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Dry-Healing
After-Care Instructions
I am a true believer in "DRY HEALING". It isn't the choice
of the majority of artists (yet), but it has been proven by some
very respected and renouned artists to be safer, quicker, and the
better choice in tattoo aftercare; I agree with them. I have tested
it many times on both myself and my clients and it has always given
fantastic results. If you choose to go the old-fashioned/standard
aftercare route, that is your choice, but it is not my choice for
you and I don't stand by the healing of those instructions. That
being said, following are the DRY HEALING aftercare instructions.
-The day of receiving
your tattoo, leave the bandage on for 6 hours. Remove carefully
- if stuck, use warm water to loosen. Wash gently with a mild antibacterial
soap and rinse clean - then rinse with cool water to help close
pores and comfort stinging. Pat dry with a clean towel. Air dry
for five minutes. Apply a VERY THIN coat of A&D Cream
(not ointment).
-For the first 48 hours, wash
the area 3 or more (up to 7) times a day very gently with warm water
and a mild antibacterial soap. Rinse well. Pat dry with a clean
towel. Apply NOTHING AT ALL.
-For the next week and
a half, keep showers quick and make sure all soap is rinsed off
your tattoo; just because I want you to wash it quite a bit, doesn't
mean I want you to let it get soaked which softens the scab and
causes it to thicken and deep seat itself. Do not bath or swim.
Do not shave the area until FULLY healed (three weeks minimum).
-If something "not
so clean" comes into contact with your new tattoo (eg: a dog
tongue - flying meatball - alien probing device), wash immediately
with mild antibacterial soap and pat dry.
- AFTER the first 48
hours, if the area starts to feel uncomfortably
dry and tight, you can apply a very small amount of unscented
Curel, but if you can tolerate going without,
go without.
-Keep your tattoo out
of the sun. After it has healed, always use sunscreen; it will help
keep your colors vibrant.
-Wear light/soft/ loose
clothing around the area of your tattoo during the healing process
(if possible - letting the air at it is always best).
-Clean bedding/sheets
the night of having a new tattoo. Be aware that there may be slight
staining of the fabric(A&D/fluids/ink), so use sheets you don't
care about or a protective soft, clean towel or similar in the general
area of your tattoo.
-As the area heals more
over the next few days, you can feel freer to apply a LITTLE Curel
to relieve tightness and care for the skin. NEVER saturate the area
with lotion - use VERY VERY sparingly. The less you put on the area
during healing, the better and the faster it will heal.
-Your new tattoo will
form a very light scab over the first few days - this is normal.
DO NOT pick, rub, scratch at your new tattoo EVER!!!! no matter
how itchy it is. The removal of scab before it is ready will damage
the tattoo, cause pigment loss, cause scarring, or even cause infection.
With "dry healing" you will notice that the thin "flakey"
scab may remain present for up to two weeks - this is also normal.
Leave it alone, it is actually protecting the soft milk scab beneath
and it will flake off when it is ready.
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