Story’s tattoo care instructions
Following these instructions to the best of your ability is your best chance for a great looking tattoo.
Pre-Care
For the 7 days leading up to your appointment, please:
- Drink plenty of water each day. The better hydrated you are, the better your skin will respond to the tattoo.
- Avoid prolonged sun exposure in the week leading up to your appointment. This can make the skin tougher to work on, and I cannot tattoo sunburnt skin.
- Try your best to get adequate rest each day. Pulling many all-nighters the week before a tattoo can increase pain levels and swelling.
- Avoid drinking alcohol for the week prior to your tattoo. It also can increase pain levels, swelling and bleeding.
- If possible/applicable, avoid smoking the week prior to your tattoo for the same reasons as above.
- Gently exfoliate the area to be tattooed and apply lotion to the area each night leading up to your appointment, but do not exfoliate or apply lotion on the day of the appointment.
Do your best to follow as much as you can from above. We can still complete the tattoo otherwise, but these steps will make the process much easier/smoother and greatly impact the outcome of the tattoo.
Day-of
For the day of your appointment:
- Please arrive for your session having eaten a full meal. If you have not eaten, we will wait to start your tattoo until you get some food. It is potentially unsafe to get tattooed on an empty stomach.
- I do not recommend drinking coffee prior to a tattoo, as it can make it more difficult to sit still or increase your anxiety. However, I understand that not drinking coffee comes with its own set of problems, so please do what feels best and try to practice moderation if possible!
- I recommend bringing water, snacks, earbuds, your favorite candy, or whatever else (within reason) will make you the most comfortable during your appointment.
- Do not consume any alcohol or cannabis products prior to your tattoo appointment. Cannabis may seem like a good idea, but it can heighten the pain of the tattoo and make it difficult for you to follow important instructions. If you arrive to your appointment under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, I cannot tattoo you.
- Dress comfortably and in something that allows access to the area you’re getting tattooed. If you’re not sure what would be best to wear, don’t hesitate to reach out and I’ll be happy to give you some suggestions!
- Most importantly, come ready to get decorated and have a great time! :)
After-care
In The 2-3 weeks after you receive a tattoo:
- Always wash your hands before touching your tattoo!
- Remove your Saniderm after 3-5 days. Run bandaged tattoo under warm water to loosen adhesive and peel slowly. Do not re-bandage.
- Wash your tattoo with an unscented antibacterial liquid soap. Use only your hands to wash the tattoo.
- Gently pat your tattoo dry with a paper towel. Do not rub, or use a fabric with a rough surface.
- Rub a small amount of unscented ointment or lotion on your tattoo. Always use clean hands. Rub the lotion in so that it is not shiny, or greasy. Pat off any excess ointment with a clean paper towel. Do not use Vaseline, petroleum, Neosporin, or Bag Balm.
- Wash, dry and apply ointment 2-3 times daily, as needed.
- Do not use any cloth bandages or pads, as the fibers of this material can adhere to your open tattoo and hinder the healing process.
- Wear clean, soft clothing over your tattoo for the first 2 weeks – nothing abrasive or irritating.
- After 3 or 4 days, your tattoo will begin to peel. This is normal! Do not pick at the skin. Lotion will help with the itchiness of peeling.
- Use lotion for a minimum of 2 weeks, 1-2 times daily.
- You may ice or elevate your tattoo to reduce swelling and itching.
Things to Avoid:
- Do not pick, scratch, peel, slap, rub or irritate your tattoo.
- You can shower, but you may not soak your tattoo for a minimum of 2 weeks. No swimming, soaking or hot tubbing.
- Do not allow contact between your tattoo and animals during the healing process.
- Limit sun exposure for at least 3 weeks, after that you must use sun block.
- Do not wear abrasive materials, jewelry, or shoes that rub against your tattoo while it’s healing.
- Do not let anyone touch your tattoo, unless necessary and they wash their hands.
- Beware of gym equipment; wash it well before using it.
Signs of infection:
- Signs and symptoms that indicate the need to seek medical care:
- fever especially over 102°F.
- prolonged or severe pain, redness, swelling or tenderness.
- sores that contain or release thick, white or yellow fluid.
- muscle aches and pain affecting the whole body.
- extreme or unquenchable thirst.
- hard, red, raised bumps or wounds.
- red streaks moving towards the heart.
- nausea and vomiting.