THE DO’S:
- Wash your hands with antibacterial soap before cleaning or touching your tattoo.
- Keep your bandage on for at least 2 hours. If Saniderm has been used, keep this on for at least 24 hours & up to 5 days.
- When removing your bandage, rinse tattoo with warm water and clean paper towel.
- Wash twice a day with just warm (not hot) water or mild fragrance-free liquid soap, and apply a thin layer of healing balm from day 2 onwards. Avoid lotions with fragrances or aloe.
- If possible, use freshly washed bed- sheets, clothes, and towel during healing process. Paper towels or unscented baby wipes are great for direct contact with the tattoo when washing or drying.
THE DON’TS:
- Do not scratch or pick. This re- moves ink and leads to infections!
- Avoid direct sunlight. For the first two weeks try to limit sun exposure – if you know you’ll be out in the sun for prolonged periods, wear a thin layer of cloth- ing over the tattoo. After the first two weeks, use a high SPF sunscreen on your tattoo when in the sun. Avoid tanning beds for at least a month.
- Avoid soaking in any waters (lake, ocean, bathtub, pool) for the first month, especially critical during the first two weeks.
- Avoid heavy sweating in the area of your tattoo for two weeks. Wash after sweating.
- WHAT TO EXPECT:
- COLOR AND PLASMA MAY SEEP TO THE SURFACE, ES- PECIALLY WHEN FIRST REMOVING THE BANDAGE.THIS IS NORMAL. WASH GENTLY WITH WARM WATER AND WIPE WITH A CLEAN PAPER TOWEL AND REAPPLY OINTMENT OR LOTION.
- FOR THE NEXT WEEK THE TATTOO AND AREA AROUND IT MAY BE SLIGHTLY SWOLLEN, RED, AND SORE.
- WITHIN A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK, A THIN SCAB SHOULD FORM EVENLY OVER THE TATTOO AND PEEL LIKE A SUNBURN. (DO NOT PICK AT IT!)
- THE COLOR MAY SEEM DULL OR UNEVEN WHILE THE TATTOO IS HEALING.
PLEASE FOLLOW THESE AFTER CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
TATTOOING after-care instructions:
I. for at least two weeks, minimize exposure to the sun, and
discourage swimming in fresh, salt, or chlorinated water;
II. properly cleanse the tattooed area;
III. apply antibiotic ointment or cream;
IV. use sterile bandage(s) or other sterile dressing(s) when
necessary;
V. the client shall consult a health care practitioner at the first sign
of infection or an allergic reaction, and report any diagnosed
infection, allergic reaction, or adverse reaction resulting from the
tattoo to the artist and to the Texas Department of State Health
Services, Tattoo and Body Piercing Program at (512) 834-6711.