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Aftercare instructions
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Congratulations! You got a new tattoo. Now what to do about all that plastic and tape on your arm?
Get to someplace clean, preferably your own home or hotel bathroom. Don’t uncover your new tattoo for the first time in a public restroom if you can help it. If your’s was a large tattoo, you may want to do this in the shower.
Wash your hands - Before you touch anything else, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
Gently remove the tape first - If your artist used any adhesives on your skin directly, it may be easier to do this under running water. Once the tape is gone, remove the rest of the bandage. This is likely either a simple plastic wrap like you’d find in a grocery store. Or an absorbent bandage of some sort. It should come off easily. If your artist used an adhesive plastic wrap, stop reading this and call/text your artist directly for further instructions.
Wash away any ointment, excess ink, blood and plasma with a non-fragrant soap and running water. Use your hands. NO washcloths, loofas, sponges, etc…
Wash your hands, again.
With a non-abrasive paper towel, pat your tattoo dry. Air dry.
With clean hands, apply a thin layer of ointment. This can be Hustle Butter, Aquaphor, or A+D ointment. Apply a thin layer of ointment. You want to make the tattoo shiny, but not really wet. If you over-do it with the ointment, your tattoo may sometimes literally sweat within a few minutes of application. No big deal, wash your hands, blot off the sweat, and use less ointment next time you apply. Generally you’ll only need to do this 2-3 times a day for the first 3 days. If your tattoo gets dirty, clean it. If it looks dry, put a little ointment on it. Otherwise leave it alone and let it heal.
Make sure your sheets are clean, especially the first few nights after you get your tattoo. If its possible, I like to wrap my tattoo the first night after I’ve had it done. This just ensures that I won’t stain or become stuck to the sheets overnight.
3-4 days in you’ll likely notice your tattoo has begun to peel. Like an itchy sunburn. If you’ve been using Hustle Butter, just keep using it. If you’ve been using Aquaphor or A+D, stop using it and switch to a non-fragrant lotion of some kind. Pretty much any basic moisturizer will do the trick. During this phase it’s important not to pick or scratch your tattoo. If it itches, apply a little lotion.
After 10-14 days your tattoo should be pretty much healed. If it gets dry, put some lotion on it. Otherwise, you shouldn’t need to worry much about it anymore.
Furthermore:
Don’t go swimming or leave your tattoo submerged for at least a week. This will help to prevent infection and ensure a better heal.
Wear loose fitting clothing and/or non-irritating clothing. Particularly for the first few days.
Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight on your tattoo. Especially during the first week. This includes tanning beds. Tanning during the healing process can cause damage to your tattoo. Even after your tattoo is long healed, prolonged exposure to the sun will absolutely result in your colors fading. Use sunblock (after you’re fully healed) and cover-up when possible to keep your tattoos looking bright.
Be careful to avoid pets or small children rubbing, grabbing, pawing, scratching, biting, etc… your new tattoo.
Avoid sleeping with or allowing your pets to rub against your new tattoo.
remember
The East is a collective of individual artists. If you’ve already been tattooed, please send your aftercare questions to your artist directly. If you have any general questions, or need to get in touch with one of the owners, feel free to use the contact form and someone will get back with you shortly.