How your tattoo heals is completely up to you. To ensure that your tattoo looks good for long after your tattoo is done, you may follow these instructions:

NEVER ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO TOUCH YOUR FRESH TATTOO AND ONLY TOUCH YOUR OWN TATTOO AFTER COMPLETELY WASHING AND RINSING YOUR HANDS.

1. WASHING AND RINSING: If you have a bandage, remove is after 4-5 hours. Completely wash and rinse any blood/plasma from your fresh tattoo. Use only your clean hands and warm soapy water. Rinse until the “slimy feeling” is gone. Your tattoo will feel sore like a sunburn. Make sure you apply gentle pressure when lathering to remove that layer of plasma. This is important the first night following into the next morning.

2. APPLYING OINTMENT: Pat dry with a clean towel and allow to air dry completely. With your clean fingers, apply a very small amount of ointment by gently massaging the ointment into the tattoo until it’s in the skin. The idea here is to moisten the skin to keep the healing tattoo from drying and cracking. It is important to allow oxygen to get at your skin and not suffocate your tattoo under a heavy layer of ointment. Too much ointment may clog the pores and can also attract unwanted dust and debris. Think “less is more.” Repeat this process 2-3 times per day up to a week, washing your hands and tattoo completely to remove old ointment before applying a new layer. You may consider switching to unscented lotion after the first week or so and apply as needed with clean hands.

3. PEELING AND HEALING: A healed tattoo is in the permanent layers of your skin. You will see color come out on your clothing and/or sheets and also in the peeling skin. If cared for properly, your peeling skin may resemble that or a peeling sunburn with flakes of color in it. You may notice peeling within the first 3-4 days and take up to 2 weeks to completely peel depending on the layering of the tattoo, pigment, and your body’s natural ability to heal. Your tattooed skin underneath the peeling layer will be shiny and wrinkly like cellophane. This is a fine layer of scar tissue. Although your tattoo is healed on the surface, your body is still healing the tattoo to return the skin to a normal state. This wrinkly layer will disappear over time. When first healed, the fine scar tissue over the tattoo is very delicate and easily damaged. Continue to be easy on the are for a month or so.

-DO NOT: PICK OR SCRATCH YOUR TATTOO

-DO NOT: SHAVE OVER OR CLOSE TO YOUR TATTOO UNTIL COMPLETELY HEALED

-DO NOT: SOAK YOUR TATTOO IN A POOL, BATH OR OTHERWISE UNTIL COMPLETELY HEALED. RUNNING WATER LIKE A SHOWER IS FINE.

-DO NOT: USE A WASHCLOTH ON YOUR TATTOO WHEN WASHING OR SHOWERING. ONLY USE YOUR CLEAN, LATHERED HANDS.

-DO NOT: EXPOSE YOUR FRESH TATTOOED SKIN TO SUN DURING THE HEALING PROCESS

-DO NOT: ALLOW YOUR TATTOO TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANY DIRTY AND POTENTIALLY BACTERIA COVERED SURFACES SUCH AS COUNTERTOPS, DOORKNOBS, STEERING WHEELS, GYM EQUIPMENT, FLOOR MATS, ETC...ANY SURFACE CAN BE CONTAMINATED AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE INFECTION. USE CAUTION AND ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR TATTOOER WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS DURING THE HEALING PROCESS.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SIGNS OF A POTENTIAL INFECTION INCLUDING A FEVER, DRAINAGE FROM THE PROCEDURE AREA THAT SMELLS OR CONTAINS PUS, OR STREAKS RUNNING TOWARD YOUR HEART FROM YOUR TATTOO, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

Shoreline Tattoo, 161 E Main St., Tuckerton, NJ 08087 :: (609) 334-4386