Tattoo Aftercare

Well, you did it! You changed your body forever

Now that it’s over here are some tips from me to make sure it heals properly and stays as solid as when it was first done. These are the normal procedures I’ve learned from my years of tattooing, but most every other artists have their thoughts and guidelines as to what works best. I’ve even heard of some artist telling clients to LITFA (leave it the f*#K alone). That being said, take care of your new piece just as you would with any wound/scrape/burn. Keep it clean! Infection is possible if not properly taken care of..simple.

The wrap can be left on anywhere from an hour up to 5 hours.

If you’re going out and about after you’ve left Mission Tattoo, it’s okay to leave it on to keep it clean, preventing any contamination to you and even from you.

Once you get to where you’re going then go ahead and take the wrap off. Make sure you WASH YOUR HANDS before you touch your tattoo for the next week! As soon as it’s off, you want to wash your tattoo with non-fragrant antibacterial soap (any brand will do). If you plan on taking a shower, you can wash it then but if you don’t plan on showering then wash the tattoo itself. Never wrap it again after the initial wrap comes off, that will be the only necessary time to have it.

After you wash, let air dry for 10 minutes then put a VERY thin layer of Aquaphor (which can be purchased at almost any store with skin care products).

Stress the “thin layer” as much as you can, and a little bit goes a long way. Try not to put too much as it can prevent the tattoo from healing properly. After you have put it on and you notice it “weeping,” go ahead and dab it with a paper towel until all of the “dew” is gone. Washing once a day and then applying a thin layer of Aquaphor will be the procedure for the first week. After the first week, you can switch to a non-fragrant lotion of your choice and continue with that for another two weeks.

During the entire healing process, it is stressed to stay out of the sun as much as possible which can cause immediate fading and irritation of the tattoo.

It is also best to not submerge the tattoo under water. Showers and washing are okay but no swimming or baths. During the first couple days, the tattoo will be sore and potentially red and swollen with each passing day getting better and better. If the redness or irritation persists past four days and you feel something is wrong, don’t hesitate to call a doctor. Most likely something else is going on after that period of time. As it heals, the tattoo will begin to peel and itch just as a sunburn would, be sure to not scratch or pick at it. Let it do what it’s going to do and after completely healed, if needed (which is rare but everyone heals differently) there is a free touch up immediately after healing.

So once again.

No Sun, No Swimming, No Picking, No Scratching for the entire healing process which can be anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks.

Once home after our appointment

  • Take off wrap
  • Wash Hands
  • Wash Tattoo
  • Air Dry
  • A thin layer of Aquaphor for one week. Then switch to non-fragrant lotion for two weeks

If you have any concerns at all, don’t hesitate to contact me.

 

Jimmy Bell Signature