Healing your tattoo:
Always wash your hands before touching or unwrapping your new tattoo. It’s often easiest to remove your bandage in the shower so you can wash your tattoo right away, and use the warm water to gently remove your bandage. Once you’ve taken your bandage or dermal covering off, wash your tattoo immediately with antibacterial or mild soap. Use your hands and soap lather to gently wash away any excess plasma, dried blood, or ink that is on your tattoo, gently wash the tattoo until it feels clean and is no longer slimy. Wash your tattoo twice a day for 14 days. Gently dry your tattoo with a paper towel or clean towel.
DERMAL COVERING (Tegaderm/second skin etc): Leave the covering on for 3 to 5 days. You can shower with this covering on, but please try not to take a too long or hot of a shower. The tattoo will start to appear inky and liquidy underneath, this is totally normal. After 3 to 5 days, remove the covering and wash the tattoo well, pat it dry with a clean paper towel, and apply a thin layer of unscented moisturizer 3-4 times a day for at least 14 days.
If the liquid begins to seep out under the seams of the covering, or the dermal covering comes off before three days, take it off and wash it right away and follow the instructions for Aquaphor healing.
AQUAPHOR: Take your bandage off the next morning following your tattoo. Be sure to wash the tattoo right away, sometimes it’s easier to take the bandage off in the shower under warm water. Do not rip the bandage off quickly, peel it off slowly so as to not irritate your skin excessively. Apply the very thin layer of Aquaphor over the tattoo, just enough so the tattoos slightly shiny. Be sure to apply the Aquaphor three times a day for three days before switching to unscented lotion.
Your tattoo will take between two and three weeks to fully heal. Your tattoo will likely get flaky and somewhat itchy after about a week. Avoid picking or scratching your tattoo, try to gently tap it if it itches. Keep your tattoo dry but well moisturized.
THINGS TO AVOID DURING HEALING:
long hot showers or baths
swimming pools or any type of long exposure to water
heavy sweating
scrubbing your tattoo with a washcloth or a loofah
sun exposure
heavily scented moisturizers
moisturizers containing a lot of alcohol
common places for bacteria: hugging your pet against your tattoo, yoga mats etc.
Please email or DM with any questions or concerns