-Drink lots of water.

-Protect yourself from sunburns. Wear sunblock or cover the tattoo area with clothing.

-Eat a solid meal within a few hours before your appointment.

-Shower and practice good hygiene.

-Do not consume alcohol within 8 hours of your appointment.

-Get a good night’s sleep.

-Wear comfy clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty.

-Bring snacks, drinks, clothing changes, pillows, or any other comforts you may need.

-Keep your inital bandage on for up to 4 hours.

-Wash the area thoroughly with only your hands, warm water, and a liquid antibacterial soap immediately after your bandage is removed.

-Pat dry with paper towels or air dry.

-Continue to wash your tattoo 2 - 3 times a day.

-Begin using an unscented water-based lotion after the first 24 hours. Use small amounts. Apply when the tattoo is feeling dry, tight, or itchy.

-Do not touch, pick, or scratch the tattoo while it is peeling. Linework tattoos will heal like a cat scratch while color tattoos will peel like a sunburn.

-Do not get into any tubs, pools, or bodies of water for 2 - 4 weeks or until the top layer of skin is healed.

-Avoid sun exposure for the first 2 - 4 weeks.

-Avoid tight clothing and allow your tattoo to get lots of air.

-Wait until the top layer of skin is healed completely before shaving.

-Tattoos are essentially a skin abrasion. Treat a healing tattoo like you would a wound and don’t do anything to them that you wouldn’t do to a cut or scrape.

-Please email me any questions or concerns you may have about how your tattoo is healing.

-Keep your tattoo wrapped with cling wrap for 12 hours after your appointment, or until the next morning.

-Change wrappings every 4 hours. Wash thoroughly before and after every wrapping. Use clean hands and make sure all fluid build-up is being removed from the tattoo. Allow the tattoo to dry completely for up to 30 minutes between wraps.

-After the first 12 hours, start to follow the traditional aftercare above.

-Be mindful to keep color tattoos extra clean for the first few days. This is to avoid fluid build-up and crystallization.

-Color tattoos peel and flake significantly more than other types of tattoos. Small amounts of scabbing can appear. Do not pick at any of this and allow the dead skin to fall off by itself. You will see the majority of it come off in the shower, on clothing, and bed sheets.

-While peeling, color tattoos can feel exceptionally tight and itchy. Lotion as needed to keep it feeling comfy.

-I like seeing in-progress photos of my color work healing. It keeps me in check and allows me to make sure I’m performing my job correctly. Feel free to send photos to me on Instagram or through email.

-Second Skin (Sandiderm, Tegaderm , Derm Shield, etc.) is a clear film that you will leave on your tattoo for 3 - 5 days. While this is on your tattoo, you do not need to complete any aftercare.

-Watch for any redness or irritation on the edges of the wrap. If you see this, you may be having a reaction to the adhesive. If this occurs, take the wrap off and follow the traditional aftercare above.

-Fluid build-up underneath these wraps is normal and will appear brown or black. Try not to squish or mess with any bubbles of fluid that form.

-Watch for any fluid leaking out from underneath the wrap. If this seal is broken, it is no longer sterile. Take the wrap off and follow the traditional aftercare above.

-If the wrapping is uncomfortable or simply not to your liking, take it off at any time.

-To easily remove the wrapping, run it under warm water in the shower or under a tap.

-Follow the traditional aftercare instructions above once the wrapping is removed.

-Please email me any questions or concerns you may have about how your tattoo is healing.

-The top layer of skin on your tattoo will heal in 2-4 weeks.

-The skin underneath your tattoo will take several months to heal.

-Your tattoo may look dull, dry, or “silver” in the first few months of having it. Moisturize as needed to keep it looking bright.

-Avoid over-moisturizing. This can cause rashes, pimples, and scarring and is the most common problem I’m asked about.

-Ingrown hairs on and around the tattoo are normal. Do not mess with them.

-Avoid excessive sun exposure and apply sunblock to your tattoos to keep them looking bright and clear.

-Touch-ups should be done within the first year of the tattoo’s life. This will help avoid any visible aging differences in the pigments.

-As tattoos age and settle, lines will thicken. Significant weight gain or loss can cause stretching and movement.

I will continue to update this section as I find new, helpful articles from reliable sources.

- A Healthline article that covers all basic healing info
- An AAD article that covers basic healing habits
- An AAD article about skin reactions to tattoos
- FDA warning about unregulated topical numbing products
- A SciShow video about antibiotic resistance