appointment preparation/ aftercare
PREPARATION AND AFTERCARE IS VITAL TO THE OVERALL OUTCOME OF THE PROCESS AND HEALED RESULT.
BELOW IS COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR, AND TREAT YOUR NEW TATTOO.
Preparing for long sessions is helpful to sustain physical and mental endurance. Providing yourself with adequate sleep, nutritious food, hydration, and a calm prepared mindset in the days leading up to your appointment will all play a large role in how your personal tattoo experience can be. Here is a list to help you prepare for your upcoming session(s).
PREPARATION:
• Please, be on time and ready.
• Set aside any work and/or responsibilities during our time together.
• Have an adequate meal prior to arriving, as close to your appointment time as possible.
• Bring drinks and snacks to help sustain your energy levels. Long sessions require regular nutritional replenishment. Whole foods containing natural sugars, fats, and proteins tend to help well, but feel free to bring whatever you like best. I offer water and light snacks as needed.
• Be in proper hygiene (showered, teeth brushed, etc) but do not shave the area to be tattooed. I will do this before starting.
• Refrain from applying anything to your skin such as numbing creams, body lotions, perfumes, etc.
• Wear or bring clean comfortable clothing that can be stained with ink and blood, and that is appropriate for the area being tattooed (loose fitting and allows uninterrupted access to the area that’s being tattooed).
• You’re welcome to bring personal effects such as sunglasses to subdue the bright lights, headphones if you prefer to be in your own space, a clean lint free blanket in case you get cold. I will provide a heated massage table; memory foam pillow, leg, and back support.
• Please refrain from bringing or inviting any friends or family. I do not allow guests as it can be incredibly distracting, and our space is limited. We will do everything we can to ensure you’re comfortable, accommodated, and supported.
Aftercare:
• With clean hands, remove bandage after 3-4 hours (if the tape or bandage stick, wet it with warm water until it loosens more easily).
• Rinse your tattoo with warm water and wipe away any ink, blood, and plasma with your hand.
• Apply a small amount of mild unscented liquid soap (Dr. Bronner’s, Dial or the like) into your hands and work into a lather.
• Apply lather to the tattoo and gently but thoroughly wash with your hand and fingertips only. Rinse clean and repeat as necessary until tattoo no longer feels slick, slimy, or velvety. Usually 2-3 times in a row for the first couple days as this is when your body is pushing out the most plasma.
• Once cleaned and rinsed, blot dry with clean paper towels only (cloth towels contain too much lint, detergent, and bacteria even if clean).
• Apply a small amount of ointment (Aquaphor, A&D, or your personal favorite tattoo healing product), and massage into tattoo.
• Blot off excess ointment with a paper towel (too much ointment will suffocate the tattoo and promote more adhesion of dirt and bacteria).
• Repeat above steps 3-4 times daily for the first four days.
• After four days your tattoo should be peeling. Switch from your ointment to a water based, unscented, dye-free lotion.
• Apply lotion a few times a day as needed (dry, itchy, tight), being sure to lightly wash the tattoo before each application to remove any dirt and bacteria.
• Do not pick, scratch, or scrub your tattoo. Let any flaking skin or scabbing fall off naturally.
• Do not touch with dirty hands or let anyone else touch it.
• Keep the tattoo away from pets for the first 7-10 days. Especially their saliva, dander, and sleeping with them.
• No gym or heavy workouts for 7-10 days. You have a fresh wound that’s trying to heal and the risk of contamination is too high. Constantly stressing out the healing skin and adding salty sweat to the mix can also cause adverse affects.
• No soaking or swimming of any kind in any type of water for 3 weeks. Showers are fine.
• Avoid tight, restrictive, linty clothing or undergarments for the first three weeks.
• Avoid application of sunscreen, bug repelants, chemicals, cosmetics, perfumes or anything other than your healing products for the first 3 weeks.
• Avoid jewelry such as necklaces, and bracelets, in the tattooed area for the first 3 weeks.