Aftercare Instructions

Your tattoo will be bandaged by your artist immediately after the tattooing procedure is completed.

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Things to remember:

• Your tattoo is an open wound and should be treated as such in order to prevent infection.
• The average healing time is 14 days or approximately two weeks.
• The tattoo will likely bleed, this is a completely normal part of the process.
• Leave the bandage on for 1-2 hours.
• Keep the tattoo clean – Wash twice daily (per the routine outlined below) for two weeks or until completely healed.
• Only use clean paper towels. Avoid using bath and/or terry cloth towels.
• Do not pick or disturb any scabs which may form.
• After healed – use an SPF 40 or higher to help preserve the brightness of the tattoo.

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Restrictions:

• No direct sunlight
• No hot tubs
• No bath tubs
• No swimming pools
• No oceans, or ponds

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The first step after removing the bandage is to gently wash the tattooed area with a gentle, fragrance-free soap. (Dove, Dial, and Ivory are perfectly acceptable.)

After washing the tattoo the first time, and only the first time, rinse the tattoo with the warmest water that is comfortable for five minutes, then rinse with the coldest water that is comfortable for five minutes. This process will allow the fresh tattoo to open up its pores, allowing excess material to leave the wound, and then contract the pores, allowing for a nice clean heal.

IMPORTANT: The hot/cold rinse should only be utilized the FIRST time that you wash your tattoo, and at no time afterwards.

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For the next two weeks, or until the tattoo is completely healed wash the tattoo only twice a day, once in the morning, and once at night. You will still be using a gentle, fragrance free soap to wash your tattoo.

• Wash the tattoo with warm water and a fragrance free soap
• Gently pat dry with a clean paper towel. Bath towels can harbor bacteria; and occasionally the terry in the cloth can enter the tattoo, being a bad actor.
• Allow the tattoo to air dry for 10-15 minutes. This will keep the moisture level down, discouraging bacterial growth, and mushy scabs. Both of which are undesirable.
• Apply a VERY thin layer of Aquaphor ointment or Vitamin E oil to the tattoo. Too much can clog pores and be a nuisance. NOTE: Apply only twice daily.

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NOTE: Aquaphor and Vitamin E oil the only recommended aftercare products. Products such as A&D are not formulated for tattoo after care and contain no helpful agents for tattoos and may encourage bacterial infection when combined with the heat of the skin. Most other “tattoo specific” healing products are usually combinations of beeswax, fragrance, snake oil elixir, and random vitamins that truly do nothing but take your money and possibly cause problems for your tattoo.

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• Continue cleaning (washing/drying) routines as outlined above (twice daily)
• Discontinue use of Aquaphor – it is no longer necessary.

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• Continue cleaning (washing/drying) routines as outlined above (twice daily)
• Begin using a fragrance free lotion (Curel, Lubriderm, and Aveno). Apply thin coats after each cleaning
• If scabs are present, do not pick or disturb the healing tattoo.
• Avoid aggressive application of “anti-itch” products, which may result in pigment loss.

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• Use a sunblock of SPF 40 or higher to help in maintaining the brightness of the tattoo.

Your tattoo will be bandaged by your artist immediately after the tattooing procedure is completed. 

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Restrictions:

• No direct sunlight
• No hot tubs
• No bath tubs
• No swimming pools
• No oceans, or ponds

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The initial bandage should be left on for anywhere from 3 to 24 hours, depending on how much the wound is weeping. Replace within 24 hours. It’s fine if there is some plasma/blood/lymph fluid buildup under the bandage during this period, but the bandage should be removed if there is any leakage or if the tattoo itself is exposed.

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To remove the bandage, find an edge of the bandage and pull it back over itself in the direction of your natural hair growth. The shower is the ideal place to remove the bandage. Running water will help loosen the adhesive and relax the skin, making the removal much more comfortable. Dry removal of bandage may cause discomfort and added trauma to the skin.

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Discard the used bandage and wash the tattoo with a mild fragrance-free soap. 

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Allow the tattoo to air dry or pat dry with a clean towel.

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​Your artist may have you come back to the shop to have the bandage replaced the next day. They may also send you home with a replacement bandage to change yourself. To replace the bandage at home, ensure the tattoo is clean and fully dry.

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1. Peel the white paper wrapping from the sticky side first and place gently over the tattoo
2. Once the adhesive side of the bandage is in place, remove the see-through second layer from the top side and smooth the bandage over the tattoo.

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• Keep this second bandage on for 3 to 6 days – the full six days being ideal. If the skin appears irritated, there is fluid buildup, or the bandage is coming off, it’s okay to remove the bandage sooner rather than later.
• Do not reapply any more bandages after the scabbing/flaking phase of tattoo healing has begun. If you find yourself bandage-less during this phase, make sure you’re keeping the area thoroughly moisturized. For a tattoo moisturizer, we recommend a fragrance free lotion.
• If there is adhesive residue leftover on the skin, or the adhesive is not loosening enough with water, coconut oil and baby oil are helpful for removal.

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• Remove the bandage and clean as instructed above.
• Begin using a fragrance free lotion (Curel, Lubriderm, and Aveno). Apply thin coats 2-3 times per day.
• If scabs are present, do not pick or disturb the healing tattoo.
• Avoid aggressive application of “anti-itch” products, which may result in pigment loss.

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• Use a sunblock of SPF 40 or higher to help in maintaining the brightness of the tattoo.