Tattoo Aftercare

Your new tattoo has been covered with protective ointment and a bandage to allow your body to absorb the applied pigment, to lessen the discharge of blood and plasma, and to protect your newly tattooed skin. You MUST leave your bandage on, UNDISTURBED, for a minimum of six (6) hours, although it may be left on for up to 24 hours. This means that you must NOT take your bandage off to look at or to show it to anyone until at least six (6) hours have elapsed. By prematurely breaking the “seal” we’ve made with the protective ointment and bandage, you’ll be allowing oxygen to come in contact with the seepage of blood/plasma. This will undoubtedly cause it to dry and harden on the skin’s surface, creating excessive scabbing and resulting in the loss of color and shading.

Lightly soak your bandage with warm water when removing it to prevent it from sticking to your skin. We shouldn’t have to say this but: NEVER touch your tattoo with dirty hands! After removing the bandage, wash your tattoo with warm soapy water, using only your fingertips, to wash away all the protective ointment and surface blood/plasma, and to prevent the formation of a scab. Make sure to rinse and dry the area thoroughly. Clean your tattoo three (3) times daily until healed. (Normal healing time is 15-20 days.) DO NOT REBANDAGE YOUR TATTOO!

Hand lotion appears to be the best product available for aftercare use. It should be applied with clean hands 3-6 times daily, especially after each time you wash your new tattoo. Don’t let your tattoo dry out, and don’t over-applylotion (the area should be ‘moist’, neither dry nor greasy). We like CUREL hand lotion because CUREL is glycerin-based, it allows newly applied tattoos to “breathe” and heal much faster than any other product available. Mineral oil-based products clog the skin’s pores and do not allow the skin to breathe effectively.

DO NOT use antibiotic ointments or take oral antibiotics unless prescribed by your physician. Many people have allergic reactions to antibiotics and the ointments (ALL mineral oil-based) prevent oxygen, a natural healing agent, from reaching the skin’s surface.

FOR THE FIRST TWO(2) WEEKS:
DO NOT

Expose your tattoo to sunlight and/or ultraviolet (UV) rays;
Shave over the tattooed area until it is fully healed;
Pick or scratch any scaling or peeling that may occur;
Windburn your tattoo;
Allow elastic from under-garments to come into contact with your new tattoo;
Allow direct contact with pantyhose; or
Soak in water (i.e., hot tub, bathtub, swimming pool, etc.).

FOR THE FIRST TWO(2) WEEKS:
DO NOT

After your tattoo has healed, you’ll experience some loss of color intensity. This is normal and will vary depending on both the aftercare it receives and your skin color. Your tattoo is under the top layer of skin -- to keep the colors vibrant, keep your tattoo out of the sun. At the very least, apply a sunblock -- at minimum SPF 15 -- several times throughout the day.

TRY THIS! During the healing process, eat a nutritious diet and take a vitamin/mineral supplement to help your body heal more quickly.

You’ve been tattooed in a modern studio by highly trained professionals who adhere to strict standards of proper sterile procedures and application, BUT once the tattoo is completed, it’s up to YOU to care for it properly! If you conscientiously attend to aftercare, problems with healing will be minimized. Follow the guidelines above carefully and your new tattoo will heal somewhat like sunburn, with the top layer of skin peeling off after about 3-4 days. If you experience any problems while healing, we’ll be happy to help any way we can. However, please understand that we’re not physicians and we can only offer suggestions based upon our years of experience. If you have any questions regarding your newly applied tattoo, please feel free to call us (925/685-4221) or stop by (1950 Concord Ave, Suite 202 (upstairs), in Concord).

REMEMBER… most problems with healing are caused by:

Removing your bandage too soon.	Applying improper amounts of lotion
Using lotions or ointments we’ve not recommended.	Soaking in a hot tub, swimming pool or bathtub.
Exposing the tattoo to UV rays and/or wind.	Cleansing your tattoo improperly or infrequently.

For people that like to use emu oil.

For tattoos:
Apply emu oil after new artwork is cleaned to relieve discomfort and reduce inflammation and redness. Emu oil will help set colors and reduce plasma oozing. Using emu oil 2-3 times daily on clean area will help keep artwork moist and reduces or eliminates the flaking and/or scabbing that often occurs.

All tattoos and art are Copyright © 2001-2007 Blue Star Tattoos Inc. All tattoos and piercings displayed on this website were done by Blue Star staff.
Web Design and Graphics © 2001-2007 lubelle/Darrin.
You may not reproduce or use anything on this site without our permission.