How you care for your tattoo during the healing process will determine how it looks long term. The key to success is to keep it clean and dry, wash it twice per day, and apply the proper amount of Vitamin E ointment. This guideline, combined with common sense, will ensure the best results.

1. When your tattoo is finished, I will apply saran wrap. As soon as you get home, wash your hands and remove the wrap. Using your bare hand, wash the tattoo with Ivory or Dove soap and water. Washing your tattoo twice every day is extremely important. Scabs form when blood plasma, called sebum, builds up on the surface of the tattoo. Washing is most important for the first 3-4 days, so please make sure it gets done properly.

2. After washing, pat the tattoo dry with a clean cloth. Apply a small amount of Vitamin E ointment, 2-3 times per day. Apply only a small amount, no more. It is normal for your tattoo to be dry, flaky, and itchy throughout the healing process. Keep using the Vitamin E for up to three weeks; it will help all the flaking come off.

3. Never pick or scratch at your tattoo while it is healing. Ripping off a chunk of scab will pull out the color and you will have an empty spot. Just allow the scab to fall off by itself. The major scabbing should be off in about ten days, with some flaking afterward.

Wear clean clothing over the tattoo until it is healed, and try to avoid it coming into contact with anything dirty. Drop by the shop after about three weeks to evaluate if touch-ups are necessary. If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 250-897-3080.