Tattoo After Care

 

  1. Remove bandage after a few hours (bandage can be left on overnight if you feel the need to do so). If the bandage is removed on the first night, the tattoo may stick to or stain bed sheets. We suggest clean bedding during the first two weeks of the healing process.
  2. After removing the bandage, wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and a non-scented anti-bacterial soap. After cleaning, pat dry with a clean piece of paper towel (no washcloths, bath towels, bath sponges or loofahs). Once a day, in the shower, is usually enough cleaning for any new tattoo. Do not rewrap your tattoo once the bandage is removed. It is officially ready to breathe, so there is no need to wrap it up again.
  3. After the first 1-3 days of healing start applying a small amount of Webbers or Tattoo Goo to your tattoo after each wash. Non-scented lotions such as Lubriderm, Aveeno and Cetaphil may be applied to the tattoo as it dries out. However, if your skin is extremely sensitive, lotion may cause acne-like break outs. This can be taken care of by reducing the number of lotion applications per day. We do not recommend using Vaseline or Polysporin.
  4. Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin. This can be gently dabbed with a clean paper towel. DO NOT WIPE THE TATTOO OR BE ROUGH WITH IT. Do not panic when you see the colors of the tattoo on the paper towel, or on your hands as you clean it. It is completely normal.
  5. After a few days, the tattoo will begin to form flaky scabs that will fall off on their own. DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH YOUR TATTOO. If you pick and scratch your tattoo during the healing process you risk scarring and loss of pigmentation in the ink. Keep it moisturized and the scabs will heal on their own eventually. It normally takes 2-4 weeks for a tattoo to completely heal.

Please let us know if you plan to do any strenuous activity or physical work within the first ten days of having your tattoo and avoid the following during the healing process for the best results: Scratching and picking, Scented soaps and creams, Shaving, Water (pools, lakes, etc.) Direct sunlight, Excessive sweating (saunas, intense work outs, physical labor, etc.)