The best aftercare will depend on various factors. Each body is unique and will react differently. There are a number of things that you can do to help heal your body.
Choose your necessary aftercare:
Aftercare
Tattoos
- You may take the protective wrap off about an hour after leaving. Remember to wash all the blood plasma off thoroughly the first 48 hours. Blood plasma is one of the leading causes of scabbing. Also, not necessary, but if your able to, wash with warm water. It will help stimulate the nerve endings and speed up the healing.
- Just remember to wash off your tattoo before you got to bed (do not reapply medicine) and rewrap it, THE FIRST 2 NIGHTS ONLY, so you will not stick to your sheets and cause ink to be pulled out.
- Try to keep your hands off! Hands collect the most bacteria and will deposit it into your skin. This is the most common cause of infection.
- Wash tattoo area 2-3 times a day.
- Use a thin layer of medicine. Whether you use a special aftercare product or simple A&D ointment, always apply paper thin every 2-4 hours. Try not to clog the pores; the skin needs oxygen to heal properly.
- Recommended ointments: Aquaphor, Tattoo Goo, Triple-antibiotic, & A&D. We personally recommend Aquaphor, but its up to you what works best for your skin.
- Do not go into pools, lakes, soak in a tub, or any bodies of water for 2-3 weeks, Showers or running water only. Also, no sun or tanning beds for 2-3 weeks. When you are in the sun, protect your tattoo against fading and peeling with a specialty product or SPF over 45.
- Do not use multiple products on your tattoo. It may cause chemical reactions between the ointments.
- Anti-inflammatory pain relievers may reduce pain and swelling in your fresh tattoo.
- If tiny bumps or rash like symptoms appear, clean tattoo off immediately. This is sometimes caused by too much medication and smothering of the tattoo. Remember the tattoo needs to breath. When applying ointment, check 30 min. later, and wipe off excess ointment (tattoos tend to have a fever and will melt the ointment)
Body Piercings
- Wash ONCE a day with Provon Soap or non-perfumed antibacterial soap. A dime sized amount of soap at the end of your shower time is plenty. Make sure to rinse area thoroughly to remove soap.
- We recommend moving the jewelry after cleaning, when doctoring up with saline solution.
- 2-3 times a day you will need to doctor with a sea salt or saline solution. To mix this, use 1 cup of warm water to 1/4 tsp of Non-Iodized sea salt. Make a warm compress using a clean paper towel, using a q-tip or fitting the small cap over your piercing for the soak. Pat dry with a clean paper towel.
- A simple saline solution can be purchased at any store.
- "X-Pression Piercing Aftercare" is an easy and convenient product to take care of your piercing. It's premixed and pocket size. A single pump spray 2x to 3x a day is recommended.
- Swelling is normal and can be painful. It can be eased by taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory. Zinc and vitamin C are helpful supplements that will promote healing.
- Do not use other products other than what has been recommended to you by your piercer including but not limited to: alcohol, peroxide, Neosporin, bacitracin, triple-antibiotic, and A&D ointment, etc.
- Do not play with or touch your piercing. Fingers are dirty no matter who you are, so please be cautious. *Hands washed within 30 seconds prior to touching jewlery for tighting twice a day are the exception.*
- Avoid pools, lakes, jacuzzis, bathtubs *soaking*, any major saturation in a body of water during the healing time.
- Wear jeans loose and below the naval during healing, *naval piercing only*.
- Wash and change bedding at least once a week.
- Exercising is fine, but remember, if it hurts, STOP.
Oral Piercings
- Rinse after eating, drinking, kissing, or smoking with alcohol-free anti-septic mouthwash. Tech 2000 is the recommended mouthwash. Biotene mouthwash is an acceptable substitute that can be found at any drug store as well as diluted Listerine.
- Brush teeth at least twice a day. Normal toothpaste is fine. Lightly brush the top and bottom of the tongue for a tongue piercing. Lightly brush along the gums for a labret, lip, or monroe piercing to keep plaque from building up around the jewelry.
- Rinse 2 times daily with sea salt water. It's important not to use too much salt, because too high a salt content will hinder healing, so mix salt water: 1 cup of warm water to 1/4 tsp of salt water.
- Tighten balls twice a day with CLEAN hands. *wash within 30 sec of touching your piercing*
- MOUTHWASH DILUTION:
- You do not want to use your mouthwash full strength!
- Tech 2000: One 4oz bottle will make a 1 gallon of mouthwash. Pour just enough water out of a DISTILLED gallon of water, to pour in the whole bottle of Tech 2000 mouthwash. Shake well. Refill your 4oz bottle with the diluted rinse for a pocket size to keep on you. * this is very handy*
- Biotene: 50/50 rinse. The top makes a hand measure. 2 caps of Biotene and 2 caps of water is enough to rinse for most people.
- HINTS:
- Swelling is normal.
- An over the counter anti-inflammatory will help control pain and swelling. Zinc and vitamin C are helpful supplements that will promote healing.
- Ice and ice water! Water between cubes is a good idea so that you don't freeze your piercing.
- Don't use any products other than those suggested by your piercer. If you are concerned or have a question about how you are healing, please call us so we can help you.
- Do not chew on finger nails, pens, pencils, etc., foreign objects carry germs.
- We recommend cutting back on smoking, but stop completely on any tobacco dip products.
- Do not touch or play with your piercing. *clean hands tightening balls are the exception* Excessive play can damage your teeth,gums and the piercing itself.
- Kissing should be kept to a minimum during the healing time, and absolutely eliminated for 1 week at least; any body fluids not produced by you, are foreign and leave you open to possible infection.