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AFTERCARE

I supply all my clients with aftercare. These are the products i supply and the ingredients. And below you can find helpful tips for before your tattoo and how to care for tattoo afterwards. :)
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BEFORE YOUR TATTOO 

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Drinking - Don't drink alcohol 48 hours prior to getting tattooed. This will thin out your blood,  weakening your system. Caffeine, 

Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and Anti-Coagulants (Aspirin) will also have  the same effect on your blood. 

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Eating - A good meal before you get tattooed is always a good idea. Bring with you...water, snacks, anything to help keep your blood sugar levels up while getting  tattooed. 

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Rest - Make sure you get a good night's sleep the night before your appointment.\

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Dress Comfortably - Wear appropriate clothing for the tattoo you are getting. You will be tender afterwards. Do not wear clothing you may not want the possibility of ink getting on and staining. 

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GENERAL CARE 

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Everyone heals differently and every area heals differently. Every tattoo artist may have different aftercare to suit their tattoo style. This is what works best for my work.

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How to remove Dermor bandage:

Keep the bandage on for 24 hrs depending on how much your skin is weeping. (Unless i have specified otherwise. Sometimes it may be required to leave it on for awhile longer.) If you notice redness around the outer edges of the bandage, remove immediately. It may signal that your skin is sensitive to adhesives.

The following day…

To remove, carefully peel from one edge of the bandage back onto itself; do not peel it up and away from the rest of the bandage. Remove very slowly and patiently. Lather the area with the soap provided and give it a nice thorough wash to remove any dried ink or blood that may be left under the bandage. Follow the "Extra Steps" below.

 

If you got a soaker bandage...

Keep bandage on overnight. Remove right before you shower, the next morning. 

With clean hands, gently splash warm water on the area. Keep fresh tattoos out of the direct spray of the shower head for the first couple days as it will only hurt and irritate the tattoo.  Lather, rinse, repeat for about 5 minutes with unscented, un-medicated soap (I will provide you with a natural pure unscented vegan bar soap) to bring all the lymphatic fluid to the surface.  Rinse thoroughly. 

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Extra Steps...

Allow tattoo to air dry or pat dry with paper towel. Please do not use face cloths or towels as they can harbor bacteria. Use clean sheets on your beds for your first sleep without the bandage. 

Continue cleaning routine until the top layer of your tattoo is healed (2 weeks). It will take an additional 4 weeks for the underlying layers to heal. You have an open wound, please treat it as such. 

Do not over wash your tattoo. It can cause excess irritation and scabbing, resulting in loss of ink in the tattoo. 

Take care of your body so your body can take care of your tattoo. The only thing that heals your tattoo is your immune system, not what you put on it. Clean and dry make for a happy tattoo! 

Do not moisturize for 3-4 days or unless told otherwise.

 

In 4-5 days your tattoo will go through a period of flaking, it will be itchy.

The only reasons to use moisturizer are to keep itching to a minimum and to prevent any potential cracking in scabs.

Moisturizing prematurely may cause loss of ink and scabbing from irritation. Lotion and balms  just add an excess of oil, which can hinder healing. 

Make sure lotion is unscented and un-medicated. I recommend Hustle Butter or Better Butter as it is an excellent tattoo aftercare product. 

If you have allergies to any of the ingredients in Hustle Butter such as Coconut, Mango or Aloe, Please ask me about my recommended alternative moisturizer.

If the lotion you use feels like it's burning or irritating your tattoo. rinse thoroughly and discontinue use. 

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IMPORTANT TIPS 

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Keep pets away from healing tattoos. They are drawn to lymphatic fluid and may want to  "clean your wound". 

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No picking or scratching! Itching during healing is normal and expected. Do not rub or scratch. 

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Less is more! (Touching it excessively, over washing/moisturizing) can cause irritation,  scabbing, loss of ink and possibly infection. 

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Watch out for clothing irritation. Wear loose, clean clothing over the tattooed area as much as  possible. Keep it exposed to clean air in the first couple days. 

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Swelling. If you are experiencing a lot of swelling, you can take Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and/or use and ice pack. Make sure that you wrap the ice pack in something clean (kitchen plastic wrap, Ziploc bag). Handle with clean hands. Keep area elevated if possible. Swelling should start to come down within 2-4 days. 

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Expect tenderness. You can expect your tattoo to feel tender or like you have minor sunburn for 2-4 days depending on the area of your tattoo. 

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Absolutely no soaking your tattoo! This includes baths, hot tubs, steam rooms, swimming etc.  Until your tattoo is healed. Tattoos need to stay dry as much as possible. 

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No spray tans or self-tanners! Wait until your tattoo is completely healed (4-6 weeks). 

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No Sunlight! Excessive exposure to the sun while your tattoo is healing can cause a serious  sun burn that can result in scarring that is difficult to fix later. A fresh tattoo will get a sun burn  much faster that the rest of your body. After your tattoo is healed (4-6 weeks) use a high SPF sunblock consistently when being exposed to UV rays, to keep colours from yellowing or fading.  Make sure to follow the directions on your sunblock for it to work properly. Tanning beds will age tattoos and dull colours. 

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Infection. Signs of Infection include inflammation accompanied by pain, excessive redness, discharge  (yellow or green), odour and a heat difference. The site of an infection will be much warmer  opposed to the skin next to it. Signs of an allergic reaction to tattoo ink will be redness, rash or bumps and purple or red nodules around the tattoo. If you are experiencing any of these  symptoms, contact me as soon as possible. I will be able to recognize your symptoms and advise you further in what you need to do to take care of your tattoo.

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