Aftercare
• Your artist will cover your new tattoo with a plastic wrap bandage.
• Your new tattoo is basically a large open wound at this time and it is important that it be protected from the sun and dirty environments.
• Remove bandage 3-6 hours after initial wrapping, make sure when you remove the bandage you will have the ability to wash your tattoo with a mild antibacterial soap and warm water. Rinse it well, and pat it dry, then allow it to air-dry for 5-10 minutes.
• CARE FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS
- Apply an A+D ointment in thin amounts, making sure you are just moisturizing and not smothering your tattoo. Applying too thick of a layer will allow dirt, dust, and unwanted objects, such as clothing and sheets, to stick to your tattoo.
- During the first few days your tattoo will still be losing fluid, possibly “weeping” color and plasma. This is normal but during this time will require more frequent cleaning.
- Wash your tattoo 4-5 times a day, rubbing gently with you finger tips, not using a washcloth or scrubby device, to break up any discharge and remove the previous layer of ointment.
- Washing your tattoo is essential to the healing process but you do not want to submerge the tattoo, so showers or hand washing is fine but do not soak in a tub, go swimming, hot-tubbing etc…
- After each cleaning pat dry and follow with air-drying for 5-10 minutes.
- Once your tattoo has full dried. Apply another thin layer of ointment.
- Do not apply ointment directly before going to bed, try to do this about 20 minutes before hand so you can make sure there isn’t too much ointment which may stick to your sheets.
(note: make sure you wash your tattoo before reapplying ointment, if you do not wash it your ointment may build up clogging your pores and causing a small pimple outbreak, this goes away but may result in small color losses)
• CARE FOR REMAINING HEALING TIME (estimated 2 weeks)
- After a few days the tattoo will go into a new stage of healing where it peels.
- When the peeling begins, the tattooed skin will flake like sunburn—just let this happen on its own, and don't pick at it.
- The tattoo will become dry and itchy; apply a good fragrance free hand lotion as needed to keep tattoo from drying out.
- Although your tattoo requires less washing at this time, still clean 2-3 times a day to aid in healing.
• Notes
• Your tattoo may look muted at first but as the skins shininess fades away your color will be completely visible again.
• Some people develop a reaction to the ointment, like a small rash in the area applied, this disappears after use is discontinued, this can also occur from under washing.
• Occasional scabbing occurs, in this case allow the scab to dry out and fall off on it’s own. Wash regularly but discontinue use of lotions, you may lose some amounts of color beneath but this can be touched up and be fine.
• With any healing process there is a chance of a small lose of color do to normal healing as well as picking, rubbing, friction from clothing, scabs etc… any loss of color will be noticeable after the first few weeks of healing and can be touched up to restore full color density.
• Do not pick or scratch your tattoo, do not wear tight clothing that will rub the healing tattoo, avoid soaking as well direct sunlight during healing use a sun-block after healing is over, the tanning of your skin damages the tattoo and will age it quickly.
• If you run into any issues in the healing process or have any questions feel free to contact me at either the shop 860-666-6688 or email me at dnielsentattooing@yahoo.com