Aftercare
TATTOO AFTERCARE
After you leave the studio, your artist is no longer responsible for your tattoo. From this point on, you are responsible for taking care of your new tattoo to prevent infection or problems with healing. An amazing tattoo can quickly turn into a disaster if the appropriate aftercare is not adhered to.
Products that you will need for the aftercare of your new tattoo. Carex Bacteria Protect Hand Wash – kills 99% of bacteria. Tattoo healing cream (available to purchase within the studio).
TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEW TATTOO
Remove the dressing from your tattoo six hours after it is applied (your artist has taken care to cover up your tattoo for good reason: from keeping airborne and surface bacteria from invading the wound).
Carefully (this we cannot stress enough), with clean hands wash your tattoo with warm water and soap, preferably the Carex that was mentioned above.
Rinse off your tattoo with cold water and gently pat dry with a clean towel. Do not rub the tattoo.
Leave the tattoo to air dry for 30 minutes (this is important to ensure you do not trap any moisture when applying the cream).
Once your tattoo is completely dry, apply a very thin layer of the recommended tattoo healing cream, not only will this help the healing process, but it will also help prevent itching. At this point, you will no longer need to re-dress the tattoo.
Continue with steps 2-5 twice per day until your tattoo has started to heal and flake off. This usually takes around 4-7 days (depending on skin type and style of tattoo).
Do not pick and scratch your tattoo!
EXTRA INFORMATION
No sunbathing, swimming or saunas until the tattoo is fully healed. After your tattoo has healed make sure you apply sunscreen over it before exposing it to the sun, or sun beds. You should apply the tattoo healing cream to keep the tattoo moisturised but make sure not to smother it.
You need to use just enough of the tattoo healing cream to make the tattoo shiny, blotting off any excess cream with a clean paper towel.
NOTE: Applying too much tattoo healing cream can lead to loss of colour from your tattoo and poor healing. Trapped moisture, which is caused by not allowing the tattoo to air dry cam cause ‘bubbling’ of your new tattoo. This can lead to thick scabbing. Should this happen, leave the scab alone keeping it dry. The scab will fall off on its own account.
PIERCING AFTERCARE
New piercings need to simply be kept clean and touched as little as possible to avoid infection. Using a saline solution, you should commence cleaning the new piercing 24 hours AFTER having it pierced to allow the piercing to settle. Clean and dry the new piercing with clean cotton buds, if you have multiple piercings use a different cotton bud for each one. Before cleaning a piercing, you must wash your hands with warm water and anti-bacterial soap as to further prevent any possible infection.
NOSE PIERCINGS
The outside and the inside of the nose should be cleaned using different cotton buds and should be cleaned in the morning, rather than at night when it’s more likely the jewellery can be knocked and fall out. Jewellery can be changed after six-eight weeks (depending on how you heal).
EAR LOBES / CARTILAGE PIERCINGS
Should be cleaned once a day and the jewellery front should be turned three days after you have had them pierced to check the ball attachment is tight. Cartilage piercings are prone to irritation bumps, which can lead to a keloid scarring. This is common for these types of piercings, please see below on how to treat this, Jewellery can be changed after six weeks.
Please note: cartilage piercings can take up to six months to fully heal. Please stay patient!
NAVEL AND NIPPLE PIERCINGS
These piercings should be covered with a breathable dressing daily, 24 hours for a naval piercing and 2-3 days for nipple piercings.
Once the pad is removed the piercing should be cleaned once a day with clean cotton buds (use a different cotton bud for each nipple). Jewellery can be changed after six weeks.
LIP PIERCINGS
Alcohol free mouthwash should be used inside the mouth, and saline/saltwater solution should be used on the external area twice a day. Jewellery can be changed after 6 weeks.
TONGUE PIERCINGS
Alcohol free mouthwash should be used after eating for at least a week. Milky drinks should be avoided and replaced with ‘iced’ water to help subside any swelling. When permitted paracetamol can be taken to help with any pain. The bar can be changed to a 1.6mm bar after two weeks.
DERMAL AND SKIN ANCHORS
These types of piercings require a little more care and attention. Breathable dressings should be worn for a minimum of 48 hours. They should be cleaned with saline solution and cotton buds, taking care not to catch it. These piercings can take between six-twelve weeks to heal, so please be patient.
IRRITATION BUMPS
These can occur during the healing process. They are caused by friction. A general remedy is to dissolve/crush ½ a dispersible Aspirin in 2-3 drops of warm water. Use a cotton bud to paint this on the affected area at night. In the morning – use the usual saline solution to clean this away, repeat this for at least 2-3 weeks. Generally, jewelleries will need to be downsized at the end of the healing process – please speak to Leah on individual basis regarding sizing.
If you have any worries about a piercing or tattoo, please contact the studio via email:
Or call us on 01353 666775. Thank you!