TATTOO
AFTERCARE
How To Care For Your New Tattoo
- Leave your bandage on for 2-4 hours after your tattoo is completed.
- Remove your bandage and gently wash your tattoo with a mild soap and warm water using your fingertips only
- Let your tattoo air dry for 30 – 60 minutes
- Put a very thin layer of Aquaphor ointment on your tattoo.
- Re-apply the ointment 3-5 times a day for 7 days.
- After the 7 days, start using Lubriderm hand cream. Your tattoo will seep and scab slightly. Don’t panic; this is normal.
The outcome of your tattoo is a direct result of how well you take care of it.
Neglect and stupidity will ruin your investment.
What Not To Do To Your New Tattoo
- Do not use any ointments not listed above on your tattoo.
- Do not pick your tattoo. This will pull out the ink
- Do not scratch your tattoo. When it itches, slap it gently.
- Do not submerge your tattoo in water for an extended amount of time while it is healing, such as baths or swimming.
- No swimming, No Tanning while your tattoo is healing
- Do not listen to your friends or family’s advice on aftercare. Call us if you have questions.
Use common sense when healing your tattoo. I’ve seen many tattoos screwed up due to unorthodox healing methods. Just follow these simple instructions, and your tattoo will look great for years to come. Always remember to use sunblock after your tattoo is healed to maintain the longevity of your color.
PIERCING
AFTERCARE
Piercing has been growing far more popular over recent years; Along with it, aftercare has been tweaked to make healing as easy as possible. This is by no means a definitive guide, but is a collaboration of many piercer’s and piercee’s experiences to find the best possible methods of aftercare.
L.I.T.H.A Leave It The Hell Alone!
This is the first rule for all piercings! You should leave your new piercing alone, don’t play with it, don’t twist it, and don’t change the jewelry. Unless you are cleaning your piercing, you should not touch it!
Sea Salt Soaks
This is the most common and easiest form of aftercare: boil water, put it in a cup, add a 1/4 tea spoon of sea salt, and let it cool off so you can soak your piercing without hurting yourself. Do this twice a day, morning and night, for about 5 minutes each. It’ll remove any crusties that your jewelry has accumulated and make your piercings feel great.
Compresses
Some piercings can be difficult to soak; for these piercings, you can apply a compress by making the same sea salt solution as above and then using paper towels or swabs of cotton wool to absorb the solution and apply it directly to the piercing. Follow the same directions for everything else as above.
Soap and Water
Another common method of aftercare is using any mild antibacterial and non-scented soap with warm water. With Clean hands, Apply the soap lather to the piercing. Gently clean the area around the piercing to loosen up any crusties that may be present. Afterward, rinse the area with warm water to get rid of any soap. Dry the area with a paper towel; never use a washcloth or towel, as they are breeding grounds for bacteria.
Special Treatment
Some piercings require aftercare methods that aren’t applied to others, Mainly the Tongue and Dermals
Tongue
Tongues are prone to swelling, so you will be pierced with an oversized bar to accommodate this. It will be uncomfortable for the first 10-14 days, but after this, you can come back for jewelry that is better for long-term wear.
Dermal Anchors
Caring for Dermals is slightly different from regular piercings. Soaking them is ill-advised as it can soften up the surrounding tissue and promote migration or rejection. For this reason, a strict L.I.T.H.A method is best, only washing the piercing long enough to remove any crustiness should you experience any.
Physical Activities
In most cases it is recommended to hold off for a week on any physical activity, and then you should safely be able to resume them without issue. Just be sure to rinse off any sweat or, in the case of swimming, chlorinated water directly afterwards.
Healing Times
Everybody is different, but there are average healing times for most piercings. Both initial and full. After initial healing you can cease with routine aftercare and keep up with daily hygiene and treat the piercing as if it isn’t there.
Lobes
Initial: 8 – 12 Weeks
Full: 6 – 9 Months
Cartilage
Initial: 12 – 15 weeks
Full: 9 – 12 Months
Lips
Initial: 8 – 12 Weeks
Full: 6 – 9 Months
Tongue
Initial: 4 – 6 Weeks
Full: 2 – 3 Months
Nipples – Female
Initial: 12 – 15 Weeks
Full: 9 – 12 Months
Nipples – Male
Initial: 8 – 12 Weeks
Full: 6 – 9 Months
Navel
Initial: 8 – 12 Weeks
Full: 6 – 9 Months
Dermal Anchors
Initial: 4 – 6 Weeks
Full: 2 – 3 Months
Genitals
There are many different genital piercings for both males and females that range anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months in healing, But if you’re at the stage of wanting one, you should probably have a rough idea of what you’re getting into by now.
Does this look infected to you?
During the healing of a piercing, you may notice a few things. First, there will be discharge. A clear or milky white/yellow fluid known as lymph will be present for the first few weeks. This dries to a ‘crust’ around the piercing. Do not pick at it; instead, soak it as per the aftercare provided.
If this discharge ever starts to smell unpleasant, contain a lot of blood, or turn green in color, then you have an infection. You should have it checked by a doctor ASAP. Infected piercings, while incredibly rare, can quickly become very serious. You’ll be given a course of antibiotics, take them all, leave the jewelry in, allowing the infection to drain, and with any luck, your piercing will continue to heal successfully after that.
Other misdiagnosed infections are Hypertrophic Scarring or Keloid Scarring. Hypertrophic scarring is often found on cartilage piercings; it’s relatively common and can occur within a week or two of the piercing and may last up to 9 – 12 months. There are a number of methods to reduce the scarring, but mainly you’re going to just keep up with cleaning the area and sea salt soaks.
- Red, swollen, hot to touch around the piercing site
- Green / Bloody discharge
- A general feeling of being under the weather
- Sudden onset of fever
REJECTION
Piercing Rejection – The body’s natural process of removing a foreign object causing tissue damage as the body slowly pushes the object toward the surface of the skin. Rejection happens when you place a foreign object in your body (i.e., body jewelry), and your body, for one reason or another, considers that foreign object a threat to your health and safety. In order to protect itself, your body slowly fights the object by pushing it and healing the skin behind it to eventually force the object completely out through the skin.
Certain piercings have a much higher rate of rejection than others. Among the most rejected piercings are surface piercings, which can be very sensitive to pressure. The most common surface piercings are navel (belly button) and eyebrow piercings. Sometimes piercing rejection can be stopped with TLC and plenty of attention, other times you will need to remove the jewelry and let the area heal before attempting to pierce it again. Repiercing does not mean that it wont happen again. Some people are prone to this for whatever reason. Try using a different metal the next time. Repeated piercing and rejection can lead to permanent scarring.
OTHER QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions that are not answered by these instructions, feel free to give the shop a call, stop in, or send an Email!
OPENING HOURS
Monday 11am-4pm
Tues-Wed 11am-6pm
Thurs-Saturday 11am-5pm
Contact Us
PLEASE NOTE
Piercings are currently by appointment only.
ALL minors MUST have a birth certificate and all parents must have a photo I.D.
Tattoos By Appointment.