Aftercare
Your tattoo is a fresh wound and needs proper care to heal safely. Please reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns.
Day 1-3
A bandage has been applied to your tattoo. This product is designed to stay on from 24 hours up to 5 days.
You will be directed on how long to leave this bandage on.
Your tattoo may leak plasma, ink, and blood for a few days after your session. This will create a “sack” of fluid under the bandage. DO NOT PIERCE OR POP this sack. The “sack” will either dry up on its own inside the bandage, or can later be safely cleaned after you remove the original bandage.
You may be asked to reapply a bandage after the first one is removed. Clean the tattoo as outlined in the Day 3-45 instructions. Reapply the second bandage on dry clean skin.
If a corner or edge of your bandage lifts up prematurely that’s ok. If it lifts up significantly or a whole portion peels off and sections of your new tattoo are exposed, proceed to Day 3-45 instructions.
If you develop significant irritation or hives on untattooed skin around your tattoo but still under the bandage, you may be allergic to the bandage adhesive. Remove the bandage and proceed to Day 3-45 instructions.
Day 3-45
When it’s time to remove your bandage, make sure you have clean hands and fragrance-free antibacterial hand soap ready to wash off your tattoo. Removing your bandage under running water or in the shower can help ease removal.
Do not use bar soap, shower gel, soap with microbeads, or scrubs. Gently peel off your bandage and wash your tattoo with warm, soapy water.
Do not use washclothes, bath towels, or sponges on a new tattoo. Use gentle circular motions to wash all the plasma and/or old ointment until it’s removed.
Rinse and repeat until the tattoo is clean.
Pat dry with a clean paper towel and allow to air dry for a minimum of 10 minutes. Once the tattoo is dry, either reapply another bandage OR apply a recommended aftercare product. Do not apply aftercare ointment or lotions underneath a bandage.
Continue to wash your tattoo 1-2 times per day until it is healed and there are no more flakey areas.
What to Expect
Your tattoo will heal in stages, like a sunburn. Redness and irritation, weeping, soreness and itchiness are all normal and can vary between individuals.
If your tattoo is still fresh and open use Aquaphor or your preferred aftercare product (TLC, Hustle Butter, Mad Rabbit etc). DO NOT USE cream body lotion if your tattoo is still seeping plasma!
When the skin tightens up and starts flaking off, use a regular fragrance-free cream lotion like Lubriderm or Aveeno as needed to keep it comfortable between washings. If you are unsure if your tattoo is ready for lotion, do a patch test on a small section of your tattoo. If it burns or creates a “crust” on the dry down, it is too early to switch to body lotion.
Do not suffocate your tattoo with ointment/lotion.
It is normal for skin to have a shiny, cloudy, or unnatural texture during healing. These will resolve naturally over time but can take several months to normalize.
Your tattooed skin may be much more sensitive to dust, debris and allergens while healing and beyond. This could be just floating around in the air or attached to clothing, bedding or other surfaces your skin comes into contact with. Raised or irritated sections of your tattoo might be reacting to an irritant of some type and are generally fine, but if you are concerned or if it gets worse I usually recommend dry healing your tattoo to see if the irritation goes down.
What to Avoid
Remember, your tattoo is an open wound, and is prone to dirt and bacteria. Avoid direct contact with surfaces and make sure whatever touches your new tattoo is clean. Do not pick or scratch at your tattoo. Any scabs that may appear will eventually fall off on their own. If there are any sore or stubborn scabs let them heal in their own time! Neosporin CREAM (not ointment!) is safe to use on a healing tattoo. If infection is a serious concern please see a medical professional.
Do not soak your tattoo for at least 2-4 weeks, or until there are no more flakes or healing skin. No baths, pools, lakes, rivers or large bodies of water etc. (showers are fine).
Avoid direct sunlight on your healing tattoo. Once your tattoo is fully healed, using SPF will help prevent degradation to your tattoo from the sun. Avoid constricting clothing or non-breathable fabrics over your healing tattoo. I usually recommend UV protective sun sleeves or clothing for individuals who like to spend a lot of time outdoors. Lighter color areas of your tattoo can hyperpigment if exposed to sunlight for too long and this can take a very long time to fade.
Questions?
If you’re looking for any further information about healing, please reach out to me for advice. Please do not ask the internet. Every individual and every tattooer is different, this information is for my clients specifically, if you have general healing questions about your tattoo done by someone else please reach out to who tattooed you and they will guide you.
jesshelfox@gmail.com