The Hot Compress

Our Superfab Piercer, Jenny, swears by the hot compress. Judging by the way her tattoos heal, I will suggest its use to you as an option. It cuts healing time, but it totally hurts, so it is optional!

• Remove your bandages and wash that ooky layer of serum, plasma, ink, body slime, and A&D ointment with a mild handsoap.
• Prepare a clean washcloth or strong paper towel with water as hot as you can stand. Not burning, just hot, hot, hot.
• Lay the cloth over the tattoo, and leave it on until it cools. Do this 2-3 times, then follow with a nice cool compress. That will feel awesome.

She lets her tattoos dry heal, meaning she adds no lotion or ointment into the healing process. I still like a thin layer or A&D ointment (the stuff I gave you, not the baby butt-cream you buy at the Big Box) 2-3 times a day for the first 3 days, then a non-scented lotion as needed for the next 2-3 weeks as all those little colored flakes fall off.

Don't stress if the tattoo doesn't look as bright as it should while it is healing. It will brighten and lighten up as it heals. And, as always, I expect to see you back in 3 weeks to I can take a look at it, and make sure it's healed well, and to decide if it needs any lowlighting or highlighting!

Tattoo Aftercare 101

Congratulations on your new tattoo! First of all, my best advice for quick healing is to listen to your body, drink lots of water, rest, and eat some unprocessed food that came out of the ground. Feel free to drop us a line at Jackalope Tattoo, the Midwest's only All-girl tattoo Parlor.

• Leave the Bandage on at least 2 hours. No Peeking! You may leave it on overnight and remove it in the morning.
• Remove the Bandage under running water(the tape I use is super sticky, and letting the bandages get thoroughly soaked helps remove the gunk,) and wash the tattoo with a gentle soap. Don't use a washcloth, just use your hands.
• Air or gently pat dry. Apply a small SMALL amount of Aquaphor or A&D ointment to the tattoo, and massage into the skin.
• Use the A&D 2 to 3 times a day for the first 3 days. Switch to a good quality non scented lotion after that.
• Use the non-scented lotion as needed (usually morning and night at the minimum) for the next 2-3 weeks.
• They Itch as they heal! Do not itch, pick or scratch at your tattoo! If it itches, gently slap it(the "weave tap" for those who have ever had extensions) or wash and lotion it, the tattoo might just need a little love.
• Avoid pools, lakes, hot tubs, saunas, tanning, or fake tanning. You can bathe and shower normally, just don't soak the tattoo, it softens the skin too much, and can cause the ink to lift out. Also, swimming with a big, "scabby," open wound is totally icky.
• The top layer of skin will slough off, just like a nasty sunburn. What I have done is gone ahead and killed off that top layer of skin, and your body will shed it as the new skin underneath is tough enough for the outside world. A small amount of ink is in that old skin, so if you see colored flakes coming off, don't worry! Its not the ink coming out of your tattoo, just your body protecting you!
• Some areas "scab" up a little more than others. This is normal. Resist the urge to pull those hard little scabbies off, and let your body do the work. It knows what it's doing!
• Come back in 3 weeks so I can take a look at it and make sure everything has healed well, and if it needs any tweaking!

If you experience anything that you feel is out of the ordinary, don't hesitate to contact me! We have seen it all, and have the solution to any problem. Contact me before you call the doctor! Doctors tend to hate tattoos, and will prescribe all sorts of unnecessary things to problems as simple as razor burn. If you think anything at all is wrong, call or email me, I like to know how my clients are getting along!

Above all, listen to your body. You are the sole end product of millions of years of evolution, and your body will tell you all sorts of interesting things about yourself if you listen to it!

This is a pretty old post, as you can probably tell! My updated aftercare is here.