LACEY JEAN
The overall out come of your tattoo is a two way street. Half of it is proper and sanitary application by the tattoo artist, and the other half is how you, the client, care for it after you are sent home from your appointment. Here is the aftercare program I advise:
1. After your appointment, keep your bandage on overnight. In some instances, you may be able to remove it sooner, but that will be mentioned by me if that is a possibility before you leave the studio. Leaving your bandage on overnight ensures all extra plasma and ink your body is secreting is absorbed by a sanitary barrier, as well as protects your new tattoo during those first 12 hrs from foreign material adhering to the surface of your new tattoo as it starts to heal.
2. Before removing your bandage, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly. Best place to clean your new tattoo is to just hop in the shower. Get the water to a comfortable warmer level and wash your new tattoo 2-3 times with hot soapy water to remove any residue. You need to get in there and remove all surface plasma, residual ink and ointment from the surface of your skin. The better you wash your tattoo, the better the overall healing process and final outcome will be. DO NOT USE A LOOFAH OR WASHCLOTH. It will be way too abrasive. Just use your fingertips and be thorough. I usually suggest a liquid soap as your cleanser, such as an unscented hand soap or unscented body wash. Or you can use a brand new bar of unscented soap. After a thorough cleansing and rinsing, pat dry with a clean, dry towel.
3. DO NOT RE-BANDAGE YOUR TATTOO. Let air out for 24 to 48hrs before applying moisturizer. Everyone heals at a different rate, so some may feel their skin is very dry right away, and others it may be a few days out. Apply a very small amount of water based skin moisturizer 2-3 times daily. DO NOT USE ANYTHING MEDICATED OR SCENTED.
4. Use common sense while your tattoo is healing. DO NOT pick, poke or scratch the tattoo or area surrounding your tattoo during the healing process. Your body knows how to heal itself, so let it do its thing. DO NOT expose your new tattoo to any environment that may cause the area to become infected. This means skin to surface contact against high traffic public areas like bar tops, public transit seats and poles, gym equipment, yoga mats, etc. Essentially, if you wouldn't lick it, then don't rub your healing tattoo against it. AVOID direct sunlight, swimming or soaking for a minimum of two weeks. This means wearing appropriate clothing to cover your new tattoo and no tanning beds, hanging out at the beach, oceans, lakes, pools, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, baths where your tattoo will submersed and long showers. Make sure your bed sheets and clothing is clean. Also, if you are a gym goer, make sure you remove your sweaty gym clothes from your healing tattoo immediately after your work out session and either have a quick shower a.s.a.p. or wipe your healing tattoo down with an unscented travel/baby wipe if a shower is not available. Sweat attracts bacteria- need I say more…. Also, every time you clean your tattoo after the first washing, be very gentle. After the first wash, your skin will start to form an outer layer so the under layers can heal. Trying to scrub off or remove that healing skin in any way will just prolong the healing process and may result in damage to the overall look of your healed tattoo.
5. Some redness, irritation and swelling is normal. Your skin just went through a big ordeal having that tattoo applied, so it may be a tad cranky. Taking care of yourself like eating healthy, getting good sleep, avoiding alcohol and drugs and taking it easy usually ends up with someone healing much faster and with greater ease, versus someone who sends it in the party sector and eats unhealthy. Clean ice packs on top of your bandage or tattoo can help with the swelling and tenderness, as well as an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen can be beneficial in easing discomfort.
1. After your appointment, keep your bandage on overnight. In some instances, you may be able to remove it sooner, but that will be mentioned by me if that is a possibility before you leave the studio. Leaving your bandage on overnight ensures all extra plasma and ink your body is secreting is absorbed by a sanitary barrier, as well as protects your new tattoo during those first 12 hrs from foreign material adhering to the surface of your new tattoo as it starts to heal.
2. Before removing your bandage, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly. Best place to clean your new tattoo is to just hop in the shower. Get the water to a comfortable warmer level and wash your new tattoo 2-3 times with hot soapy water to remove any residue. You need to get in there and remove all surface plasma, residual ink and ointment from the surface of your skin. The better you wash your tattoo, the better the overall healing process and final outcome will be. DO NOT USE A LOOFAH OR WASHCLOTH. It will be way too abrasive. Just use your fingertips and be thorough. I usually suggest a liquid soap as your cleanser, such as an unscented hand soap or unscented body wash. Or you can use a brand new bar of unscented soap. After a thorough cleansing and rinsing, pat dry with a clean, dry towel.
3. DO NOT RE-BANDAGE YOUR TATTOO. Let air out for 24 to 48hrs before applying moisturizer. Everyone heals at a different rate, so some may feel their skin is very dry right away, and others it may be a few days out. Apply a very small amount of water based skin moisturizer 2-3 times daily. DO NOT USE ANYTHING MEDICATED OR SCENTED.
4. Use common sense while your tattoo is healing. DO NOT pick, poke or scratch the tattoo or area surrounding your tattoo during the healing process. Your body knows how to heal itself, so let it do its thing. DO NOT expose your new tattoo to any environment that may cause the area to become infected. This means skin to surface contact against high traffic public areas like bar tops, public transit seats and poles, gym equipment, yoga mats, etc. Essentially, if you wouldn't lick it, then don't rub your healing tattoo against it. AVOID direct sunlight, swimming or soaking for a minimum of two weeks. This means wearing appropriate clothing to cover your new tattoo and no tanning beds, hanging out at the beach, oceans, lakes, pools, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, baths where your tattoo will submersed and long showers. Make sure your bed sheets and clothing is clean. Also, if you are a gym goer, make sure you remove your sweaty gym clothes from your healing tattoo immediately after your work out session and either have a quick shower a.s.a.p. or wipe your healing tattoo down with an unscented travel/baby wipe if a shower is not available. Sweat attracts bacteria- need I say more…. Also, every time you clean your tattoo after the first washing, be very gentle. After the first wash, your skin will start to form an outer layer so the under layers can heal. Trying to scrub off or remove that healing skin in any way will just prolong the healing process and may result in damage to the overall look of your healed tattoo.
5. Some redness, irritation and swelling is normal. Your skin just went through a big ordeal having that tattoo applied, so it may be a tad cranky. Taking care of yourself like eating healthy, getting good sleep, avoiding alcohol and drugs and taking it easy usually ends up with someone healing much faster and with greater ease, versus someone who sends it in the party sector and eats unhealthy. Clean ice packs on top of your bandage or tattoo can help with the swelling and tenderness, as well as an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen can be beneficial in easing discomfort.
ANY QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP
HAPPY HEALING
