Aftercare instructions

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Proper aftercare is essential to keeping your tattoo vibrant and preventing infection. Follow these daily steps to ensure a smooth healing process.

Step 1: The First Few Hours

Leave the bandage on for the amount of time specified by your artist (typically 2–4 hours for standard wrap, or 3–5 days for protective adhesive film like SecondSkin/Saniderm).

Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap before touching your fresh tattoo.

Step 2: Washing & Drying

Gently wash the area using lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free antibacterial liquid soap (e.g., Dial Gold). Use only clean fingertips—never a washcloth, loofah, or sponge.

Rinse away all plasma, ointment, and excess ink.

Pat dry with a clean paper towel. Do not rub, and avoid reusable cloth towels that can harbor bacteria.

Let it air-dry for 10–15 minutes before applying any product.

Step 3: Moisturizing & Maintenance (Days 2–14)

Apply a very thin layer of the cream or ointment recommended by your artist.

Less is more: your skin needs to breathe. If the tattoo looks glossy or wet, you have applied too much—blot off the excess with a clean paper towel.

Repeat washing and lightly moisturizing 2 to 3 times daily until peeling is complete.

Once peeling stops, switch to a fragrance-free daily lotion (like Lubriderm or Aveeno) until the skin fully settles.

Crucial Healing Rules

Do NOT pick, scratch, or peel flaking skin or scabs. Let them shed naturally to avoid pulling out ink or causing scars.

No soaking: Avoid baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, lakes, and oceans for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Quick showers are fine.

Keep out of direct sunlight: Avoid sun exposure and tanning beds during healing. Once fully healed, apply SPF 50+ sunscreen regularly to maintain vibrancy.

Wear loose, breathable clothing over the area to prevent friction and irritation.

Every Body Heals Differently

Proper daily care is essential for a smooth healing process. Follow these guidelines to keep your new piercing clean and healthy.

Daily Cleaning Routine

Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and warm water before touching your piercing or the surrounding area.

Cleaning: Apply witch hazel to a clean cotton swab or pad to gently clean around the entry and exit holes of the piercing, removing any crust or buildup.

Preventing Bumps & Irritation: To help soothe the area and ward off piercing bumps or irritation, apply a very small, diluted amount of tea tree oil around the area as directed by your piercer.

Rinse & Dry: Rinse off any excess residue with clean water and gently pat the area dry with a clean paper towel. Never use cloth towels, as they harbor bacteria and can snag on jewelry.

Crucial Rules for Healing

LITHA (Leave It The Hell Alone): Do not twist, turn, rotate, or slide the jewelry through the piercing. Movement damages healing tissue and leads to irritation bumps.

No submerging: Avoid pools, hot tubs, lakes, and baths until fully healed. Showers are safe.

Avoid sleeping on it: Sleeping on a fresh piercing puts uneven pressure on the jewelry, causing migration, angle shifts, and bumps. (A travel pillow or donut pillow works wonders).

Do not change jewelry prematurely: Keep the initial jewelry in place for the full healing period unless downsizing is required by your piercer.

Oral piercings (such as tongue, lip, labret, and smiley piercings) heal relatively quickly, but they require strict daily hygiene since the mouth naturally harbors bacteria. Follow these guidelines to ensure proper healing and protect your teeth and gums.

Inside the Mouth (Oral Hygiene)

Rinse after eating and drinking: Use an alcohol-free, antibacterial mouthwash (or a mild sterile saline rinse) for 30–60 seconds after every meal, snack, or non-water beverage.

Do not overuse mouthwash: Limit standard mouthwash rinses to 3–4 times daily. Over-rinsing can cause oral thrush (a harmless but uncomfortable white coating on the tongue). For quick rinses between meals, plain bottled or tap water works great.

Brush gently: Use a new, soft-bristle toothbrush to minimize introducing old bacteria. Brush twice daily, being extremely careful around the jewelry to avoid snagging or irritating the tissue.

Outside the Mouth (For Lips, Labrets, & Cheeks)

Clean the exterior side 2 times a day with sterile 0.9% saline spray or a gentle piercing wash.

Gently pat the outside dry with a clean paper towel. Do not pick off "crusties" with bare fingers—soften them with water or saline first.

Managing Swelling & Discomfort (First 3–7 Days)

Cold helps: Let clean ice chips melt in your mouth, drink cold water, or use an ice pack wrapped in a clean paper towel on the outside of your face to reduce swelling.

Sleep elevated: Keep your head propped up on an extra pillow for the first few nights to prevent excess fluid buildup.

Stick to soft foods: Eat smooth, cool-to-warm foods (smoothies, yogurt, mashed potatoes, pasta) for the first few days. Avoid hot soups, spicy foods, and crunchy chips that can poke the wound.

What to Avoid During Healing

No oral contact: Avoid kissing, oral sexual activity, and sharing cups/utensils for the duration of the initial healing period.

Avoid alcohol and tobacco: Smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, and alcohol irritate the healing wound, delay tissue repair, and increase swelling.

Stop playing with the jewelry: Do not click the jewelry against your teeth or bite down on it. This causes chipped teeth and permanent gum recession.

No swimming: Avoid submerging your face in lakes, pools, and hot tubs.

Tattoos: Surface skin heals in 3 to 12 weeks; deeper layers take 3–4 months to settle fully.

Ear Lobes: 6–8 weeks.

Cartilage (Helix, Tragus, Conch, Daith): 6–12 months.

Nose / Nostril: 4–6 months; Septum: 6–8 weeks.

Oral (Tongue, Lip): 6–8 weeks for initial healing.

Navel & Nipples: 6–12 months

To keep your tattoos looking sharp and your piercings healing at proper angles, we offer professional maintenance and adjustment services at the shop.

Tattoo Touch-Up Policy

Touch-ups are not free. Fresh setups, needles, and medical-grade supplies are required for every session.

Pricing starts at $80 and increases based on the overall size of the design and the amount of detail or recoloring required.

Timing: We recommend waiting at least 4 to 6 weeks before booking a touch-up to ensure your skin has fully settled underneath the surface.

Piercing Downsizing & Jewelry Changes

Downsizing is essential: Most initial piercings are fitted with a longer post to allow room for natural swelling. Once swelling goes down, switching to a shorter bar prevents crooked healing, snags, and irritation bumps.

Service Fee: Any jewelry downsize, swap, or insertion carries a flat $20 service fee.

Jewelry Pricing: High-grade jewelry starts at $15 and goes up depending on your choice of material, style, and decorative tops/gems.

Total Cost: Service Fee ($20) + Selected Jewelry Price (Starts at $15+).

Pets: Keep household pets away from fresh tattoos and piercings. Pet dander, saliva, and fur on bedding are top causes of acute infections.

Gym & Exercise: Avoid heavy sweat, friction from tight workout clothes, and gym equipment touching bare healing skin. Always clean the area immediately post-workout.

Bedding & Hygiene: Switch to fresh, clean bed sheets and pillowcases on the day of your appointment.

The aftercare guidelines provided are based on professional body art experience. We are body artists, not medical doctors. If you suspect an infection or experience severe symptoms, contact a healthcare professional immediately.