Congrats on your new tattoo!

Now you’ve left the studio, you’ll want to ensure your tattoo is properly cared for. For optimal healing results, follow the guidelines as below. Your artist may have given you specific healing instructions, in which case it is best to follow their advice as recommendations can different depending on the style of tattoo, e.g. fine-line, or heavily packed.

Immediately After:

✢ Wear loose/soft clothing over the area to prevent any rubbing or discomfort

✢ Drink lots of water to promote faster healing and healthy skin

✢ Create a clean environment at home and keep your tattoo away from any pets + their fur! Fresh bed sheets are always a good idea.

BANDAGE REMOVAL:

✢ Leave your second skin bandage on for 2-3 days. It is normal for the design to look fuzzy as your body begins to secrete plasma and ink from the upper layers of skin.

✢ For easier second skin removal, it is recommended to remove the bandage while in the shower to help soften the adhesive. Remove the bandage slowly and carefully, pulling the bandage up towards you as you work down the strip.

✢ If you have cling wrap, please remove this when you get home after your appointment and move to the cleaning steps.

✢ For any other types bandaging, please refer to your artists specific instructions.

Cleaning:

✢ The following cleaning steps should be repeated morning + night for optimal healing results.

✢ With clean hands, cleanse the tattoo with water and a mild, un-scented soap solution (we love Dr Bronners unscented, or Cetaphil).

✢ Dry your tattoo by gently patting with a clean paper towel, or let air-dry. Avoid using your towel to dry the area.

✢ Moisturize with a sheer, breathable layer of ointment. We love Hustle Butter, Aquaphor and un-scented Lubriderm lotion. Do not use products such as Vaseline, Polysporin etc as it will negatively impact the healing process.

Refrain from:

✢ Scratching/picking at any scabs. Your tattoo will start to flake and may scab a little - it’s important not to touch this and allow it to fall off naturally. Doing so can result in pulling out ink in areas that haven’t fully healed.

✢ Avoid sunlight exposure while your tattoo is healing by wearing soft clothing.. Sun exposure can result in ink distortion, ink loss and can significantly extend the healing time with unsatisfactory results.

✢ Avoid swimming, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs or anything that submerges the tattoo in water for at least 2 weeks/until the tattoo is fully healed. Only showering is recommended due to the constant supply of fresh, clean water rolling over the tattoo.

✢ Avoid exercise/sweating for the first week of healing. The salts found in sweat can be remarkably good at drawing out pigment from the skin. If you find you accumulate a layer of swear easily, be sure to rinse off and cleanse your tattoo at your earliest convenience.

✢ Avoid wearing scratchy/tight clothing over your new tattoo. It is important for help prevent irritation and help your tattoo to breathe For foot tattoos, avoid tightly fitting shoes and wear soft socks and sandals/bare feet wherever possible.

Once Fully Healed:

✢ After 2-3 weeks of healing, you may resume all normal activities. Note, tattoos can take up to a year to fully settle in the skin, and you may notice tonal changes over time.

✢ Continue to moisturize the area regularly. Healthy skin means a happy tattoo!

✢ Use a high-factor sunscreen when outside to protect your tattoo - sun exposure creates premature fading and blurring of ink over time!

✢ Laser-treatments (hair-removal etc) will cause damage over a tattoo. Please ensure to make your technician aware of any tattoos in the area.

TO keep in mind:

✢ If you have second skin applied and notice any additional redness the following day, (especially around the bandage edges) please remove the bandage right away and proceed with cleaning steps. This may be an indicator of a mild allergy to certain adhesives, and can be quite common. Once the second skin has been removed the redness usually dissipates after a day. If you notice prolonged or additional redness after this time, please make us aware and seek out medical support.

✢ Healthy skin = a good looking tattoo! Looking after your skin by staying hydrated and protecting it from the sun will go a long way in helping keep your tattoos looking crisp for years to come.

✢ You may notice areas that have lost a bit of ink after healing, if this is the case - not to worry! There are many different reasons as to why this can happen. Artists will usually provide a touch-up session, free-of-charge once your tattoo has healed down. We recommend waiting at least a month for the tattoo to settle, before reaching out to your artist to schedule. Note, some artists may have different requirements for free touch-ups.

Questions?

We’re happy to help! Feel free to reach out to your artist, or to the studio via email (hello@lamaisondesartistes.ca), or directly on Instagram

✢ Hope to see you again soon! ✢