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The days leading up to your tattoo appointment are just as important as the aftercare. Here are some tips to get the very best out of the entire experience!In the week leading up to your tattoo make sure you keep the area clean and moisturized. Also make sure you drink plenty of water as this helps keep the skin in the best condition possible.Do not put moisturizer or any other products on the area on the day of the tattoo, clean skin is necessary for the stencil to stick and stay on.During our appointment, I will shave the area of the tattoo. If you choose to come waxed or to use a different method of hair removal before our appointment, make sure you don’t do it the same day as your appointment so that the skin isn’t extra sensitive or possibly damaged (cuts, swelling, etc.)If you're feeling unwell or feel like you're coming down with a cold, please reschedule your appointment. Getting tattooed is a shock to your immune system, so if you're already unwell, it could make it worse.
Remove bandage in a clean bathroom after 24 to 48 hours. It is normal for blood and fluid to collect under the bandage. IF bandage starts coming off on its own or is leaking fluid, remove before 24 hours. If the bandage is removed on the first night, the tattoo may stick to or stain bed sheets.
Peel off bandage slowly from the edge back over itself. Do not pull the bandage upwards. Sometimes excess color will come off on the bandage, this is normal. After removing bandage, wash the tattoo immediately using a little bit of warm water, soap and a paper towel. We recommend Dial gold from the pump bottle. Avoid using a soap with fragrance, moisture beads or scrubs.
Clean tattoo until all blood and fluid are removed. You may need to clean the tattoo again if you notice some areas are dry and cracked looking after a few hours, this is common for larger tattoos. Continue to clean tattoo twice or more daily for the next 2-3 days after removing the bandage. We do not recommend applying any sort of lotion or ointment to the skin until the 3rd or 4th day.
On the 3rd or 4th day after removing the bandage, your tattoo will be dry and the skin will be tight. It may also start to itch. At this stage we recommend Lubriderm fragrance free lotion. Apply lotion twice or more a day until tattoo is fully healed. Avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo while it is healing, this may result in loss of color. Heavy use of lotion may cause acne-like break outs, reduce the amount of lotion if needed.
The tattoo healing process normally takes up to 3-4 weeks and in rare cases sometimes longer. If you have any questions about your healing, please feel free to contact your artist or the studio.