Before the Session
- It is exhausting for the body to get a new tattoo, so you should follow some rules to make our session successful and painless.
- First of all, you should have a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast before our meeting. I recommend limiting coffee and energy drinks the day before.
- Make sure the area where you are getting the tattoo is not damaged- for example, sunburned, bruises, scratches, rashes, oily acne, allergic reactions. Sterility and cleanliness are extremely important in the tattooing process!
- I ask you to observe hygiene, namely, take a shower beforehand, use antiperspirant and wear clean clothes. Loose and practical clothing is optimal over a new tattoo.
- Take e.g. shorts with if you need to be tattooed on the leg, or dresses / sweaters that can be easily opened / pushed to the side, warm socks will not hurt:) Be sure to bring water, a sandwich or a packed lunch and sweets (nuts, cookies, dried fruit) . If we have a long session planned, bring a book/tablet/headphones and a phone charger.
After the Session
- The artist will always apply a film to your new tattoo to keep out dirt and bacteria while the tattoo is fresh. There are two types of film used for this – Cling film and specially developed adhesive films for tattoo/wound healing.
- Cling film: We recommend that you keep clinging film on your fresh tattoo for the first three hours unless instructed otherwise by your artist. You can reapply the film for the first night, to keep out bacteria. However, it is important not to wrap it too tightly as the tattoo needs to breathe and you don’t want to be sweating on the tattooed area. Your tattoo it is a large open wound with no protective layer on it. When you remove the cling film -Wash your tattoo with mild/non-scented soap immediately. Use your hands to rub off all the extra ink, blood, and plasma. Do not rub it with a towel – it will hurt! Tap dry very gently with a CLEAN towel or soft tissue. Wash your hands and apply a very thin layer of moisturizer to the tattooed area. It is important not to use too much moisturizer as the tattoo needs to breathe. When using the correct amount, the moisturizer should almost not be visible after being smeared out on the area. Repeat this process 4 -5 times daily for two weeks. If you feel any discomfort or feel like something is going wrong, send me an email with a picture. Make sure you go to the doctor if you have high fever or see any signs of infection.
- “SECOND SKIN” : It is waterproof. Feel free to take showers with it (yay!) We recommend that you keep the film on for 3-4 days. You might see discharges appearing and your tattoo might look “smudged“ under second skin. It is totally normal. If you bleed much or if there’s a lot of liquid under the film, you should take it off immediately to avoid infection. We recommend you only do this by applying lukewarm water on top of the film, to loosen the adhesive. Don’t just pull it off, as it could hurt your skin. After 3-4 days please peel off the second skin and shower. Wash your tattoo with mild/non-scented soap immediately (Your tattoo might get “printed“ onto second skin when you peel it off. It is normal too. Your tattoo is still there:))).Use your hands to rub off all the extra ink, blood, and plasma. Do not rub it with a towel – it will hurt! Tap dry very gently with a CLEAN towel or soft tissue. Apply a THIN layer of ointment on the tattoo – do not over apply! It is important not to use too much moisturizer as the tattoo needs to breathe. When using the correct amount, the moisturizer should almost not be visible after being smeared out on the area. (Please wash and take care of your tattoo in this way throughout the healing process.) Repeat this process 4 -5 times daily for two weeks. If you feel any discomfort or feel like something is going wrong, send me an email with a picture. Make sure you go to the doctor if you have high fever or see any signs of infection.
One week after the session
Scabs will start to form. Your tattoo might appear flaky. DON’T PICK AT THEM. You might pick the ink out of your skin and the tattoo will heal poorly. Some flakes might appear to be black. It looks weird but it is totally normal.Your tattoo might feel itchy as the flakes keep forming. DON’T SCRATCH IT. Same thing, you might damage your tattoo by doing so. Gently pat or rub on it (with clean hands!) Once again, keep your tattoo clean! Protective layer is forming, but that doesn’t mean your tattoo is safe for your cat to lick, yet.
General rules
The healing process will take up to 4 weeks. Please follow instructions throughout this period of time and be patient with your skin. Avoid direct sunlight on the new tattoo. NO SUNSCREEN WHEN YOUR TATTOO IS STILL HEALING. (However, please always apply strong sunscreen on your tattoo AFTER it’s healed, if you are going to have sun exposure.)Avoid soaking your tattoo in water – no bathing, no swimming, no surfing, no diving, no sauna, etc. Stop exercising for at least 3 days as your sweat can soak it too.If you have a pet, keep them away from your tattoo. Especially avoid contact with their fur and saliva.ALWAYS HANDLE YOUR NEW TATTOO WITH CLEAN HANDS. Ointment options: Cetaphil, Aquaphor, Vitamin A & D lotion. All non-scented. No vaseline. No Neosporin. No aloe vera. No oil based lotion. If you suspect your tattoo is getting infected, ASK A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY.