Products needed:

• A mild unscented soap (nothing with alcohol in it as that can be quite drying to the tattoo)

• Aquaphor (Be sure to get a tube of it and not the tub so that it stays as sterile as possible. It should last you for a long time!)

Do's:

Clear bandage/second skin:

• Leave bandage on for at least 24 hours.

• It is preferable to leave it on for 3-5 days to speed up the healing process. (It comes off easier this way too!)

Bandage Removal:

• After a minimum of 24 hours, get in a nice hot, steamy shower and hang out for a few minutes, allowing your pores to open.

• To take off the bandage, roll it down gently against itself.

• Do not rip the bandage off like a band-aid or you could risk ripping your broken skin (aka your tattoo)

BLUE OR BLACK BANDAGE

• Keep it on overnight, at a minimum. At the most, keep the bandage on for 24 hours.

Bandage Removal:

• Get in a nice hot, steamy shower and hang out for a few minutes, allowing your pores to open.

• Using a mild, unscented soap, and hot water, wash off your tattoo using ONLY YOUR HAND and small circular movements. Don’t rub!

• Wash the tattoo off until you have removed all the blood, excess ink and plasma.

Post-Bandage Removal:

• Using a mild, unscented soap, and hot water, wash off your tattoo using ONLY YOUR HAND and small circular movements.

• If the tattoo still feels "slimy", give it another wash off using the hot water, unscented soap and your hand, until it feels like regular skin.

• Rinse with the hot water. The tattoo should feel like normal skin when it's been properly washed off.

• Ideally let your tattoo air dry, or using a clean paper towel/freshly washed towel, you can pat it dry GENTLY.

Healing Process

• Do not rub the tattoo with the towel at any point during healing.

• With clean hands, gently apply a thin layer of Aquaphor immediately after washing each time, or throughout the day when it’s feeling dry.

• Do NOT let your tattoo get so dry that it will crack.

• Keep the tattoo clean, washing it once or twice a day, or if it has gotten dirty/sweaty.

• Continue to wash your tattoo 1-2 times daily, applying the Aquaphor afterwards for 5-7 days after the bandage comes off.

• After about 2-3 days, your tattoo should have started to dry out and flake a bit (almost like a sunburn). Be careful that you do not let it get so dry it cracks. Using Aquaphor this should never happen, but be careful!

• After about a week you can switch to your regular lotion.

• Once completely healed, use a high SPF sunscreen on your tattoo and/or cover it whenever it is exposed to the sun or UV light.

Don'ts:

• No swimming, bath tubs, saunas, hot tubs, sun or UV exposure until the tattoo is FULLY healed, and feels like regular skin again.

• Avoid working out for about 5-7 days. Doing so during the healing process can damage your tattoo or lead to infection.

• Do not re-bandage your tattoo. It needs the air exposure to start to heal.

• Do not let anything rub on your tattoo while it is healing (i.e. watches, bra straps, jewelry, etc).

• Do not touch your tattoo with dirty hands.