Aftercare instructions and information about healing your tattoo
Step 1 : You want to keep your new tattoo wrapped for at least an hour but no longer than 3 hours. After this you need to clean your tattoo with clean hands. Wash your tattoo with hot water and UNFRAGRANCED soap. If you haven't got any unfragranced soap then make sure you get all that soap off of your tattoo. It is very important to get all the blood and plasma off to avoid heavy scabbing.
Washing your tattoo is VERY important, you do not want anything to get into your tattoo as this can lead to infection and longer healing time.
PLEASE do not soak your tattoo in the bath. DO NOT leave it in the direction of water when showering for long period of time. whilst you are healing your tattoo. No sunbathing or swimming until it is fully healed.
Step 2: With clean hands and kitchen roll you want to pat your tattoo dry. DO NOT use material like a bath towel as fibres can get stuck in your tattoo. With clean hands apply a thin layer of E45 ( do not apply bepanthem or any other sort of nappy creams as these can clog pores) I suggest E45 as it's what I use but if you have sensitive skin you are probably already using a cream that would be good for healing a tattoo but please talk to me first if you can not use E45 on your skin. Rub it into your tattoo but please make sure you have clean hands.
You want to be cleaning your tattoo 2-3 times a day but if you are more active and come into contact with anything that can get into your tattoo then please clean it more often. It's common sense to clean something if it is dirty
Step 3 : Keep your tattoo aired as much as possible so it can breathe. Fibres from clothes can still enter your tattoo which can lead to infection. Please sleep in clean bedding and clean sleepwear. If you are likely to sleep on your tattoo please cover it with clingfilm overnight. When you are at work please still keep it clean and apply cream or again if you are worried about anything getting on your tattoo or people touching it then cover it. It is very important to keep it as clean as possible. It only takes one bit of dirt to get into your tattoo and this can lead to infection. All of my needles/tube are disposable, it is one use only. The rest of the equipment like my machines and anything I have clingfilmed gets cleaned with alcohol/ hospital grade cleaning spray. You will not get any infection from the equipment I use. Unfortunately infection will of been caused by factors outside of the studio.
Step 4 : Redness with your tattoo and swelling is completely natural. if you have a tattoo done in a particularly sensitive area which can be any of the following:
Inner bicep
Wrist
Inner forearm
Hand
Thigh/back of the thigh
Feet
Ribs
Then please be aware these could take longer to heal than other tattoos you have previously had done. Linework will be quicker to heal than a tattoo that is linework and heavy shading. The more trauma to your skin the longer it will take to heal.
Once your tattoo has started scabbing you want to let the scabs naturally fall off. DO NOT PICK THEM OFF else this will lead to parts of your tattoo missing or less saturation to the colour of your tattoo.
If you have questions regarding your tattoo please see the question/answer page on this website by going to the menu.