AFTER CARE

Every person heals differently but the following instructions apply to most clients and helps avoid infection and damage to your new tattoo. That being said, you know your skin better than anyone else and, if you've had a tattoo before, you know how you react to tattoos better than anyone else. If you care for your tattoo with the goal of keeping it clean, hydrated and safe from the sun then you're on the right path.

DO:

• Keep the dressing we apply at the time of your tattoo for at least 1.5 hours. After 1.5 hours, remove the dressing & gently clean the tattoo with your hand using anti-bacterial hand soap & warm water. Pat dry with a paper towel and apply a topical ointment

• Clean the tattoo and apply ointment 2-3 times a day for the first 4-5 days

• After 5 days stop cleaning the tattoo 2-3 times a day and switch to a non-scented lotion

• Contact your primary care provider or urgent care if you are experiencing signs and symptoms of an infection such as fever or redness, swelling, white or yellow discharge or crust in or around the site of the tattoo. Infections are rare but do occur so be aware of your healing process

DO NOT:

• Overuse your ointment, make sure to use a small amount, too much can pull ink from the tattoo

• Use any alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or Vaseline/petroleum jelly on your tattoo

• Pick or peel the skin from your tattoo, it will peel on its own

• Scratch your tattoo

• Tan or spend extended time in the sun for the first couple weeks

• Go swimming or use saunas/steam rooms for the first couple weeks