Aftercare

• Only the touch new piercing as necessary to clean the healing wound. Wash your hands and nails thoroughly for at least 30 seconds with warm soapy water prior to touching your piercing site every time to avoid infection.
• Soak your piercing for 30 seconds 3 times daily for the first 2 weeks following the piercing, then 1-2 times daily for following 3 weeks.
• Be sure to soak the piercing before removal of crusts, as removing dried crusts can cause the wound to rip at the edges, promoting scarring and infection.

Safe, professional recommended piercing aftercare must include:
– Upholding daily hygiene.
– Maintaining good health habits.
– Avoiding additional trauma.

Recommended aftercare products:
– Store-bought saline solution.
– Hurts-Free antiseptic wash.
– Non-iodized sea salt + distilled water (1/8 tsp per 1 cup water).

• The temptation to play with your new jewelry can be almost overwhelming, but you must resist in order to both avoid additional trauma which can lead to hyper tropic scarring and to avoid introducing bacteria to the piercing site which could lead to infection.
• Avoid antibacterial soaps and alcohol. These are much too harsh and can cause unnecessary irritation.

• Leave the tattoo bandaged for a minimum of 1 – 3 hour and no longer than 8 hours.
• Remove bandage under warm running water. If the bandage is stuck to the tattoo, gently remove it while under running water, therefore reducing the risk of damaging the tattoo
• Once bandage is removed, make sure your hands are clean, and using an unscented, anti-bacterial soap (Such as Dial^™ ) , wash the tattoo off well with lukewarm soapy water.
• When done washing the tattoo, gently pat/dab it dry with fresh paper-towel and allow the tattoo to air-dry for about 5 – 10 minutes.
• On the second day, apply a fragrance free, daily moisturizing lotion (Such as Aveeno^™ ) to the tattoo 2 – 3 times daily.
• Keep applying lotion for the continuing week, or until the tattoo is completely done peeling.

Somewhere between 3 and 6 days, the tattoo will start to flake off like tissue paper. Do not pick at or scratch (slap it, dont scratch it!). Let the skin peel naturally, You may notice small pieces of dry skin containing colour coming off while using the lotion or washing the tattoo. This is normal – it is just the top layer of dead skin coming off. Your tattoo is not disappearing.

• Re-bandage the tattoo once the bandage has been completely removed.
• Allow direct sunlight on tattoo for first 2- 3 weeks.
• Pick or scratch tattoo while its peeling.
• Soak the tattoo for 2 weeks.
• Swim, Take Baths, go tanning, or enter a hot tub or sauna for 2 weeks or until the tattoo is completely peeled.
• Shave or wax the area until tattoo is completely healed.
• Apply Alcohol, Vaseline (petroleum jelly) or sun block to fresh tattoo.
• put too much faith in commonsense advice: If you have questions, call or visit the artist that did your tattoo!

• Once you leave the shop, proper care of your tattoo is your responsibility.
• Small amounts of color may appear on clothing or bet sheets for the first few days.
• When tattoo is peeling, color will appear in pieces of dry skin.
• If the tattoo is in an area where it can be exposed to the air, allow it to breathe. allowing the tattoo to breathe will help the healing. Your body and oxygen are going to heal the tattoo.
• If possible, wear loose fitting clothing over the tattoo and be careful not to suffocate tattoo with socks or pantyhose.

Piercing Aftercare Guide (PDF)

Tattoo Aftercare Guide (PDF)