AFTERCARE

Healing with Plastic Wrap

If I sent you home with a plastic wrap covering, I recommend leaving the covering on for at least 1 hour after your appointment. Do not leave the covering on for more then 4 hours.

After removing the covering, give your new tattoo a rinse under some lukewarm water with an unscented antibacterial soap. (Such as Dial)

After cleaning the tattoo, pat dry with a clean towel or paper towel. After drying, begin applying your ointment. I recommend using Hustle Butter, or Aquaphor.

Apply your ointment for the following 4 days, as needed. I typically apply ointment 3-5 times daily. Only apply a thin amount over the tattoo.

After your 4 days of ointment healing are complete, let the tattoo breathe for the the following 4 days. During this “dry healing phase”, do not apply anything to the tattoo. It is normal for your tattoo to get dry, flaky, and/or scabby during this time. It will also be very itchy! Do not scratch your new tattoo! You can smack the tattoo if you need to relieve itchiness.

For the final 5-10 days of healing, you can apply an unscented lotion of your choice, as needed.

Healing with Opsite FlexiFix

If I sent you home with an Opsite FlexiFix bandage on, I recommend leaving the bandage on for 3 days max.

During this time, it is normal for the tattoo to accumulate fluid build up underneath the bandage. This fluid is a mixture of plasma, ink, and at times a small amount of blood. Unless your bandage is in danger of leaking (example: there is a HEFTY amount of fluid under the bandage), or is already leaking, please leave it on!

Tattoos with color or heavy shading are more likely to leak then linework tattoos. If I think your tattoo may be prone to leakage, I may send you home with a second piece of bandage to apply yourself at home.

If your bandage is leaking, or it is has been 3 days, remove the bandage. It is easiest to do this under warm running water, so during a shower is an ideal time for removal! When removing your bandage, pull it away from the skin opposed to peeling it downward. This will minimize your chances of loosing ink during removal.

If you have left your bandage on for 3 days and have removed it successfully, you can apply an unscented lotion of your choice (something gentle and unscented like any of Acure, Aveeno, or Cetaphil’s products) for the following 10 days or so.

Avoid submerging your tattoo in water during the healing process. Yes, this includes folks with Derm-Shield bandage, as they are water resistant but not water proof entirely. Avoid: swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, baths, saunas, etc.

Avoid direct sunlight while your tattoo is healing. If you are in the sun while your tattoo is healing, try your best to cover the new tattoo with clothing. You cannot apply sunscreen until your tattoo is healed.

Total heal time for most tattoos is 2 weeks, however work with more shading or color can sometimes take as long as one month to heal.

If you have any questions or concerns during your healing process, please feel free to reach out to me!