Aftercare

After your appointment is finished, I will wrap your fresh tattoo with clingfilm and secure it with microporous tape. Leave the applied dressing on until the end of the day, and when you have access to a clean bathroom and shower.

After this, wash your hands and remove the dressing. Gently rinse the tattoo with warm water, using your hand to remove any blood and excess ink, then wash the area with a mild, fragrance-free soap such as Sanex or Simple.

Gently pat dry the tattoo with clean disposable paper towel, do not use a fabric towel or washcloth as these harbour bacteria. Allow the area to air dry fully before re-wrapping. Wrap the tattoo with fresh clingfilm and tape.

Repeat the process of cleaning and drying your tattoo the following morning.

If your tattoo is linework only, it is not necessary to re-wrap it the next day, and you can proceed with the aftercare below. For shaded tattoos, please repeat this washing and clingfilm process every 4 – 6 hours for the first 24 hours.

After the first 24 hours:

Always have clean hands before touching your tattoo.

Wash your tattoo twice daily until healed. Healing takes a minimum of 2 weeks, some tattoos can take up to a month to fully heal. Placement, size, and overall health can affect the healing time.

While your tattoo is healing it will become flaky, dry and itchy. Use a fragrance free, non-greasy lotion such as E45 Cream or Aveeno no more than 3 times a day. Apply a thin layer and gently massage into your tattoo until it is fully absorbed. Do not over-moisturize, only a very small amount is needed.

Avoid:

• Do not pick or scratch the area as this can lead to infection or damage the skin.

• Do not soak or submerge your tattoo in pools, baths, hot tubs or natural bodies of water during the healing process, keep showers short.

• Do not expose your healing tattoo to direct sunlight. Sunscreen may be applied once healed and is recommended whenever you expose your tattoo to the sun.

• Do not let dirt, animal hair or saliva come into contact with your healing tattoo

• Avoid saunas, gyms, and sports for the first 2 weeks of healing.

• Wear loose cotton clothing over the area until healed.

Touch Ups

If your tattoo should require any touch ups after healing, please contact me within three months of your appointment – these are free of charge providing you have followed the aftercare instructions.

If you have any questions or concerns that haven’t been covered here, please don’t hesitate to reach out!