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: AFTERCARE :
Leave your bandage in place for a few hours, preferably until you get home or to a suitable place to clean and care for your tattoo.
Day of:
Make sure to wash your hands before removing your bandage. If the bandage sticks, run warm soapy water over it to release the adhesion. Gently wash the tattoo with your hands using antibacterial soap. Dial Gold is recommended. Air dry the area. Then apply a thin layer of Aquaphor ointment.
Day 1-3:
Wash morning and night and anytime you feel the cleanliness of your tattoo has been compromised. Always air dry after cleaning. Do NOT dry with a towel! Continue to apply a thin layer of Aquaphor 3-5 times a day. Always wash your hands prior to cleaning and moisturizing. If the ointment is irritating your skin or negatively reactionary, discontinue its use. Additionally, do not let pets touch your new tattoo.
Day 4-7:
Wash morning and night. Stop using healing ointment. Instead, switch to a fragrance free dye free body lotion of your choosing. Use this whenever the tattoo feels dry and/or is peeling or flaking. It is common during this phase of healing for your tattoo to become itchy. Do NOT scratch it! Applying the body lotion is the best course of action.
It is normal for your tattoo to be sore for the first few days, and can remain red, show signs of bruising, and otherwise be slightly unhappy. Abnormal swelling, signs of puss, severe discoloration of skin around the tattoo, or fever are NOT normal and may be signs of an infection. Should this occur, go to your doctor.
Other Aftercare:
Your aftercare has a large impact on the finished product!
Keep your tattoo out of the sun for the first two weeks. Use SPF 40 or higher on your tattoo whenever you are in direct sunlight after this time. Do yourself and your tattoo a favor, and do this the rest of your life.
Do not submerge your tattoo under water for the first two weeks. Showers are okay. Baths, pools, hot tubs, lakes, or any other swimming are not! Wait 10-14 days before submerging your tattoo.
Do not pick, scratch, or mess with your new tattoo. Don’t touch it unless you are caring for it.
Touch ups:
Sometimes ink from your tattoo will come out. Don’t worry, touch ups can replace that ink. Should this happen, come back for one free touch up. This is a fairly normal occurrence, and not something to be upset by. Tattooing is not a perfect science and there are many things that can cause the loss of some ink. This tends to happen most with fine line tattoos or parts of the body that move or stretch frequently (i.e. wrists, ribs, feet, elbows), but can happen anywhere. If you need a touch up, contact me and we will set up a separate appointment.
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