Aftercare
Aftercare is a vital step to making sure your new tattoo heals properly and looking bright for the rest of your life.
Aftercare instructions vary with each artist, so if you have any questions, please contact me. If you have different instructions given to you by a different artist, follow their advice, and contact them with any questions.
1.) Leave bandage on for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove bandage, wash tattoo with FINGERTIPS ONLY! Do not use a paper towel, sponge, washcloth, etc. Make sure to lather the soap and remove all traces of ointment and blood. Do not re-bandage unless directed to by your artist.
2.) Allow the tattoo to air-dry, or use a clean, flat paper towel to dry tattoo. Use a 'pin-head' sized drop of ointment, and work that into the tattoo until the skin is no longer slick or shiny. There should be friction between your fingertip and the tattoo. Repeat this process if more ointment is needed on a larger tattoo.
Your tattoo will 'sweat', or push out a clear fluid for a few days. It is mandatory to remove this fluid from the tattoo. Allowing it to coagulate will result in scabbing, irritation, improper healing and/or color loss. Use a clean paper towel to remove this fluid from the tattoo.*
3.) Wash, dry, and apply a Tattoo-healing Ointment (Tattoo Goo, Ink Fixx, etc.) roughly 3 times a day. If you do not have tattoo ointment, there are drugstore substitutions that can be made. Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn more.
Keep this up for 3-5 days, or until the tattoo no longer 'sweats'. Everyone is different, and if sweating occurs for more than 5 days, contact your artist for other instructions.
4.) After 3-5 days, stop using ointment, and switch to a dye-free, fragrance-free skin moisturizer such as Curel, Lubriderm, Jergens, etc. A water-based formula works best for most, although there are oil-based moisturizers such as Aquaphor and Vaseline Intensive care that can be used for dryer skin types.
5.) The "Do-Not" List:
* Pick or scratch your tattoo. This can remove scabs that are vital to the healing process.
* Soak your tattoo.
* Apply excess ointment. This can suffocate the new skin cells.
* Use straight Petroleum Jelly, Neosporin, Preparation H, Hydrogen Peroxide, Alcohol, or other harsh disinfectants and jellies. It is not necessary to disinfect your tattoo everday. Just keep it washed and away from dirty environments. Use good judgement!
Ointment Substitutions can be found at your local market or pharmacy. Tattoo-healing Ointments are a better choice because they are made of beeswax and other natural ingredients. Other items may contain synthetic ingredients, and should be a secondary choice to Tattoo-healing Ointments:
*A and D Ointment
* Aquaphor Healing Ointment
*Surgical Lube/ KY Jelly
*Vaseline Products
Aftercare instructions vary with each artist, so if you have any questions, please contact me. If you have different instructions given to you by a different artist, follow their advice, and contact them with any questions.
1.) Leave bandage on for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove bandage, wash tattoo with FINGERTIPS ONLY! Do not use a paper towel, sponge, washcloth, etc. Make sure to lather the soap and remove all traces of ointment and blood. Do not re-bandage unless directed to by your artist.
2.) Allow the tattoo to air-dry, or use a clean, flat paper towel to dry tattoo. Use a 'pin-head' sized drop of ointment, and work that into the tattoo until the skin is no longer slick or shiny. There should be friction between your fingertip and the tattoo. Repeat this process if more ointment is needed on a larger tattoo.
Your tattoo will 'sweat', or push out a clear fluid for a few days. It is mandatory to remove this fluid from the tattoo. Allowing it to coagulate will result in scabbing, irritation, improper healing and/or color loss. Use a clean paper towel to remove this fluid from the tattoo.*
3.) Wash, dry, and apply a Tattoo-healing Ointment (Tattoo Goo, Ink Fixx, etc.) roughly 3 times a day. If you do not have tattoo ointment, there are drugstore substitutions that can be made. Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn more.
Keep this up for 3-5 days, or until the tattoo no longer 'sweats'. Everyone is different, and if sweating occurs for more than 5 days, contact your artist for other instructions.
4.) After 3-5 days, stop using ointment, and switch to a dye-free, fragrance-free skin moisturizer such as Curel, Lubriderm, Jergens, etc. A water-based formula works best for most, although there are oil-based moisturizers such as Aquaphor and Vaseline Intensive care that can be used for dryer skin types.
5.) The "Do-Not" List:
* Pick or scratch your tattoo. This can remove scabs that are vital to the healing process.
* Soak your tattoo.
* Apply excess ointment. This can suffocate the new skin cells.
* Use straight Petroleum Jelly, Neosporin, Preparation H, Hydrogen Peroxide, Alcohol, or other harsh disinfectants and jellies. It is not necessary to disinfect your tattoo everday. Just keep it washed and away from dirty environments. Use good judgement!
Ointment Substitutions can be found at your local market or pharmacy. Tattoo-healing Ointments are a better choice because they are made of beeswax and other natural ingredients. Other items may contain synthetic ingredients, and should be a secondary choice to Tattoo-healing Ointments:
*A and D Ointment
* Aquaphor Healing Ointment
*Surgical Lube/ KY Jelly
*Vaseline Products
