AFTERCARE

we recommend UNSCENTED ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP and BUTTERLUXE AFTERCARE BALM

DO'S

-Leave the cling film on about an hour, or until you get to a clean environment in which to wash your new tattoo.

-Take the cling film off, and rinse your tattoo in warm runnung water

-Wash your hands, then gently lather your tattoo with unscented, anti-bacterial soap

-After lathering your tattoo, rinse it with warm water, and either pat it dry with clean kitchen roll, or let the air dry it. Do not use your hand towel.

-Use a very small amount of aftercare cream. You want just enough to moisturise the tattoo, but not so much that the air can’t get to it. We use the motto “shiny not slimy”.

-We recommend using only Butterluxe, After Inked or Tattoo Goo as aftercare for your tattoo. Please avoid using products such as Bepanthen, Sudocrem or Germolene as they are too strong and/or contain steroids, and are likely to pull ink out.

-Do not re-cover your tattoo. Once you take the cling film off, it is important to let the air get to the tattoo.

-Do this three or four times a day for a week, or when you think you may have got it dirty or sweaty.

-With the exception of cleaning your tattoo, please leave it alone.

DONT'S

-DO NOT pick or scratch your tattoo while it's healing. Scabbing is a normal part of the healing process but picking scabs off prematurely will result in ink being pulled out.

-DO NOT use any product other than the ones we recommend.

- DO NOT share after-care products with anyone else.

-DO NOT submerge your tattoo in water (bath, sauna, swimming pool etc) until the tattoo is fully healed. Showering is fine, try and avoid getting shampoo or shower gel in your tattoo. If you do, don’t panic, just give it a nice long rinse with warm water

-DO NOT use bubble bath, shower gel or attempt to cleanse or tone your new tattoo until fully healed.

-DO NOT wax your tattoo area until fully healed

-DO NOT sunbathe, use a tanning bed or otherwise expose your tattoo to sunlight while your tattoo is healing. When the tattoo IS fully healed, always use factor 50+ on the tattoo to stop it fading.

-DO NOT let any household pets attempt to lick the tattoo. If your pets sleep in your bed with you, please wash your bedsheets and refrain from letting them sleep in your bed until fully healed.

-DO NOT wear clothing/jewellery that will excessively rub on the tattooed area.

-DO NOT TAKE YOUR FRIENDS' ADVICE!!!! If you are worried about how your tattoo is healing, please call us or come in to the studio. No question is stupid and we will always take the time to talk to you, put your mind at rest and give you the best professional advice available. We are professionals, we have been doing this all day every day for an extremely long time, your friends have not!

GENERAL ADVICE

-A little bit of bleeding, weeping, swelling, and bruising is normal within the first 48 hours of getting tattooed. If the swelling bothers you, try to keep the area raised when possible. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory as well as a pain killer that will help. Please only take this if you do not have an allergy!!

-The tattoo will scab, look shiny and patchy while your tattoo heals. It goes through several stages of healing which can look quite worrying, especially if you've never been tattooed before. Try not to worry, 99% of the time the tattoo heals fine, If it doesn't, we offer a free touch-up service provided our after-care instructions have been followed exactly.

-Black and grey tattoos will look quite dark and have a brown tint to them to begin with. This is just where your skin is sore underneath. When healed, the tattoo will lighten up and gain a more silver tone to it.

-During the first few nights after getting tattooed, we recommend you sleep in an old, clean item of clothing. When the tattoo is healing there is a risk of getting 'stuck' to any surrounding material. If you wake up stuck to an item of clothing, get in a shower with the clothing still on and the water will help separate it from the skin.

-We recommend staying away from dirty/dusty environments while your tattoo is healing. If this is not a possibility (for work etc), we recommend keeping it covered with loose clothing, and getting a thin pair of tights, cutting them either end at a size that will cover your tattoo, and wearing that while you are in the environment. Wear it ONLY while you are working, and immediately when your finish, take them off and do the hot/cold wash. DO NOT use the same section of tights twice- if you need to do it again use a clean piece.

-Any tattoo below the knee has a tendency to take a little longer to heal than tattoos anywhere else on the body.

TOUCH UPS- On the rare occasions in which a touch up is necessary, we offer a free touch-up session providing you have looked after the tattoo according to our exact instructions, and you come to see us within 3 months of being tattooed