Aftercare is integral to safe and effective healing of your tattoo. After you leave Living Lore Tattoo, it is your responsibility to take proper care of your tattoo! Tattoos are open wounds, and the possibility of infection is never zero. At Living Lore, cross contamination protocol and hygiene are of utmost importance, and we do our best to educate our clients on how to properly care for their tattoos at home. Follow the following guidelines as strictly as possible to ensure your tattoo heals properly.

After the tattoo session is finished, your tattoo will be covered by either a second-skin bandage or a black or blue dri-lock bandage.

Adhesive bandages (Recovery Tattoo-Derm) are designed to protect your tattoo from dirt, germs, friction, and moisture. They are breathable yet waterproof, so you can shower with them on. They also allow you to show off your new tattoo without danger of contamination.

Leave the adhesive bandage on overnight. It can stay in place for 12-48 hours as long as the adhesive seal remains intact and there is no excessive fluid build-up (pooling) under the surface. Small to medium pools of fluid are fine, but large amounts that put pressure on the bandage or cause leaking are not. If you experience any adverse reaction, or if you find the adhesive bandage irritating, hot, or bothersome, remove it immediately, wash your tattoo, and proceed with general aftercare.

To remove your adhesive bandage, place it under warm running water, peel it back slowly from an edge or corner, parallel with your skin, and not away from your body. Avoid stretching your skin as you do this. Follow up with the general aftercare instructions below.

When you get home, remove your dri-lock bandage, and wash your tattoo. Start with the general aftercare instructions below.

Usually one bandage application is sufficient to seal in your body's own skin rebuilding mechanisms and reduce environmental irritation to expedite the healing process. If further protection is required for special circumstances (such as regular exposure to infectious, abrasive, or caustic substances), please ask about options for additional coverage.

For the first day your tattoo may ooze bit (usually a mix of plasma and ink) and may stain anything it comes in contact with like clothing and bed linens.

Wash your tattoo gently with clean hands and a mild soap (Dial, Dove, aftercare specific soap, etc). Soaps with a strong fragrance may irritate a new tattoo. Pat your tattoo dry with a paper towel. On the first day, after washing you can apply a layer of a tattoo aftercare product or a thin layer of Aquaphore. Overuse of petroleum products can suffocate the tattoo or clog pores.

Repeat your washing and moisturizing routine about three times a day, or if the tattoo was exposed to something dirty.

After 24 to48 hours, continue washing twice a day or after exposure, and start using a tattoo specific aftercare or unscented, dye free, water based lotion (Aveeno, Eucerin, Lubriderm, etc.) three to five times a day, or whenever the tattoo feels dry or tight.

A tattoo takes about 2 weeks for initial healing and heals very similar to a sunburn—flaking and peeling is normal. It is important that you not scratch, scrub, or pick at your tattoo, as this can lead to ink being pulled from the skin.

You will need to avoid soaking your tattoo in a bath tub, hot tub, pool, or ocean water etc. for two weeks. Showering/washing is absolutely fine, but over-washing should be avoided. Avoid tanning or direct sun exposure for 3 to 4 weeks, and be sure to use sunscreen over your tattoo once it has healed. Wear loose fitting clothes over the tattoo during the healing process.

If you have any questions about aftercare or your healing process, you can reach us at info@livingloretattoo.com

Happy healing!