Tattoo Aftercare
1. Take the bandage off in 45 minutes to an hour. ALWAYS wash your hands before touching your tattoo!! Wash the tattoo with your fingertips (do NOT use a wash cloth) with warm soapy water. Use antibacterial (fragrance free) soap such as Liquid Dial. Be sure to rinse all of the soap off. Gently pat it dry with a paper towel or let it air dry for 20-30 minutes. Wash your tattoo four times daily for the first three to four days, after which you can cut down to washing it one or two times daily.
2. Put an EXTREMELY THIN layer of Vaseline, A+D Ointment, or Aquaphor on the tattoo after washing it. If it feels dry, put some more on, but please do not over do it. Use your best judgment.
3. After the third or fourth day, stop using the ointment and switch to a body lotion or moisturizer. Make sure that you are using one that is fragrance free. Fragrances could irritate the tattoo and possibly cause allergic reactions.
4. Use the lotion as often as needed. This helps through the dry, cracking, pealing, itchy stage of the healing process. Do not scratch or pick at the tattoo.
Let any flakes or scabs fall off on their own. Your body is going to heal the tattoo in its own time. Everybody is different, so healing times may vary. The tattoo should be mostly healed within two to three weeks.
Please feel free to call or come by the shop if you have any questions!!
--AFTERCARE NO-NO's--
DO NOT keep your tattoo exposed to the sun or go in tanning beds.
DO NOT take a bath or soak the tattoo in water.
DO NOT go swimming or go in hot tubs.
DO NOT wear tight clothing on your tattoo. This will irritate the tattoo and possibly prolong the healing process. Your skin needs to be able to breathe.
DO NOT pick or scratch at your tattoo. Let any flakes fall off on their own. If the itching is bothering you, put some more lotion on or lightly pat or smack at or around it.
Piercing Aftercare
ORAL PIERCINGS:
Buy an alcohol free mouthwash such as Biotene or Alcohol Free Crest. Swish 2-3 times a day. Do not over-use your mouthwash, as otherwise the piercing
may become irritated. It is best not to smoke, however, we know that not every smoker will listen.Try to at least cut back on yoru smoking. Avoid oral contact
with anything irritating such as: alcohol, spicy, salty, sugary or highly acidic food and drink. Swish with distilled water every time you eat, drink, or smoke. No oral sex
for two weeks unless you use a dental dam. No drinking water from straws for 2 weeks. Drink plenty of cold liquids or let ice melt in your mouth. Most jewelry for oral piercings are purposefully longer to allow for swelling. After approximately 3 weeks you may want to purchase a shorter piece of jewelry after the swelling is gone to prevent serious tooth damage. A closer fit will reduce wear on teeth and gums. Make sure to keep your longer jewelry, as it may be useful in the future if you experience swelling again for any reason.
GENERAL PIERCING AFTERCARE:
Clean your piercing 2-3 times a day with either a mild anti-bacterial fragrance & lotion free soap like Dial or a mild liquid anitmicrobial/germicidal medicated soap like Satin. It is highly recommended to also use a sea salt solution such as H2Ocean. Sea salts contain trace elements and minerals that occur naturally in your body to promote healing.
Do not over cleanyour piercing or it may become irritated. Any cream or white colored secretions are normal. This is lymph, which is dead skin cells pushing out. Any bright yellow or green secretions are infection and you should see your piercer and/or doctor. If you do have an infection, the jewelry should be left in the piercing to allow for draining of pus. If the jewelry is removed, the holes can close up, resulting in an abscess. Clean your piercings with a Q-Tip to remove any lymph that is built up on the jewelry. This will keep your jewelry from "sticking". It is not necessary to move your jewelry back and forth unless you wish to do so while your hands are freshly washed and you are cleaning the piercing. It is a common misconception that your jewerly will "stick" if you don't constantly move it. This bad advice causes people to touch their piercings with their dirty hands all day long, which can easily cause an infection. Avoid swimming for 2 weeks after you get your piercing. Good nutrition and rest are also important for the success of your healing process. Each body is unique, and healing times can vary considerably. If your piercing is tender or secreting lymph, you should continue the care regimen even if it is past the stated average healing time range.
Make sure to check the jewelry regularly and keep the ends tight at their connections. Wash your hands thoroughly, and then use medical gloves, guaze, or folded tissue to grip without direct contact.
NEVER USE ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS ON ANY PIERCING: Alcohol, peroxide, betadine, and hibiclens will all severely dry out your healing piercing. Antiseptics and antibiotics, such as neosporin and bacitracin prevent oxygen from reaching the wound and form a sticky residue which can cause complications. They may also slow a clean wound's immune response instead of promoting healthy growth. Resistant germs can form when antiseptics are used repeatedly. There is no topical solution or drug that can heal your body. If irritation is kept to a minimum, and the piercing is properly taken care of, your body will heal itself.
