• Change your sheets: While you sleep you shed skin, sweat and hair. Anything in your bed can come in contact with your tattoo and increase the chances of infection.

• Do not use bar soap: Bar soap is not sterile, can hold bad bacteria and can pass bacteria on to your tattoo. Gross. Invest in a small, disposable bottle of antibacterial liquid soap.

• Application of Ointment: You must wash your hands (thoroughly) and your tattoo (gently) with warm water and soap before applying any ointment to your tattoo.

• Pets: They track harmful bacteria wherever they walk, lie, or brush against. Wash and reapply ointment after contact with animals.

• Sweating: When you sweat you release toxins which sit on the surface of your tattoo, increasing the chances of infection. After heavy sweating, you must wash your hands (thoroughly) and your tattoo (gently) with warm water and soap and reapply ointment to your tattoo.

• Do not wear restrictive clothing: If your tattoo forms a scab, do not let it stick to anything such as sheets or tight clothing. A wet scab will stick to anything it dries against. When you pull that item away (sheets or clothing) the scab will pull off with it. This pulls ink out of the skin and can cause scarring and loss of color.

ALWAYS DO THIS:

• Before cleaning your tattoo, always wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap.

• Bandage can be left on overnight.

• After removing bandage, rinse tattoo with warm water and dry with a paper towel.

• Wash your tattoo at least two times daily with mild soap and apply a thin layer of ointment (Aquaphor Healing Ointment or Lubriderm Daily Moisture).

NEVER DO THIS:

• Do not use a tanning bed for at least a month.

• When in the sun, use a high SPF sunscreen on your tattoo.

• Do not soak in any waters for at least a month (lakes, oceans, bathtub or pools).

• Avoid heavy sweating around the area of your new tattoo for at least two weeks.

EXPECT THIS:

• Your new tattoo, and the surrounding area, may be slightly swollen and red for the next week.

• Color may seep to the surface of your epidermis. Is is okay, with a clean paper towel, to wipe this liquid off and then reapply ointment.

• Do not let your tattoo stick to the sheets or clothing because this can pull out the color of your new tattoo.

• A thin scab should form evenly over the entire tattoo and should peel similarly to an excessive reaction to the sun - do not pick at the scab.

• The color may seem dull or uneven, while your tattoo is healing. After one month, your tattoo should be completely healed.

• Shading may seem dark but will fade up to 40% during the entire healing process.

In most cases I am able to work with an existing tattoo to either fully cover, embellish or ‘blast-over’. All coverup inquires require a free consult prior to the initial tattooing session in order to discuss design options, take photos and decide on appropriate measurements for your new piece. Please note that a consult is only to discuss and an appointment is not guaranteed.

Please do not shave prior to you tattoo! The only exception is for head/scalp tattoos, and even then please do not shave fully down to the hair follicle. Your artist will do that at the time of the appointment.

It greatly depends on the individual, placement on the body and how often or heavily tattooed a person is. Sure, there are spots of the body that hurt more than others, but by sticking to arms or legs for your first few pieces is highly recommended.