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ONCE YOU LEAVE THE STUDIO, THE REST IS UP TO YOU!

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Aftercare will dictate whether your tattoo will stay beautiful, require touching up, or need re-working altogether. 

Even the best tattoos can fall short if improperly cared for.

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We are always available if you have any questions, so do not hesitate to ask! 

That being said! Please make sure you read the guidelines below, as the answer may be provided.

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Average Healing Time:

 

About 3-4 weeks depending on the individual's healing rate and whether guidelines are followed.

Fine Line Tattoos tend to heal more quickly than shading, colour or heavier work, with proper care.

*Fresh tattoos should continue to be protected from sun, pool (chlorine) damage for the first month or more of its life

until new layers of skin can grow over the top of the ink to prevent ageing, bleaching or scar tissue formation)

 

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Things to Expect:

 

• Flakes/Scabbing (Just a part of the healing process)

• As a new layer of skin grows over the top of the new ink sitting in your skin, it will appear a tad less 'black' or 'pigmented.'

• As your tattoo settles into the skin, the lines will soften slightly. This is why a lot of the tattoos we see from 50 years ago are so blurry today. The ink of the time was not as it is now. But don't worry; today's inks are designed for longevity and will only soften so far.

• Depending on how the healing process goes, your tattoo may need a touch-up. Don't sweat it. Healing-related touch-ups are free (so long as they aren't in excess and due to aftercare neglect).

• Your tattoo will likely be a bit puffy, warm and tender after your session. All should recede over the first day of healing. (You can apply ice to bring down puffiness and aid quick recovery so long as there is a clean barrier between the ice and tattoo)​

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GENERAL RULES BEST FOLLOWED:

 

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HELP YOUR BODY HEAL

 

Keep it clean

Keep hydrated

 Get enough sleep

Reduce stress 

Eat well and enough

 (Solid rules for every day)

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Your Immune system will thank you & so will your tattoo!

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AT THE END OF YOUR SESSION, YOU WILL BE SUPPLIED WITH A 'SECOND SKIN'

to protect your tattoo for the first week of healing

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1. WE WILL PLACE THE FIRST LAYER OF 'SECOND SKIN' 

OR BANDAGE FOR YOU AT THE END OF YOUR SESSION

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• You can periodically ice your tattoo during the early stages to bring down inflammation & promote speedy healing.

Just make sure there is a clean, waterproof barrier between your ice pack & your tattoo.

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• If the SECOND SKIN irritates your skin too much or starts to come off;

you can take it off at any point beyond the day after your session.

( follow the post removal guidelines below )

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• With your SECOND SKIN on, you will be able to shower since the bandage is waterproof.

Just be sure to keep an eye on the edges of the bandage in case they start to curl or let water in, and

avoid hot showers if they cause you to sweat at all. Keep hot water away from your tattoo.

*Regular bandages/gauze must still be kept away from water

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• If you find you are in a sweaty environment or moisture starts to pocket or build in excess under your SECOND SKIN,

remove the wrap, gently cleanse it, then allow the skin to air out to avoid infection or poor healing.

( follow the post removal guidelines below )

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• It's normal to see a thin layer of plasma & rejected ink smeared around under your SECOND SKIN.

Only excessive build-up or pocketing warrants removing the wrap.

*This is more likely for colour projects or tattoos with solid packing that are more likely to weep over the next 24 hours.

For these pieces, you may see a larger pocket of plasma and rejected ink.

You can remove your bandage after 24 hours and wash your tattoo in these cases.

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• Your SECOND SKIN or bandage will help eliminate some friction from clothes & activities but still be gentle with the area.

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• Try not to spend a long time in positions that may wrinkle or crease your SECOND SKIN. This may cause the ink to heal unevenly.

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AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT & HEAT

(EVEN WITH THE SECOND SKIN)

 

Heat/UV exposure can cause the already irritated skin to become more irritated,

inflamed & possibly cause skin damage, scarring or blowouts that will ruin your tattoo.

This means no sun-tanning/tanning beds, hot yoga, saunas, heat lamps etc.

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In addition, hot environments leading to warm skin or sweating is more like to cause a reaction to the Second Skin.

Even for folks who aren't  normally sensitive to adhesives.

Though the reaction is generally harmless, it would be ideal to avoid. 

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2. LEAVING THE SECOND SKIN OR BANDAGE ON

 

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FOR RECIPIENTS OF FINE LINE OR MICRO TATTOOS:

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So long as the wrap doesn't irritate your skin past the point of a bit of an itch, 

you will wear this first wrap for the first 6 days.

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FOR RECIPIENTS OF SOLID FILLED BLACK OR COLOURWORK:

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Your tattoo will be weeping much more than a fine-line tattoo, so

you will need to remove your SECOND SKIN after 24 hours

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3. REMOVING YOUR BANDAGE OR SECOND SKIN

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FOR SECOND SKIN:

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REMOVING YOU SECOND SKIN

Find a corner & gently pull/stretch the second skin away from the rest of the stuck bandage.

The stretching will help the bandage release your stuck skin.

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*it's normal to see a bit of the rejected ink & dead skin stuck to the wrap.

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FOR REGULAR BANDAGES:

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Be gentle.

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4. CLEANSE & DRY YOUR TATTOO

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GENTLY WASH

Use an unscented soap (or hypoallergenic for sensitive skin) & lukewarm water at the warmest.

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Be sure to remove any residue, plasma, blood, or ink, BUT be careful not to:

• Dislodge any scabs/flakes

• Allow your skin/tattoo to become water-logged/soggy thru excessive washing

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(Goldilocks theory: Not too Wet, Not too Dry!)

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*If your skin is reacting to the adhesive of the SECOND SKIN, do your best to remove any of the residues that may be irritating it.

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*you can use a dab of a skin/wound safe alcohol based disinfectant break up the residue.

Try to avoid the tattoo itself and just dab/rub the areas where adhesive remains.

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LIGHTLY PAT DRY

With a clean paper towel 

 

Pat the tattoo & surrounding area completely dry

*Avoid Rubbing/friction.

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AIR IT OUT

Allow your tattoo to breathe for a bit. 

Let your skin return to natural dryness after washing before applying aftercare 

*Apply the first layer of aftercare/moisturizer if the tattoo starts to look thirsty.

*Make sure your hands are freshly cleaned before applying aftercare

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IF YOU ARE PROVIDED WITH A SECOND ROUND OF SECOND SKIN

follow this step

(IF NOT, CONTINUE TO STEP 5)

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Remove the paper backing carefully to expose the sticky side of the bandage.

You'll know the bandage is ready to go onto your skin because it is see-through,

the clear stiffer plastic layer is still on, and one sticky side is exposed.​

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*try to avoid the sticky side coming in contact with anything other than your skin for cleanliness reasons.

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Hover the second skin over the tattoo to make sure it is placed where it covers the entire tattoo with an even frame around it

to make sure any edges that start to come up won't expose the tattoo itself.

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*make sure that the tattooed area isn't in an unnatural position when you place the SECOND SKIN so that the wrap

doesn't fold and crease when you are in your every-day positions ( like working at your desk or standing casually, etc.)

Getting someone to help you with the application will likely help.

 

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Once in position, gently place the bandage against your skin, pressing outward from the center of the piece/tattoo to avoid bubbles.

 

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Apply the bandage from the center out or apply pressure in one direction to avoid bubbles (like applying a screen protector on your phone)

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*if you do trap bubbles under the wrap, push the bubble away from the tattoo as much as possible, then cut

the tiniest possible hole to let the air out, and press the bandage back into the skin.

 

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START THIS LIST OVER AT STEP 1

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5. APPLYING AFTERCARE / GOLDILOCKS THEORY

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DOES IT LOOK THIRSTY

A little dry, dusty, parched?

Wash those hands & gently apply some aftercare

*limit rubbing to avoid unnecessary friction

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