New Tattoo! Now what?

You're wearing a flexible, breathable, waterproof bandage that has been designed for tattoo aftercare purposes

Wear the bandage as long as possible, up to 5 days

It’s normal for blood, pigment and plasma fluids to collect underneath. It can get pretty gross, but please do not drain this fluid

If you notice irritation or a blistering reaction to the adhesive of the bandage, or if it peels so that the tattoo becomes exposed, please remove it as soon as you can

You'll want to do this in the shower or under a running tap

Wash your hands, then carefully peel off the bandage in a stretching or slow, steady pulling motion. It helps to allow water to enter the bandage as you do this. Do not rip it off quickly. It is normal for this to hurt a little

Clean the tattoo using unscented soap with just your hand in a gentle circular motion, until all ink, blood, and plasma are removed

Pat the tattoo dry with paper towel

It's normal for the skin to be a little red or irritated at first

If adhesive is left sticking to your skin, you can use an oily product such as baby oil or coconut oil to help loosen it. Be sure to clean your tattoo again afterwards

Clean your tattoo twice a day or as needed with unscented soap

Generally I prefer to wait until the tattoo is feeling dry or itchy before I begin to apply any aftercare products

It's normal to get flaky and itchy and sometimes scabby. The whole healing process can vary greatly depending on the type of work we did for you, where it is on your body, and your own individual circumstances. It usually takes at least two weeks or sometimes longer to fully heal

DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK AT YOUR TATTOO - if it's itchy, that's a great time to apply lotion

Use only enough to apply a thin layer and only a couple of times a day, as needed. You don't want to suffocate your tattoo

Make sure your aftercare lotion or product is fragrance and dye free. I personally use Tattoo Goo and unscented Lubriderm

I offer a small kit with a bar of soap and small tube or tin of aftercare product for $5 if you don't have your own stuff at home

Please don't submerge your tattoo in water for roughly two weeks after your tattoo. That means no baths, hot tubs, or swimming - saunas are also a no-no

You can and should clean your tattoo! Showers are fine

Keep your tattoo out of the sun and tanning bed for at least two weeks

No sun screen for those first two weeks either, but AFTER your tattoo is healed, protecting it from the sun will go a long way to preserve your ink

Heavy exercise and sweating isn't a great idea for your fresh wound, especially when it's still under the bandage. How long you need to wait will depend a lot on how quickly you're healing, so we have to leave that up to your discretion

Try to avoid tight fitting or abrasive clothing or jewelry that may rub on the fresh tattoo

You can drink. Try to be responsible?

Don't hesitate to reach out to me!

Serious signs of infection are abnormal swelling and redness around the outside of the tattoo, increasing pain or tenderness, fever, or thin red lines extending from the wound. It may ooze, pus, or bleed abnormally. I'm not a doctor, so if you really think your tattoo is infected, seek medical attention immediately

Some scabbing can get a little ugly but doesn't necessarily constitute a serious infection

A lot can happen in the healing process that's out of both our hands. That's why we have a free six month touch-up policy! You don't need to wait until my books open to request your touch-up if you feel you need one