Aftercare
A good aftercare regimen is necessary to make your tattoo heal correctly and look its best for many years. Every tattoo artist’s work is different, so it is important for you to follow the aftercare instructions provided by your current artist, us!
Tattoo Aftercare
KEEP IT CLEAN
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Remove the bandage after the time specified by your artist and do not rebandage
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Gently wash the tattoo in warm water with the soap we provide
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Do not use other soap.
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Do not scrub.
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Pat dry with a clean cloth.
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If there are glossy or shiny spots on your tattoo after several minutes, dab the area with a damp cloth until they are gone.
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Gently wash your tattoo in this way 2-3 times per day for the first 3 days.
WAIT TO MOISTURIZE
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After the 3rd day, you may apply lotion; always wait several hours after washing it to apply any
LESS IS BETTER
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Never apply lotion directly to your tattoo area. Apply lotion in several small “pea-sized” dots around your tattoo and gently rub over until the lotion is absorbed.
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Apply no more than 2 times between showers; any more can cause excessive scabbing.
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Peeling of your tattoo is part of the healing process, do not be alarmed when it happens
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Don’t have it in direct sunlight until after it is fully healed, and even then make sure to apply sunscreen to keep it from fading.
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Don’t expose unhealed tattoos to bath water, hot tubs, or any other unsanitary surface or body of water; this can cause serious infection.
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Do clean your new tattoo regularly in the manner explained on the reverse side of the card.
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Don’t wear tight-fitting/non-breathable clothing over your tattoo while it is healing.
Piercing Aftercare
KEEP IT CLEAN
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Clean the entire area surrounding the piercings (front and back) twice daily with
a saline solution and a Q-tip. -
After a bath or shower rinse any soap or hair care product from the piercings.
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During each of these cleanings, make sure the earring backing is secure.
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Avoid hydrogen peroxide or soaps with strong scents or antibacterial components, as these may damage the skin healing around the piercing.
AVOID TOUCHING THE PIERCING
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This is critical. Hands are full of germs, which is why handwashing is so important.
WHAT IF THERE IS AN INFECTION?
Infections can and do happen. It’s vital that you recognize the early signs of an infection before it’s too late. Your piercing site may be red and swollen for a few days after the piercing; however, if the area is still itchy, it appears red and swollen, or if there is discharge it may be infected.
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Not all discharge indicates an infection, so look for swelling and increased sensitivity in the pierced area.
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If signs of an infection occur DO NOT use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the area. These chemicals are painful, damage the tissue, and do not heal the piercing or remove the infection.
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Contact your piercer or a doctor for instructions on how to safely heal an infected piercing.
TIPS TO FOLLOW
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Be careful not to pull or push on piercings when brushing hair, removing or putting on clothing, talking on the phone, wearing headphones, etc. Pulling on piercings can easily cause tearing of the tissue.
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Avoid swimming in pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans while the piercings are healing. Exposing freshly pierced areas to non-sterile surfaces or bodies of water increases the risk of infection.
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Leave the jewelry in!
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It’s important to keep the jewelry in for anywhere between 6-8 weeks, or the hole will close up.
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Piercings performed with a needle necessitate that the jewelry is kept in the hole often, even after the initial healing period, or there is a large risk of the hole closing.
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If the piercing does close, DO NOT force the jewelry. To safely have a closed piercing tapered back open, contact your piercer!
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Depending on how far along the piercing has healed, they may be able to help you reopen it, or will need to re-pierce the area altogether.