Everybody's skin type is different and will heal differently after a tattoo but here are a few general tips to keep in mind! 

• Keep your bandage on for the length of time discussed during your appointment. The size and placement of the tattoo can determine the amount of time the bandage should be kept on. In general it is best to keep the bandage on for at least 24 hours!

• For the most part our studio uses a bandaging known as second skin (the company we use is called Hypafix). It is a strong, medical grade, transparent sticker/adhesive. When removing it, it is best to wet it either when your are in the shower or at the sink. It is also recommended to remove it the way your hair grows. For example if the bandage is on your upper arm remove the bandage by starting at the top and peeling downwards! If you wish to keep the second skin on longer than the minimum 24 hours you can shower with it on. Keep in mind that the longer you decide to keep it on the more probable you might have some sticker residue leftover. This is normal and will come off with time and washing. 

• If any kind of body bodily fluid (plasma or blood) comes out from under the bandage before the 24 hours take it off and clean as the seal between your tattoo and the outside has been broken. After having your second skin on for a little bit your tattoo might start to look a little blurry, this is also normal! This is some excess ink that is coming back to the surface of the skin and mixing with either your blood or plasma. This will wash off when you take you bandage off! 

• Remove the bandage with clean hands. I recommend washing your tattoo twice a day, morning and night. The size of your tattoo will determine how many days you should be washing  it but in general a good rule of thumb is 2-3 days. Use unscented/natural soap when cleaning! In between washing keep your tattoo dry. 

• I recommend moisturizing only when your tattoo becomes itchy (2-4 days after getting your tattoo) or if you tend to have extremely dry skin. It is best to use more natural products like shea butter or hypoallergenic, fragrance free lotions. Use moisturizer maximum twice a day and a thin layer when applying.

A couple things to avoid while healing: 

• Do not scratch your tattoo! Picking at scabs could potentially pull ink out of your skin.

• Do not submerge your tattoo in water for prolonged periods of time until it is fully healed (usually 2-4 weeks). This means no hot tubs, baths, or swimming in the lake/river/ocean.  Showering is fine! 

• No excessive sweating like working out or saunas. 

• Do not directly expose your tattoo to the sun! Try to keep it away from the sun while healing. It is inevitable that all tattoos fade due to our skins shedding and regenerating but sun exposure can negatively affect the healing process! Once your tattoo is healed sunscreen is a big help! 

Happy Healing! :)