TATTOO AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS

                                                          AFTER CARE  PLEASE READ!!

            FAILURE TO FOLLOW WILL VOID ANY "FREE TOUCH UP GUARRANTEES"

?The first 24 hrs are the most important for healing a tattoo. Leave the bandage on for at least 2-4 hours and clean in a place you can dispose of the bandage properly or leaving it on overnight works too. Hot water is the key to drawing out all the grease and lymph fluid out of the skin. The first night, next morning, or both. Do a 15 minute hot compress or soak with hot water for a 15 minute period of time. You can use an anti bacterial or soft soap to aid in the cleaning but not really necessary because it tends to dry the skin out. Once you soak the skin it should wipe clean with no effort. The heat will be extra hot to the tattoo so a trick I use is to count to 15. The pain will subside. I usually get to 9 and I'm good. The compress will have to be reheated over and over because it cools quickly. Showers are effective if you place a rag over the tattoo and let the shower run over it. In my opinion a soak is the easiest and most effective. Also if it sticks to any material over night take it into a hot shower and soak it loose. Do not rip or tear it away from the tattoo.The soak/compress should be done the first night before getting into the bed and the next morning when you wake. Although just doing it in the morning is very helpful the first night is good for getting all the grease out that was used during the tattoo and also you will build up the lymph fluid over night while you sleep.

When you do the soak in the morning it's good to release the lymph fluid as well. You will actually be tricking the skin into thinking there is nothing in the skin there for treating the tattoo as a sunburn and flake over. So the first 24 hours your tattoo goes into an excretion phase so the skin can push out all the foreign material. After the 24hr mark the skin goes into a breakdown phase in order repair the area. So soaps and soaking the tattoo after the first 24 hours should not be continued. Nothing other then a 15 minute shower should be use to clean it and do not apply soap directly to the tattoo. The run off soap from showering should be sufficient. Let the tattoo dry for at least an hour before or after the shower/aftercare. So do not trap the shower water with the lotion or visa versa. To much moisture when combined. After you get all the grease out of the skin do not apply any greasy products ( Vaseline, A&D, Bacitracin)and no oils. LET THE TATTOO BREATHE AND DO NOT RE-BANDAGE AFTER THE FIRST 24 hrs. Only a lotion that absorbs all the way and allows the skin to breathe will be needed for aftercare. Aveeno, Jergans, H2Ocean, Coco Butter or something like that. Look for low alcohol base lotion and no fragrance's. In my experience Aveeno and H2Ocean are the best.

Apply the lotion 3-6 times a day so morning, noon, and night and kind of in between. Always Wash your hands before you apply the lotion or touch your tattoo. THE QUICKEST WAY TO INFECTION IS DIRTY HANDS AND DIRTY SHEETS. Long sleeves, pants, and loose shoes are fine if you did the first 24 hours well and the tattoo is not excreting and fluids. Pain toleration for sleeves and shoes are on you but the tattoo should be on it's way to good healing. 

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Recap 
Bandage for at least 2-4 hours or over night to protect it.
Hot water soak/compress and antibacterial soap for the first 24 HOURS ONLY.
Start aftercare after the first 24 hours.
3-6 times a day with the aftercare.
Wash your hands before you apply the lotion or touch the tattoo.
Do not use the lotion an hour before or after a shower. ( to much moisture when mixed.