi tub, hot tub, lake, river, stream, or any body of water while it is healing. This WILL result in healing issues and could easily lead to infection in certain bodies of water!

DO NOT use anything on your new tattoo that your artist did not tell you to use or that you have not discussed and OKed the use of with your artist

DO NOT scratch at, pick at, dig at, or otherwise mutilate your new tattoo. If it itches, slap at it LIGHTLY. This does not hurt and it will help to alleviate the annoying itch of healing.

DO NOT tan your new tattoo in the natural sunlight or in a tanning bed until it is completely healing. This includes the initial healing time of approximately 2 weeks as well as the new skin growth period of weeks 2 to 6. Your skin has been opened and is trying to heal. If you subject it to tanning during this time you are going to create issues........you've just invested time and money into beautifying your skin with art.......don't make that investment worthless by tanning it too soon.

Lastly.......These are the care instructions we suggest to our clientelle. If your artist has suggested different ointments, lotions, or instructions you should contact your artist with any questions or issues you may be having. There are other ways to care for new tattoos that are in no way wrong, yet different from our instructions and you should NEVER change aftercare mid-healing without consulting your own artist first. Take care and enjoy your new artwork!