Tattoo Care

Ø      Always make sure you wash your hands (with liquid antibacterial soap and water) before touching your new tattoo!
Ø      Remove bandage after 2 hours.  If bandage sticks, moisten with warm water to loosen.  Wash thoroughly with liquid antibacterial soap and the palm of your hand.  Do not use a washcloth, body sponge, or loofah on a fresh tattoo.  Let air dry for 15 minutes before applying ointment.
Ø      Apply a small amount of ointment to tattoo 3 to 5 times a day and rub in like lotion.  Always apply ointment after washing.  Do not leave any ointment on the surface of your skin, blot off excess with tissue.
Ø      After 5 days, switch to lotion like Lubriderm, Keri, or Vaseline Intensive Care.  Avoid fragranced and specialty lotions (like skin firming, bronzing, or age defying).
Ø      Always wash after sweating or getting dirty. 

What to Avoid…
Ø      If you are on antibiotics, do not get tattooed!!  If you have to take antibiotics during the first month of getting a tattoo, it could possibly cause your tattoo to fade and you might require a touch up.
Ø      Do not go swimming or soak in a hot tub for at least 2 weeks.
Ø      Do not expose to sunlight at all for the first month.  After that, always apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen before going outdoors.  A good sunscreen to use is the Water Babies stick…it is easy to apply and is waterproof.
Ø      Do not pick at the tattoo when it peels.
Ø      Do not scratch a healing tattoo.  If it itches, you can smack it to take the itch away.
Ø      Do not use cosmetics, perfumes, or body sprays on or near the tattoo.
Ø      Avoid applying deodorant around the tattoo.
Ø      Try to wear loose, clean clothes over the tattoo.
Ø      Do not shave over the tattoo for at least a month.
Ø      Do not re-bandage your tattoo.  It needs air to heal. 

What to Expect…
Ø      Your tattoo might produce small amounts of blood and plasma for 24 to 48 hours especially on tattoos that have a lot of color or tribal.  Make sure to clean this off 3 or 4 times a day and apply ointment after washing.
Ø      Wear old, but clean clothing over tattoo when going to bed to avoid leaking plasma on sheets.  This will also prevent your tattoo from becoming stuck to the sheets.  If your tattoo sticks to your clothes, dampen with warm water to loosen.  DO NOT yank it off!
Ø      Your tattoo might peel in 4 to 5 days.  It will flake like a mild sunburn and there will be pigment in the skin that peels off.  
Ø      You might have some soreness and swelling for anywhere from 3 to 5 days.
Ø      When your tattoo is healed, you might notice a spot here or there that needs to be touched-up.  If so, let the tattoo heal completely, for at least a month, before scheduling a touch-up.
Ø      Tattoos on the hands and feet might peel twice.  After the first time it peels, you will have a whitish film over the tattoo.  This will peel off in a few days.  Remember, we do not guarantee tattoos on hands and feet, so take care of them to lessen the chances of requiring a touch-up!
Ø      After it is healed, dry skin will cause the tattoo to look dull. To brighten the colors up, use lotion daily.