PREPARATION FOR TATTOO SESSION:
Get hydrated! Drink at least one (1) to two (2) liters of water a day. When you are hydrated, your skin is hydrated and will be able to maintain a better heal and withstand longer sessions. Focus on detoxing your body to prepare for this tattoo.
Lotion the area to be tattooed once or twice daily. Again, the healthier your skin, the better the results.
Get a good night's sleep the night before and please EAT A HEALTHY MEAL before your session.
This is a massive workout for your body and IT NEEDS FUEL for a big session. When you are hungry, pain management is much more difficult. I highly recommend you to bring drinks and snacks. You probably won’t have enough time during our short breaks to leave, get food, come back and eat it, so bring it with you! There is a microwave and a fridge at the studio for your convenience.
If any of these pre-care and aftercare duties are going to be an issue, please contact me to change the dates that will allow you to perform the preparation needed.
AFTERCARE:
These are my general guidelines for proper aftercare of your new tattoo! In order to ensure premium tattoo quality please adhere to the following instructions, using only the following products: Secondskin wrap, Aquaphor ointment, and antibacterial soap.
~ AVOID unnecessary touching, scratching, or picking of the tattoo area to reduce the risk of introducing infection.
~ ALWAYS wash and dry your hands before and after handling a new tattoo area.
~ Leave the tattoo wrapped for 5 days but no longer than 7 days. After the fifth day, take the Secondskin wrap off and wash your tattoo in the shower with warm water and antibacterial soap. The longer the tattoo is wrapped the better it will heal, please don't re-wrap your new tattoo after you take the wrap off. The first cleaning is the most important!! During this first cleaning, it will hurt to wash, but you need to wash it really well to prevent scabbing. You will see plasma oozing and ink washing off your tattoo. Don't worry, this is perfectly normal! Also, after the first cleaning, make sure you remove any plasma with a dry paper towel. Let air dry for 15 minutes and put the Aquaphor ointment on the tattoo. After 2 hours, pat excess Aquaphor off with a paper towel, after this, don't touch it for the rest of the day.
~ The next day, wash the tattoo in the shower with antibacterial soap. Let air dry for at least 15 minutes, then apply a small amount of Aquaphor ointment. Be sure to massage the Aquaphor into the skin until you have a very thin layer. (too much product will suffocate the wound promoting adverse effects) Just remember to thoroughly clean the area to prevent clogged pores. Be sure not to scrub, be gentle! Continue repeating this for the next 7 days.
~ If needed, use an ice pack to reduce swelling. 10 minutes on 10 minutes off, repeat as needed.
~ Once the tattoo peels and flakes, STOP using the Aquaphor ointment and replace it with Lubriderm. At this point, your tattoo is no longer an open wound as is just rebuilding skin. Lotion helps with the itching sensation associated with peeling skin. DO NOT PICK!
~ Also, try not to wear tight clothing that will rub or irritate the tattooed area. This can result in excessively drying the skin and/or causing excess abrasion and irritation to the tattoo causing a bad heal. I recommend loose-fitting clothing made of soft cotton or something similar.
· NO PETROLEUM-BASED PRODUCTS LIKE A&D OINTMENT
· NO SUN or TANNING
· NO PICKING, ITCHING, or SCRATCHING
· NO BATHING, SWIMMING, or CHLORINE
· NO SKIN PRODUCTS OR EXFOLIATING
* Again, feel free to contact me with any questions about the healing or preparation process!!