TATTOO AFTERCARE
IN BLACK AND WHITE. NO GREY AREAS HERE.
THE BODY DOES A GREAT JOB OF HEALING ITSELF. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET THROUGH THE HEALING PROCESS EFFORTLESSLY.
HOW YOUR TATTOO HEALS IS COMPLETELY UP TO YOU. TO ENSURE THAT YOUR TATTOO LOOKS GOOD FOR LONG AFTER YOUR TATTOO IS DONE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS:
**NEVER ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO TOUCH YOUR FRESH TATTOO AND ONLY TOUCH YOUR TATTOO AFTER COMPLETELY WASHING AND RINSING YOUR HANDS.**
1. WASHING AND RINSING: IF YOU HAVE A BANDAGE, REMOVE IT AFTER 4-5 HOURS. COMPLETELY WASH AND RINSE ANY BLOOD AND PLASMA FROM YOUR FRESH TATTOO. USE ONLY YOUR CLEAN HANDS AND WARM SOAPY WATER. RINSE UNTIL THE SLIMY FEELING IS GONE. YOUR TATTOO WILL FEEL SORE LIKE A SUNBURN. MAKE SURE YOU APPLY GENTLE PRESSURE WHEN LATHERING TO REMOVE THAT LAYER OF PLASMA. THIS IS IMPORTANT IN THE FIRST NIGHT FOLLOWING INTO THE NEXT MORNING.
2. APPLYING OINTMENT: PAT DRY WITH A CLEAN TOWEL AND ALLOW TO AIR DRY COMPLETELY. APPLY A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OINTMENT IN THE SAME MANNER YOU WOULD APPLY A WHITE SUNBLOCK. YOU WANT TO GENTLY MASSAGE THE OINTMENT INTO THE TATTOO UNTIL IT'S IN THE SKIN (THE SAME WAY YOU WOULD RUB A SUNBLOCK INTO THE SKIN UNTIL THE WHITE STREAKS ARE GONE). THE IDEA HERE IS TO MOISTEN THE SKIN TO KEEP THE HEALING TATTOO FROM DRYING AND CRACKING. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW OXYGEN TO GET AT YOUR SKIN AND NOT SUFFOCATE YOUR TATTOO UNDER A HEAVY LAYER OF OINTMENT. REPEAT THIS PROCESS 2-3 TIMES PER DAY, WASHING YOUR HANDS AND TATTOO COMPLETELY TO REMOVE OLD OINTMENT BEFORE APPLYING NEW.
3. PEELING AND HEALING: A HEALED TATTOO IS IN THE PERMANENT LAYERS OF YOUR SKIN. YOU WILL SEE COLOR COME OUT ON YOUR CLOTHING AND/OR SHEETS AND ALSO IN THE PEELING SKIN. IF CARED FOR PROPERLY YOUR PEELING SKIN WILL RESEMBLE THAT OF A PEELING SUNBURN WITH FLAKES OF COLOR IN IT. YOU WILL NOTICE PEELING WITHIN THE FIRST 3-4 DAYS AND TAKE UP TO 2 WEEKS TO COMPLETELY PEEL DEPENDING ON THE LAYERING OF THE TATTOO, PIGMENT, AND YOUR BODY'S NATURAL ABILITY TO HEAL. UNDER WHAT PEELS WILL BE SHINY AND WRINKLY LIKE CELLOPHANE. THIS IS A FINE LAYER OF SCAR TISSUE ALTHOUGH YOUR TATTOO IS HEALED ON THE SURFACE, YOUR BODY IS STILL WORKING TO BRING YOUR SKIN BACK TO NORMAL. THIS WRINKLY LAYER WILL DISAPPEAR OVER TIME. WHEN FIRST HEALED, THE FINE SCAR TISSUE OVER THE TATTOO IS VERY DELICATE AND EASY TO DAMAGE. CONTINUE TO BE EASY ON THE AREA FOR 1 MONTH.
- DO NOT: PICK OR SCRATCH YOUR TATTOO
- DO NOT: SHAVE OVER OR CLOSE TO YOUR TATTOO UNTIL COMPLETELY HEALED
- DO NOT: SOAK YOUR TATTOO IN A POOL, BATH OR OTHERWISE UNTIL COMPLETELY
HEALED. SHOWERS ARE OKAY, JUMP IN AND OUT QUICK.
- DO NOT: USE A WASHCLOTH ON YOUR TATTOO WHEN WASHING OR SHOWERING, ONLY YOUR CLEAN LATHERED HANDS.
- DO NOT: EXPOSE TO SUN DURING THE HEALING PROCESS
- DO NOT: ALLOW YOUR TATTOO COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANY DIRTY AND POTENTIALLY BACTERIA COVERED SURFACES SUCH COUNTERTOPS, DOORKNOBS, STEERING WHEELS, GYM EQUIPMENT, FLOOR MATS ETC, ETC... ANY SURFACE CAN BE CONTAMINATED AND CAN CAUSE INFECTION. USE CAUTION AND ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS.