Drink plenty of water and get a good night of sleep the night prior to your appointment. Your body will thank you. Before coming to your appointment, make sure to eat a good meal, as low blood sugar can cause adverse reactions. In terms of skin care, please exfoliate gently the night before your appointment and avoid using lotions or creams on your skin the day of. Clean, hydrated skin is essential.

I usually recommend that clients pay special attention to their tattoos twice daily, but more is often necessary to prevent unwanted external bacteria from entering your new body art. Remember that tattoos are open wounds and should be treated with care. Please wash the area gently as needed with unscented antibacterial soap and apply a thin layer of tattoo-safe ointment or lotion. Ask me during our appointment if you are looking for recommendations or samples.

I typically provide my clients with Derm Sheild covering the tattoo to keep your fresh ink safely covered in the first few days. I usually recommend this remain on for 3-7 days depending on the tattoo. During this time, try to keep exercise light and don't pick at or remove the adhesive bandage. If you are healing without this barrier, move on to the following section for daily care instructions.

For the life of your tattoo, the number one consideration is sun exposure. Ideally, keep tattoos out of the sun (especially while they are healing!), but if that isn't possible, please use sunscreen regularly to avoid fading and discoloration of your ink over time.

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A Note on Touch Ups:

I offer free touch ups on all of my tattoos, with few exceptions. If a tattoo is marred as a result of an injury or exposure to outside contaminants, my hourly rate will apply for those appointments.