Aftercare

Tattoo Aftercare Recommendations

  • Always wash your hands before touching your tattoo!
  • When you get home: Remove bandage within 2-3 hours after getting your tattoo. 
  • Wash your tattoo with an anti-bacterial liquid soap. Be gentle, do not use a washcloth or anything that will exfoliate your tattoo. Only use your hands.
  • Gently pat your tattoo dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Do not rub, or use a fabric with a rough surface.
  • The first 3-4 days: Rub a small amount of ointment on your tattoo. You may use Aquaphor, A&D,or lubes specifically for tattoos– whatever you know you’re not allergic to. Always use clean hands and do not place your fingers back into the ointment after touching your tattoo. Make sure to rub the ointment in so that it is not shiny, or greasy– you want the thinnest amount possible. Pat off any excess ointment with a clean cloth or paper towel. Do not use Vaseline, petroleum or Bag Balm. Wash, dry and apply ointment 3-5 times daily, as needed.
  • On the first night, you may want to wrap your tattoo in saran wrap to prevent sticking to your bedding. Do not use any cloth bandages or pads, as the fibers of this material can adhere to your open tattoo and hinder the healing process.
  • Wear clean, soft clothing over your tattoo for the first 2 weeks– nothing abrasive or irritating. For a foot tattoo: go barefoot as much as possible. If you must wear shoes, first wrap your clean tattoo in saran wrap, then cover with a clean cotton sock before putting on your shoe. Avoid sandals or flip flops for this period to prevent chafing and damage to the tattoo.
  • After day 4: On the 3rd or 4th day your tattoo will begin to peel. This is normal! Do not pick at the skin. Begin using a mild, white, unscented lotion, free of dyes or Perfumes.
  • Use lotion for minimum 2 weeks, 1-2 times daily.

Things to avoid:

  • Do not pick, scratch, peel, slap, rub or irritate your tattoo.
  • You can shower, but you may not soak your tattoo for 2 weeks. No swimming, soaking or hot tub.
  • You may not expose your tattoo to the sun for at least 3 weeks, after that you must use sun block.
  • Do not wear abrasive materials, jewelry, or shoes that rub against your tattoo.
  • Do not let anyone touch your tattoo, unless they wash their hands.
  • Beware of gym equipment, wash it well before using it.

You can also try:

  • Ice your tattoo to reduce swelling.
  • Elevate your tattoo, to reduce swelling.
  • Take short, luke warm showers.

If you do not take care of your tattoo, it may become infected or damaged. Infections are very red around the outside of the tattoo and may have thin red lines extending from it. It may ooze, pus, or bleed abnormally. If you think your tattoo is infected, seek medical attention immediately.

Body Piercing AfterCare

Body Piercings

Stay healthy. Get enough sleep and eat a nutritious diet.
Make sure bedding is kept clean and changed regularly.
Showers are preferred because bathtubs can harbor bacteria.
Keep your new piercing out of soaking water such as Lakes, Pools, Jacuzzis, etc. You may use a waterproof bandage to protect the piercing if necessary.
Avoid the use of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Betadine, Hibiclens or ointment.
Do NOT over clean.
Avoid oral contact, rough play, and contact with others’ bodily fluids on or near your piercing.
Avoid stress and recreational drug use including excessive caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
Avoid ALL beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays.
DO NOT try and change jewelry too early. Wait at least 3 weeks or more (3 months on Navel) to change. If irritation appears with your change-out jewelry then remove and replace with the cleaned original piercing jewelry.
Cleaning:

Wash your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning, or touching on or near your piercing for any reason.
Using the preferred liquid antimicrobial or liquid antibacterial soap, lather a small pearl size bead of soap in your hand, preferably while showering, and wash the jewelry and piercing for no more than 30 seconds and rinse well.
Let air dry or dry with disposable paper products such as paper towels. Do not use cotton type towels.
Apply H2Ocean sterilized sea salt solution. Do NOT wipe off. Re-apply H2Ocean up to six times daily. Remember to NEVER wipe off the spray.
Urinate after cleaning a genital piercing.
What is normal?

Initially, some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
While healing, some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (not pus) that will form some crust on the jewelry.
A piercing may seem healed before healing is complete. This is because the piercing heals from the outside in. Be patient and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing process.
Once healed the jewelry may not move freely; DON’T force it. If you fail to include cleaning your piercing as a part of your daily hygiene routine; normal but smelly bodily secretions may accumulate.
Alternate Saline Recipe:

Use this recipe if you run out of the H2Ocean spray or mouthwash:

Dissolve 1/8-1/4 teaspoon on NON-Iodized sea salt into one cup (8oz) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is NOT better. Saline solution that is too strong can irritate your piercing.