1) Your artist has applied a thin layer of ointment and then a bandage: either a cling wrap, a black bandage, or a clear transparent dressing bandage.

2) If your artist has used cling wrap or a black bandage you will keep it on until the morning. If your artist has used a transparent dressing you will keep it on for a maximum of 3 days.

3) Do not wash a fresh tattoo because it will take longer to heal. A moist wound heals faster than a dry one. Keep a small amount of ointment (petroleum) or aftercare lotion such as After Inked or Hustle Butter or ointment and keep it covered for a few days to prevent rubbing your tattoo as protection, especially sleeping. If your tattoo is not hurting or looks smooth in 3 days switch to a lotion for a few days more.

4) If your artist used a transparent bandage you can shower with it on but don’t wash it. After a few days your tattoo will shed a very thin layer of cells to look as if ink is falling off or not readable. After the 3-4 days you will remove the bandage in a warm shower. If the bandage starts to peel before the 3-4 days and the tattoo is no longer covered apply ointment or aftercare lotion and re-bandage. Keep it safe from clothes.

5) Complications and infections are rare in tattoo. From the tattooist side, NYC Dept of Health acknowledges that tattooing is not a public health problem when performed by licensed tattooists wearing  new gloves, new needles and following universal precautions.

6) If the area remains red, swollen, hurts or looks unusual to you after 3 days, be safe, repeatedly dab the area with alcohol and consult your personal care provider.

7) If a tattoo accidentally dries out it may form a scab. Your body produces a scab to protect the injured skin beneath. Keep the area moist and safe until new cells grow beneath the scab and cause it to fall off on its own.
Sourced from: Infection Control in the Community
by Jean Lawrence and Dee May.

How to take care of your new piercing without disrupting your whole life.

First: ALWAYS wash your hands or wear rubber gloves before touching (use Latex - or Nitrile if you have a latex allergy.)

Moving a new piercing may hurt, but start regularly moving it (pushing/pulling, rotating) your jewelry to prevent it sticking inside. Use a dash of your currently tolerated body lotion if you have trouble moving it. If you don’t move the jewelry every day you will have trouble. Move it. Move it. Move it.

Cover it with a jumbo band-aid to avoid accidents (especially nipples) as they will hurt a lot when jostled. Do not wear anything tight over piercings.

Piercings near hair: move the bar just a bit so that hairs do not wrap around the bar.

AFTERCARE

Most piercings need 2 things:

1. A non-harsh soap currently tolerated.

2. Saline spray (or) a pinch of sea salt in drinkable water.

3. Mouth rinse if it’s an oral piercing. After eating anything rinse with a non-antibacterial, non-alcohol because they disrupt your mouth bacteria.

Clean your new piercing 2 times per day. Use extra moisturizer if piercing is dry. Keep the surrounding skin moist.

Cleaning when not in the shower: use a Q-tip with liquid soap to remove any “dry” matter with warm water.

Cleaning in the shower: using liquid soap, clean the bar and any ornament and surrounding area. Move the jewelry back and forth. Rinse away all soap. Apply a little moisturizer on the skin.

Oral Piercing Aftercare

For the next 4 weeks:

Anytime you eat drink, kiss, smoke, or put anything in your mouth you must rinse. On the external side of a Labret, Monroe, or nose piercing you can treat as a regular piercing.

Do not: Take your jewelry out to clean it.

Do not: Swim in chlorinated water.

After three or four days if your piercing is very red, liquid is coming out, or hurts a lot consult your health care provider immediately.