Before + After Care

Before your appointment:

• Make sure to come to your appointment hydrated & with a full stomach.

• If you have any health concerns, please let me know before your appointment.

• Please come showered! I am about to break open your skin, & while I do use alcohol & soap to sanitize your skin, its best to be completely clean.

• If you are prone to extremely dry skin, I recommend doing a moisturizing regimen leading up to your appointment.

Tattoo After Care:

REGULAR BANDAGE [Not Saniderm]

After leaving the shop, keep your bandage on for about 2-3 hours. Once your bandage is removed, immediately (with clean hands) wash your tattoo with a nonfragrant, antimicrobial soap. Apply a VERY thin layer of Aquaphor. It’s important not to cake it on - it needs to breathe!

SANIDERM:

Keep bandage on for 3 to 6 days – the full six days being ideal. If the skin appears extremely irritated, there is fluid buildup, or the bandage is coming off, it’s okay to remove the bandage sooner rather than later.

When it is time to remove the bandage, take it off in a warm shower. The water will help break down the adhesive - if you are having trouble getting it to come off, try using coconut oil in the shower as well. Once the Saniderm has been removed, go ahead & begin the regimen listed below:

Apply moisturizer after every wash. You can wash it 2-3 times a day (shower counts as one) as it heals. Never use towels or loofas (they can scratch off scabs), just use your •clean• hands.

Start with aquaphor for the first 4-7 days. Always make sure hands, & tattoo are clean otherwise you can trap bacteria in the aquaphor. 

Once those days are up, switch to a light non scented lotion (lubriderm, aveeno, cetaphil are all great options).

DO NOT swim, bathe, or go in hot tubs until 4-6 weeks healed. Submerging your healing tattoo in water can cause harm to its healing & also introduce bacteria to the open skin.

Avoid direct sun or tanning as the tattoo heals - sun can cause terrible healing. Once your tattoo is healed, always be sure to use sunscreen! Sun can severely  age & damage your tattoo.

Your tattoo will likely become scabby & itchy - never scratch or pick at scabs! The longer your scabs can stay on the better. If you need to itch, try slapping it.

After the 4-6 weeks are up, your tattoo should be healed (yay!). Continuing a moisturizing/spf regimen is always a great idea.

If at any point your tattoo seems to be infected, stop using moisturizers & apply alcohol. It’s going to dry out, & will most likely need a touch up (so just reach out & I’ll get you scheduled for a touch up session). If infection doesn’t go away or worsens, you need to go to the doctors. They will likely prescribe an antibiotic.