Aftercare

Tattoo

Clear Film Bandage Aftercare

Leave the wrap on for 3-5 days, as directed by your tattoo artist.
Make sure your hands are cleaned thoroughly before removing the bandage and cleaning your tattoo.
If redness occurs outside of the tattoo bandage, take the bandage off immediately and discontinue use.
Remove the bandage in the shower or over a sink. Peel a corner of the bandage back SLOWLY. Stretch the bandage diagonally with the skin (like a command strip). TAKE YOUR TIME. Do not rip it off quickly.
Once the bandage is removed, clean and wash the tattoo and surrounding area with antibacterial unscented soap and water. Use just your fingers to clean the area (no loofas or wash cloths). Rinse the tattoo and surrounding area with cool water. Keep your tattoo out of the direct spray of the shower head or faucet.
Before applying any aftercare, allow the tattoo to air dry for 3-5 minutes, then dab the excess residue with a clean, wet paper towel. Then, pat your tattoo dry with a clean dry paper towel. Be CAREFUL not to rub the tattoo.
If you needed to take off the bandage before the 3-5 day mark:
1. Apply a thin coat of tattoo balm (InkAura) or antibacterial ointment (Aquaphor, Bacitracin, A&D) to the tattoo. Dab off any excess ointment. You should NOT look overly shiny or goopy (thin layer like Chapstick).
2. Clean and apply a new coat of tattoo balm or ointment 3-4 times a day for the next 3-4 days.
If you got all 3-5 days of heal time with your bandage:
1. Apply an unscented lotion (InkAura, Lubriderm, Jergens, Eucerin) to the tattoo.
2. Clean the tattoo and surrounding area with soap and water 3-4 times a day for the first 3-4 days that the bandage is off.
3. Apply lotion 6-8 times per day (approximately every 1-2 hours). The lotion should be applied at least 2 times before the next cleaning.
Apply lotion to your tattoo regularly for the next 2 weeks. Keep your tattoo clean and moisturized.
During the healing process, your tattoo will peal or flake, similar to a sunburn. DO NOT pick, itch, or scratch at these flakes. When you clean your tattoo, some of these flakes will come off.
Wear loose fitting clothing around the tattooed area to reduce the amount of times the tattoo is rubbed against.
Tattoos generally take 14 days to heal on the outer skin, and 6-8 weeks to heal entirely. This varies from person to person and from tattoo to tattoo.
If you still have concerns about what to do, please email your artist! We are here to help!

What happens if I get an ink sack?

Most ink sacks are normal. You are healing in your own plasma, so it's to be expected that you will have some bodily fluids sloshing around under your bandage. It will not harm your tattoo.
You should only be concerned about an ink sack if it leaking or about to burst. If your ink sack does not look like it will make it another day/night, please contact us via email with a photo of the tattoo/bandage.

Tattoo Touch Ups Policy
After your tattoo is healed, contact your artist with any questions regarding a touch up. If a touch up is needed there is no charge within the first 6 months of receiving a tattoo. NOT ALL TATTOOS NEED A TOUCH UP. A touch up is NOT a color "refresh," additions or changes to your existing tattoo, recoloring your piece, adding a new tattoo on top of or next to your existing piece, making black "blacker" or white "whiter" in your tattoo. If your new tattoo has been severely damaged (by yourself, your child, your line of work, a pet, risky behaviors, cuts/scrapes, etc.) you may not be entitled to a free touch up.

Reasons you may need a touch up include:

A portion of your tattoo's linework is faded or inconsistent.
The color in your tattoo looks washed out or "patchy."
Your tattoo scabbed over and is missing a spot where the ink used to be.
A follow-up appointment was requested by your tattoo artist.

Our studio is sponsored by InkAura, and we recommend using their products for the aftercare process. InkAura products can be purchased from EpiQue Tattoo Supply.