How to Take Care of your New tattoo

Congratulations! You are about to receive a Tattoo by a trained Professional who will cleaned and disinfected the area to be tattooed and use sterile needles and instruments. Remember while your tattoo is healing it is a direct line into your bloodstream. You can contract any communicable disease or cold through your new tattoo.

1. Bandage should stay on for 2 hours at least. During this time if your bandage is leaking clean it immediately and wash your hands. This is to prevent cross contaminations.

2. Remove bandage, rinse gently with your CLEAN hands and cold water & soap, and blot dry. Any rubbing will damage your new tattoo.

3. Apply Bag Balm as many times a day as possible to keep tattoo moist. Your tattoo will not be guaranteed if you do not use Bag Balm unless otherwise directed by your tattoo artist or your doctor. A small percentage of the population are allergic to sulfate and may react to the Bag Balm in this case consult your doctor. Only use clean new Bag Balm with clean hands. *

4. For the first week you must keep your new tattoo covered at all times. With clean hands rub clean Bag Balm into the tattoo (a thin layer) and bandage with plastic wrap.* You should change the bandage at least twice a day, Once in the Morning before work. When you get home clean and wash and let your tattoo get some air in between changes as long as there is no risk of it getting dirty. Any infection will boil out the ink. Before Bedtime reapply bag balm and plastic wrap.

5. For the first week avoid swimming and long soaks in water. The water will soak out your ink. There is also the risk of infection from pools, lakes ponds etc.

6. For the first month avoid exposure to the sun.

7. Do not pick scabs. If you pick scabs the ink will come off with the scabs, especially with heavy scabbing. You should notice pealing in a few days like sunburned skin, this is normal .

8. Itching can be relieved by washing your tattoo every 2 hrs, changing the Bag Balm then re-bandage the tattoo.

9. Clothing must be loose around the tattoo or it will rub off and remove the color. Do not shave the area of the tattoo until there are no scabs.

10. Cement workers must keep covered due to arsenic poisoning use in cement.

11.When you get home put clean sheets on your bed and pillow case every other day.

*Some people are allergic to the plastic wrap. Please report any rashes.

*Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as ‘staph’ , are bacteria healthy people can carry on the skin or in the nose. Staph bacteria commonly cause skin infections. Most of these are minor, appearing as pimples and boils and are treated without antibiotics. How can I prevent staph skin infections? Good hygiene helps prevent staph . 1. Keep hands clean by washing with antibacterial hand soap and water. 2. Keep all wounds clean and covered with a proper dressing [bandage] until healed. 3. Avoid contact with other peoples wounda or material contaminated by wounds. How is staph treated? Several antibiotics can be used to treat most staph infections. If antibiotics are prescribed the patient should complete full course and call their doctor if it does not improve. [Information provided by Center for Disease Control and Prevention Dec 17 2003.

These are helpful hints that will help you get the best results out of your tattoo. Take care of it, it will last forever. You get a free touch up in 3 months. Please come in and let your artist see it and take a healed picture of it in 3 months. This helps us improve our work and show of yours. [Your tattoo will not be guaranteed if you do not come in for your for your check up and touch up.]

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