How do I care for my new tattoo?
Cling Wrap Method
Your new tattoo is permanent, therefore you should take every precaution to ensure a healthy healing. Always wash your hands thoroughly before handling, cleaning, and caring for your tattoo. A tattoo is an open wound and should be touched with clean hands to avoid infection. Proper hand washing includes using hot water and anti-bacterial soap, as well as always using clean bed linens and bath towels throughout the healing period. Leave your bandage on for at least 2 hours, then proceed to take your bandage off and wash with warm soapy water. A clear antimicrobial liquid hand soap is best and make sure to work up a lather. Wash using the lather until any excess blood and plasma are removed. Rinse with warm water until all the soap is removed. PAT DRY with a new paper towel and let air dry for 10 minutes. Apply AQUAPHOR ointment lightly to your tattoo 3 times/day for 3 days, using a pea sized amount or smaller. It is possible to suffocate your skin by using too much ointment; this can cause infection, rejection, rash, and skin irritation, so always use the lightest amount possible. Rub the ointment into your tattoo using only clean fingertips, then blot any excess with a clean, dry, paper towel. After 3 days, switch to unscented hand lotion. Apply a small amount and rub it in, reapplying as needed (when your tattoo looks dry). Around day 4, your tattoo will begin to itch and peel like a sunburn. -DO NOT pick, rub, scratch, shave over, or exfoliate your tattoo for at least 2 weeks. -DO NOT soak or submerge your tattoo in water outside of normal showering for at least 2 weeks. No swimming, baths, or sauna and showers should be brief for at least 2 weeks. -DO NOT: expose your tattoo to sun or UV (tanning beds) for at least 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, use SPF 50 or higher on your tattoo if it will be exposed to the sun. The sun will dull your tattoo making it look older, faster. -DO NOT get any hair products, cosmetics, fragrance lotions / sprays, cleaning products, or bodily fluids on your tattoo for at least 2 weeks. -DO NOT re-bandage your tattoo for any reason. The bandage may be stuck to your tattoo -do not tear it off. Instead, get the bandage wet with cold water until it comes off easily. Restrict physical activity i.e. sports, weight lifting, etc. during the first 2 weeks. Your tattoo should take about a month to heal completely and return to normal skin. Please contact your artist with any questions or concerns regarding healing, complications, infections, or disease. Your body artist is required by law to report any conditions to the Health Department within 24 hours of discovery. Please contact a physician at the first sign of any adverse reaction including, but not limited to: persistent swelling, fever, redness, rash development, allergic reaction,infection, or illness.
Saniderm Method
Saniderm is a breathable, adhesive bandage that resembles cling wrap, but sticks to the body without needing to be removed right away. When used correctly, the bandage will seal in the body’s natural fluids and plasma to keep the cells hydrated so that they can break down the dead tissue and remove it more efficiently. Once the Saniderm bandage is placed on your new tattoo, leave it on for 3 days. You may shower as normal with the bandage on. You should be able to notice a build up of plasma and ink trapped under the surface; as mentioned earlier, this is completely normal for the Saniderm aftercare process. On the third day, remove the bandage slowly in the shower and proceed to clean the tattoo as you would with the cling wrap aftercare process. Once the tattoo is clean of all build up, use a clean paper towel to pat dry it. Let it air dry for 10 minutes following the pat dry. Proceed to use an unscented lotion for the remainder of the healing time, 2-3 times a day, as needed. All limitations from the cling wrap aftercare instructions also apply to the Saniderm instructions.