Aftercare Instructions

TATTOO AFTERCARE

OPEN HEALING METHOD

**Always wash your hands before touching your tattoo!**

When you get home: Remove bandage within 1 – 2 hours after getting your tattoo.

**Do not re-bandage. Your tattoo needs to breathe, just like any open wound.**

Wash your tattoo with an anti-bacterial liquid soap. Be gentle, do not use a washcloth or anything that will exfoliate your tattoo. Only use your hands.
Gently pat your tattoo dry with a paper towel. Avoid rubbing or the use of anything abrasive.

The first 3-4 days: Rub a small amount of ointment on your tattoo.

We suggest using Aquaphor, or an ointment designed specifically to heal tattoos.
Always use clean hands and do not place your fingers back into the ointment after touching your tattoo.
Make sure to rub the ointment in so that it is not shiny, or greasy- you want the thinnest amount possible.
Pat off any excess ointment with a clean paper towel. DO NOT use Vaseline, petroleum, Neosporin, or Bag Balm. Wash, dry and apply ointment 2-3 times daily, as needed.
Wear clean, soft clothing over your tattoo for the first 2 weeks- nothing abrasive or irritating.
For a foot tattoo: go barefoot as much as possible. If you must wear shoes, cover the tattoo with a clean cotton sock before putting on your shoe. Avoid sandals or flip-flops for this period to prevent chafing and damage to the tattoo.
On the first night, you may want to use old bedding, or wear loose clothing that covers the tattoo, but allows the tattoo to still breathe. The tattoo may seep some ink and body fluids onto whatever it touches during the night.

After day 3 or 4: On the 3rd or 4th day your tattoo will begin to peel. This is normal! Do not pick at the skin. Begin using a mild, white, unscented lotion, free of dyes or perfumes. Use lotion for minimum 2 weeks, 1-2 times daily.

Things to Avoid:

Do not pick, scratch, peel, slap, rub or irritate your tattoo.
You can shower, but don’t soak your tattoo for 2 weeks. No swimming, soaking, or hot tub use.
Do not over wash your tattoo. Wash no more than 2 times per day as it can dry out your skin.
Do not expose your tattoo to the sun for at least 3 weeks, after that use sun block.
Do not wear abrasive materials, jewelry, or shoes that rub against your tattoo.
Do not let anyone touch your tattoo, unless they wash their hands.
Beware of gym equipment: wash it well before using it.

You May Also:

Ice your tattoo to reduce swelling.
Elevate your tattoo, to reduce swelling.
Take short showers.

BANDAGED HEALING METHOD

Keep your initial bandage on for 24 hours unless it starts to leak.
Slowly remove your bandage in the shower under warm water, peel the bandage slowly over itself. Do not pull the bandage in an upward direction.
Gently clean and pat dry the tattoo and surrounding area, be sure to check that all soap has been removed and no residue is left behind.
With clean hands, prepare the new bandage by removing the backing to expose the adhesive side and position the bandage over the tattoo completely covering it.
Gently apply using light pressure, starting from the center to the edges to eliminate air bubbles.
Be sure not to stretch the bandage during application.
This second application can be used for several days, do not wear for more than 5 days.
It is normal for blood and/or other fluids to collect under the bandage.
If at any point it begins to leak before 5 days, remove the bandage and finish healing using the open healing method shown above.

If you are concerned or have questions directly for your piercer, please email us HERE.

PIERCING AFTERCARE

**Always wash your hands before touching your piercing!**

Avoid touching, turning, sleeping on or removing your new jewelry until it is fully healed.

We do not recommend mixing your own saline solution. We recommend Leaf and Arrow, H2Ocean or Neilmed piercing aftercare solution only.

Cleaning Instructions

Wash your hands thoroughly before touching or cleaning your piercing.
Spray the area with one of the recommended sterile saline solutions three times daily.
Do not move or rotate the jewelry while washing or any time.
Dry with a clean disposable product such as gauze, cotton swabs or paper towel. Avoid using towels or anything that may harbor bacteria and/or snag the jewelry.
Showers are typically safer than baths when it comes to keeping your piercing clean. If you must bathe in a tub be sure to properly clean the tub before being used and rinse your piercing when you get out.
Only use a soft and gentle soap around the piercing and not on or in the piercing. Something like Dove Sensitive Skin would be best and be sure to rinse thoroughly after to remove any excess soap left behind. Avoid fragrances or anything harsh as this may irritate the area or piercing directly.
Avoid overcleaning as this may irritate the piercing and prolong the healing process.

What to Avoid

– Do Not Use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, anti bacterial soaps, iodine, Bactine®, or any products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK). These may irritate the piercing.
– Avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation.
– Avoid undue trauma such as friction or pressure from clothing, excessive motion of the area, touching the jewelry or vigorous cleaning. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing and other complications.
– Avoid oral contact, rough play and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing during healing.
– Avoid things like excessive stress, drug use, excessive caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are suggested as they may prolong the healing process.
– Avoid submerging the piercing in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, oceans, hot tubs, etc. Or if you do, protect the piercing using a waterproof transparent film dressing. These are available at most pharmacies and are ideal for nipple, navel and surface piercing placements.
– Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions and sprays, etc.
-Do not hang anything including charms or other objects from your jewelry until the piercing has fully healed.

What is Normal?

- Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
- During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid that will form some crust on the jewelry. The tissue may tighten around the jewelry as it heals.
- A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete. This is because this type of wound will heal from the outside to the inside. Although it may feel fine on the outside, the interior could still be fragile. Be patient, and keep the piercing clean throughout the entire healing period.
- Once healed: the jewelry may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. Cleaning your piercings as part of your normal hygiene routine can help them stay clean and avoid having normal, possibly smelly, secretions accumulate.
- TIP: Piercings, even healed ones, can shrink or close in minutes, even after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in—do not leave it empty.

For additional information we recommend following practices found at www.safepiercing.org/aftercare

If you are concerned or have questions directly for your piercer, please email us HERE.

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