+ Leave your plastic wrap/bandage on for 2-3 hours (you will not re-wrap at any point)
+ Wash fresh tattoo with warm water and antibacterial soap (it must say ‘antibacterial’ on packaging)
+ Rinse with very cold water (this closes your pores and is one of THE most effective ways to heal well!)
+ Pat dry with clean paper towel
+ Let air dry for 20 minutes
+ Wait 10 minutes and blot again with NEW clean paper towel to remove any excess moisture (very important!)
You’re done! Repeat the steps above 2-3 times daily for 4 days.
+ PRO TIPS +
-If you see any fluid coming to the surface for the first few days, blot away with clean paper towels thoroughly throughout the day
-Less is more
-Keep your tattoo on the drier side; a wet tattoo does not heal well and promotes scabbing
-NO EXCESS MOISTURE. No swimming, no sweating, no strenuous activity. If you get sweaty (summer happens, we get it), wash tattoo again with antibacterial soap and rinse with cold water ASAP
-Do not subject your new tattoo to environments that will be detrimental to it’s healing! Healing determines how the tattoo will look FOREVER; you can skip the beach/gym/etc for the first few days to make sure your tattoo looks good for the rest of your life
-Use common sense. If you have a fresh foot tattoo, shoving that bad larry into a thick sock, lacin’ the ole boots up tight, and suffocating that fresh tat in sweaty trench-foot hell is a bad idea. If you can’t safely expose your tattoo to clean air, wear light, breathable, and loose-fitting clothing over your fresh tattoo whenever possible
-Towards the end of the initial healing stage, your tattoo may begin to feel tight, dry, itchy and might start peeling like a sunburn – this is totally normal; you are right on track! Once the peeling begins, you may apply a super light/thin layer of unscented lotion to help combat the itchiness. *Lotion will NOT help heal the tattoo – it is only so you don’t absentmindedly scratch or it the tattoo.* Do not scratch, itch, or pick at your tattoo. If/when it flakes, leave the flakes alone to fall off on their own as picking them off can result in pulling out pigment that hasn’t fully healed and leave your tattoo looking spotty
+ LASTLY +
Improper aftercare can result in loss of ink, infection, scarring, or need for touch ups – and touch ups are not free! Tattoos take up to a month to fully heal and until they are healed, they should be treated as an open wound; keep them as sterile and dry as possible. To reduce risks, always follow your specific artist’s aftercare instructionsIf you have questions, email Sean directly and include relevant photos of the tattoo/specific areas:
ArrowsAndEmbers@Gmail.com