Precare & Aftercare for Body Art

DAYS LEADING UP TO APPOINTMENT

  • Moisturize the intended tattoo area 2 weeks before. If your skin has noticeably dryness/flakiness, the ink will not hold in your skin as well and may fade blurry.

  • Please wash yourself! Tattooing is a very intimate procedure and it does not do your artist a service when they tattoo areas near your feet, armpits, or butt & have to smell foul odors throughout the session.

  • Eat before your appointment to regulate blood sugar and do not consume excess caffeine or any alcohol prior.

  • Wear dark and comfortable clothing in case of ink stains and to allow access for your artist and breathability for your skin.

FIRST 24 HOURS

  • Keep your clear bandage on! It is protecting your new tattoo from airborne bacteria and other contaminants that may be in the environment.

  • If your bandage accidentally comes off early, don’t rebandage! Gently wash with unscented soap and keep the skin clean and dry

  • AVOID: excess sun exposure, intense exercise and sweating, soaking in baths, pools, or the ocean, and if your skin turns red from drinking alcohol, avoid drinking

DAY 2 - 14

  • With clean hands and while in the shower, remove bandage gently.

  • Cleanse around the tattoo area gently with unscented soap and water. Do NOT use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or highly fragrant soaps. Gently pat dry with a clean towel.

  • Apply a light layer of Aquaphor or unscented moisturizer morning and night when the tattoo is completely dry.

  • You can resume exercising after Day 3.

  • During this time, the tattoo is getting darker because it is forming a scab. It is normal to have itchiness, ink flakiness, and raised/peeling skin. If it gets unbearably itchy, don’t scratch it, SLAP IT!

  • AVOID: scratching/picking at the ink, excess sun exposure, soaking in baths, pools, or the ocean

DAY 14-27

  • Continue moisturizing and now add sunscreen to the mix! We recommend moisturizing with unscented, white lotions such as Cerave or Cetaphil. You can also find sunscreen sticks that are convenient for spot application and avoiding greasy hands!

  • Your skin takes 27 days to fully regenerate its’ cells, proper skin care is essential to maintaining the health and vitality of this protective organ as well as seeing the best results in your tattoo.

  • After this 27 day period, you’re welcome to come back for a free touchup to correct any inconsistencies!

  • Send your artist photos of results to navigate any concerns.

  • Please understand that all tattoos inevitably change over time. As your top layers of skin shed, the tattoo slowly starts to fade. Areas of the body that are exposed to a lot of sun will have less dense collagen, resulting in less-taut tattoos and fading ink.