Day 1:

1. Wash your hands!

2. Remove your bandage once you get home. Do not keep the plastic wrap on for longer than 3 hours.

3. Wash your tattoo with clean hands, using the recommended Fragrance Free Antibacterial Soap. 

Very gently, rub the soap onto your tattoo with the pads of your fingers. Carefully wash away any dried fluids, be mindful not to irritate it or rub too hard.  

4. Allow to air dry, or pat gently with a clean paper towel. (Do not use any towel that isn't fresh/clean) 

5. Apply a small amount of the recommended lotion, and reapply as needed. 

DON'T use thick ointments or oils. The tattoo needs to breathe, and the goal is to moisturize it as it heals to avoid scabbing and peeling, and speed up healing time. Make sure the lotion is rubbed in and absorbed, you don't want a layer of product coating your tattoo.

6. Wash your tattoo twice a day for the next 4-5 days. Keep it clean, but do not overwash it. Apply the recommended lotion as needed to keep moisturized.

I recommend washing once before bed, and once when you wake up. Overwashing can cause dryness which can negatively impact, and prolong the healing process. (If you go to the gym, or work around dust or oil during the first 3 days, please wash the tattoo as soon as possible, even if it will go over the twice a day wash. It's better to keep it clean)

Until Healed: (Next 4-6 weeks)

• Moisturize as needed

Avoid the tattoo drying out. It's normal to see some flaking throughout the healing, and occasionally very light scabbing if it is too dry. Do not peel, pick, or exfoliate the tattoo. Let it flake naturally.

• DO NOT re-wrap the tattoo in plastic wrap, gauze, or anything else. 

Wrapping in non-medical bandaging can trap bacteria and sweat and can lead to infection. If you want to use a medical grade second skin product, such as Saniderm, or Derm Shield, please refer to my instructions on how to properly clean and apply it.

• DO NOT PICK AT OR SCRATCH YOUR TATTOO

• NO SWIMMING OR BATHS! Do not submerge underwater!

Submerging underwater will severely damage the tattoo, or lead to infection, especially pools/spas/lakes/oceans. Take showers only, and avoid long or very hot showers while healing.

• Keep your tattoo moisturized, and out of direct sunlight!

The healing process is the most important part of the tattoo procedure. Follow only my instructions to avoid severely altering the quality of your tattoo. Please reach out via email if you have any questions.

If you left your appointment with a medical grade second skin applied to your tattoo, no immediate aftercare is necessary, but here are a few important instructions:

• Wear for no longer than 3-4 days, but you may remove it as soon as you prefer. I recommend a minimum of 2 days for best results. 

• You may shower as usual, but can't submerge it underwater, so avoid baths and swimming. It might fill up with a gross colored liquid as the tattoo naturally weeps, and the bandage itself may look sort of like a blood blister.  This is perfectly fine, but you can remove it if it grosses you out!
  Remove immediately if the bandage is leaking. If any fluid can leak out, then bacteria can find its way in and you don't want it trapped in there with your open wound tattoo. 

• When you remove the bandage, do so under warm running water, and peel the plastic back carefully. An imprint of your tattoo may be visible on the removed bandage from shedded ink, and this is normal and nothing to worry about. Wash the tattoo gently with Antibacterial Soap, and moisturize as needed when dry. Continue to moisturize as needed until fully healed in 4-6 weeks (Tattoo is fully healed when it is no longer scaly or peely)

• Avoid showering in very hot water while wearing this bandage, as it can make the bandage adhere to your skin a little more and leave sticky residue behind after removal (It will wash away after a few washes)

If you removed the bandage early on the first or second day of healing, please refer to the "Temporary Plastic Wrap" instructions above for how to properly wash and moisturize your tattoo. Remember, your tattoo is an open wound for the first 3 days of healing, please follow directions carefully to avoid infection or rough healing.

If you removed the bandage early and wish to reapply another piece, please wash your hands and the tattoo area thoroughly before carefully reapplying the new piece.

It is common for the skin to be red for a while after removing the bandage, and to have a bit of a sticky residue left behind, which will go away after a few washes. Both are nothing to worry about.
If you're concerned that you've had a minor or major reaction to the second skin bandage, please email me right away with photos of the area and what your concerns/symptoms are. Unless it is extremely painful or noticeably infected with pus, it is likely fine.