SUGGESTED AFTERCARE GUIDELINES FOR
TATTOOS
Now, you have your fresh new tattoo, and you want to take good care of it! From this point on, your artist is not responsible for any infection or problems you may have with your tattoo if you don’t take proper care of it. It is very important that you follow these guidelines. A really beautiful tattoo can turn into a disaster if the proper aftercare is not taken.
–Leave That Bandage Alone!
Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason – to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. Yes, as pretty as your new tattoo is, it is still a wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Leave the bandage on for a minimum of two hours. Excitement of having a new tattoo will make you want to remove the bandage so you can show your friends, but your friends will just have to wait until later.
-WASH and TREAT
-FIRST WASH YOUR HANDS!!
After about an Hour you need to remove the bandage to WASH your TATTOO. Use lukewarm water and mild, liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap to gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma and to completely clean the area. Do not use a washcloth or anything abrasive. Your hand is your best tool in this case. (If your tattoo feels slimy and slippery, you have probably been oozing plasma. Try to gently
remove as much of this as possible – when the plasma dries on the skin surface, it creates scabs.)
–DON’T PICK ANY SCABS!
Then pat (do not rub) the area firmly with a CLEAN towel or paper towel to get it completely dry. Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment. AQUAPHOR for ONLY 3 DAYS, 2 to 3 TIMES a DAY. Then Switch to a Non Scented Lotion like AVEENO or EUCERIN for 2 weeks, Use 2 to 4 Times a day depending on the dryness of your skin.
-BATHING and SHOWERING
You need to shower with a new tattoo. It is fine to get your tattoo wet – just don’t soak it. If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, just remove it quickly with water. Avoid submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub, or unhygienic bodies of water such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, etc for at least 2-3 weeks.
-SCABBING and PEELING
After a few days, you will notice some peeling and possibly a little scabbing. This is normal and there is no need to panic, the scabs will eventually come off on their own. You will also start to itch when it begins to heal, similar to a sunburn. DON’T PICK AND DON’T SCRATCH! If the skin itches, slap it. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. And if it is scabbing, just leave it alone. Your tattoo is almost healed, and now is not the time to ruin it!
-PROTECTION FROM THE SUN
After your tattoo is healed, from now on, you will always want to protect it from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. These can fade and damage a brilliant tattoo very fast. Before spending a lot of time in excessive heat, protect your tattoo with a minimum 45SPF sunblock. This will keep your tattoo vibrant for many years, and it will continue to be a source of great pride.
1 WASH YOUR HANDS
2 WASH YOUR TATTOO
3 APPLY OINTMENT or LOTION (depending on what part of the aftercare you’re at)
4 Enjoy your New Tattoo.