
Aftercare
Detailed instructions on how to take care of your fresh tattoo
If at anytime something does not look right, contact your physician asap. This includes if your tattoo has pus,
is red and tender after a few days, is painful and hot to the touch after a few days, etc.
If we applied Saniderm/DermShield to your tattoo:
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Please keep bandage on for a minimum of 24 hours.
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It is ideal to keep it on for three days after your appointment and you can keep it on for up to 5-7 days.
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If for any reason you develop an irritation, reaction, rash, etc. please take the bandage off immediately and wash it throughly with anti-bacterial soap.
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You may develop an ink-sack which is completely normal. If the ink-sack bursts or leaks, that means the seal of the bandage is broken and could introduce harmful bacteria to the tattoo. Please remove the bandage and wash throughly.
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Additionally with the ink-sack, if you notice the ink-sack is starting to dry underneath the bandage, please remove as we have found the adhesive will start to stick to the new tattoo.
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To make removal of the bandage easy, warm the bandage area with warm water for a few minutes to loosen the adhesive. Removing the bandage at the end of a normal shower routine is ideal.
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When you take off the bandage: please remove in the shower with warm water to loosen the adhesive, wash with unscented anti-bacterial soap, let air dry, and apply a small/thin layer of unscented lotion.
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Any leftover adhesive can be removed with some micellar water on a cotton bud. Use caution to not oversaturate the tattoo and use gentle scrubbing to remove the adhesive. Clean the tattoo with anti-bacterial soap thoroughly afterwards.
If we wrapped your tattoo with plastic wrap:
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Leave on for up to an hour or take off immediately when you get home, whichever comes first.
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When you take off the plastic wrap: wash thoroughly with unscented anti-bacterial soap, let air dry for 5 minutes, apply thin layer of Aquaphor or your choice of ointment, and dab off the excess ointment with a clean paper towel.
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For the next three days after your appointment, wash your tattoo three times a day and apply Aquaphor or your choice of ointment.
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After three days, please switch to an unscented lotion.
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Wear loose fitting clothing over the tattoo while sleeping and for the next few days to prevent irritation and infections.
Things to remember with healing:
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Your tattoo will take 2-3 weeks to heal.
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No swimming or sunbathing for a month.
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No working out/going to the gym for the next few days.
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Wear loose fitting clothing to prevent rubbing/irritation and to protect the tattoo from harmful bacteria.
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Do not itch or scratch your healing tattoo. This can cause ink to fall out
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Please be mindful of pets. If pet fur, saliva, or dander comes into contact with your tattoo, please wash immediately to reduce risk of an infection.
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Do not soak your tattoo. No baths, swimming, hot tubs or other bodies of water for a month. Soaking a tattoo in water can introduce harmful bacteria with could cause an infection. Additionally, soaking a tattoo in water will lead to ink falling out.
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Showers are fine. Please be mindful of how hot the water is and how long you are in the shower. Try to keep the tattoo out of the water and wash with anti-bacterial soap at the end of your shower. Too much water on the tattoo could lead to ink falling out.
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Limit sun exposure as much as possible, especially during the healing phase. The sun will cause the ink to fade and possibly change colors. Prolonged sun exposure can lead to white ink turning yellow.
If this is your first time healing a tattoo:
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After your tattoo, make sure to eat, stay hydrated, and rest.
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Your tattoo will weep for the first 24 hours. This is normal, as long as it is only ink and plasma.
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Your tattoo may stay red, raised, sore, or swollen for the first day. It will subside within the first 24 hours. It is okay to take Ibuprofen or Tylenol to help with this.
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Do not over moisturize as it will lead to your tattoo turning into a soggy scab and ink will fall out.
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Typically after the first week of healing, your tattoo will go through a peeling phase. Do not pull or pick off the peeling parts as those areas are not completely healed yet and will cause ink to fall out.
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If your tattoo is itchy during the peeling phase, you can apply a small/thin layer of unscented lotion. You can also lightly tap on the itchy area to relieve some of the sensation. Do not itch or scratch your healing tattoo!
If at anytime something does not look right, contact your physician asap. This includes if your tattoo has pus,
is red and tender after a few days, is painful and hot to the touch after a few days, etc.