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Tattoo Aftercare Guide

LEVEL UP Congratulations! You have successfully gained an awesome level by completing a tattoo session! Go you! To help you on your next adventure we’ve put together a guide which lets you know how to look after your brand new tattoo. Aftercare If this is your first tattoo or even if you are a seasoned pro we recommend having a read over these aftercare instructions. Keep in mind that caring for your tattoo as it heals is JUST as important having the tattoo done. We guarantee all our tattoos and offer one free touch up ONLY if these aftercare instructions are followed (we’ll be able to tell if you don’t). As the world is ever evolving so is the way we tattoo and the way we care for our tattoos so in this entry we will go over the 2 options that Shop 9 & 3/4 provide and recommend

TRADITIONAL AFTERCARE (option 1) Wrapping Your Tattoo

Before leaving the studio your tattoo will be cleaned and covered with cling wrap to protect it from the outside world. A fresh tattoo is an open wound so needs to be protected and kept clean.

Keeping your tattoo wrapped helps to draw out a lot of the blood/ink/plasma that’ll weep out over the next few days. By regularly cleaning off the residue rather than letting it dry, you get less scabbing and an easier healing process.Be careful though as too much fluid build up, left for too long can lead to infection.

We will advise you at the end of your appointment how long we recommend you wrap your tattoo as every tattoo is different and some won't need to be wrapped as long although it is generally for 2-3 days. If you notice an increase in heat or redness after the first night contact us immediately.

Steps

  • 1 hour after leaving the studio: When you get home (no more than 2 hours after the tattoo) it’s time to wash and replace the glad wrap as it will be getting pretty gross under there. The easiest way to this is usually in the shower (depending on the size and placement of the tattoo). Remove the original wrap and with clean hands gentle wash the tattoo. It will be a bit sore and stingy but it’s important to get all the blood and lymph off the tattoo and any surrounding areas. You can use a small amount of soap (unscented and plain) and use little circle motions, do not vigorously scrub the tattoo.

  • Once the tattoo is all clean use a CLEAN towel or unused handy towel to pat it dry. Don’t rub or be rough when drying the tattoo.

  • After the tattoo is completely dry apply a small amount of aftercare cream to just lightly cover the surface of the tattoo. Then reapply some clean glad wrap to the area. For tricky areas you might need a few pieces of glad wrap or some medical tape to hold this in place. Make sure you have a clean item of clothing to go over the top or and clean sheets on your bed for that night.

  • Remember to clean the tattoo and change the wrap EVERY 4-5 hours (3/4 times a day) until the tattoo has stopped bleeding/weeping. Leaving glad wrap on overnight is ok as long as you replace this using the steps above when you wake up.