Before Your SESSION:
Get some sleep! We’ve all been there.. lagging from a long night and dysfunctional the next day. Lack of rest can amplify pain and stress, so it’s best if you’re well-rested, alert, and in-tune with your body during your session.
Make sure you’ve eaten a full meal and are well-hydrated. If you’re scheduled for a longer session it’s always a good idea to bring snacks too. Tattooing can take a toll on the body and you’ll need to maintain some fuel for a smoother experience for both you and your artist.
Practice good hygiene and please shower! Clean skin is easier and more sanitary to work with, but avoid scrubbing and exfoliating too much as new skin is fragile and more difficult to work on. Light exercise before your session is ok, just avoid anything strenuous that may cause muscle strain, soreness, and discomfort.
Hydrated, healthy skin is crucial, but please avoid moisturizing on the day of your appointment. It’s important to moisturize your skin in the weeks and days ahead, especially in the winter months when skin can become dry, but please refrain day of to avoid any issues with the tattooing process. Skin is a tricky canvas and caring for your skin helps your artist a ton.
Unless shaving is routine hygiene for you, please avoid doing so in the days leading up to your appointment. Your artist will do this right before the tattoo as the area must be smooth for applying the stencil and preventing irritation while wiping the skin. For longer hair, a buzz is always appreciated, but not necessary!
Dress appropriately for comfort and the location of your tattoo! Go for loose-fitting clothing that won’t irritate or restrict movement during your session. If you get cold easy, warm clothing or a blanket are helpful to keep you warm (and still) during your tattoo.
Avoid tanning and please don’t show up to your appointment with damaged or traumatized skin. Cuts, burns, bruises, or peeling skin etc. will complicate both the application of the tattoo and healing process. Please let your artist know ahead of time of any skin issues and your appointment will likely be postponed until the skin has healed.
Tattoos hurt. We all have our way of coping with pain, but please do not show up to your appointment under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Being under the influence during your session can lead to a number of issues, but most importantly alcohol thins your blood and can cause complications during the tattoo process. If you plan to use a numbing cream please let your artist know and apply at least one hour before your session.
During Your SESSION:
After you arrive and meet your artist, you’ll need to sign a consent form that is required each time you visit, even if it’s for multiple sessions on the same piece.. Make sure to bring a photo ID we require proof of age to get tattooed, which is 18 in NC. This can be a driver’s license, passport, or other ID that has both your photo and date of birth. By law we cannot tattoo you without an ID and will have to reschedule so please don’t forget.
Your comfort, safety, and privacy are priority! It’s ok to let your artist know your needs, if you’re feeling uncomfortable about something, and to ask them questions about the tattooing process.
Upon seeing the design, there’s generally enough time for minor changes, but major changes may call for a reschedule. It’s your body and we want to make sure you love the design. The stencil may take a few tries to land just right, but don’t hesitate or apologize to your artist if you’d like to see something differently or repositioned. There isn’t much we can do after tattooing begins, so if there’s something you’d like to change the best time to do it is before!
Sometimes the wait is the hardest part and your artist may be too focused on your tattoo for gripping conversation. It’s a great idea to bring something to keep you entertained during your session. Movies, music, books etc, anything that can distract you from the session and from getting bored while your artist is at work. Depending on the type of shop and available space, you might be able to bring a guest or 2 who can join you during your session, but some shops only allow the person getting tattooed for health, privacy, or space reasons.
If you need a break to stretch, eat, drink, use the bathroom, or anything else during your session, let your artist know and we’ll happily find a good stopping point to let you up. Please don’t jump up from your station while the artist is at work.
Once the tattoo is finished and cleaned, we’ll let it settle and relax for a little so we can take photos for our portfolio. We’re proud of our work and want to document and share with others, so it’s helpful to us if you’re flexible with time on the day of your appointment to allow this.
Aftercare:
After your session your artist has a couple of options to wrap your tattoo; an adhesive film dressing or we can wrap the regular way with dri-loc pads and gauze wrap. Adhesive dressing is becoming more common, but if you’re aware of any sensitivities or reactions to these types of wraps and glues it’s important to let your artist know. Adhesive bandages can sometimes cause slight reactions of redness or bumpiness. If this happens to you, it’s ok to switch to a different type of dressing.
FOR ADHESIVE FILMS (saniderm, tegaderm, second-skin, dermshield etc.): The length of time you leave this on can vary depending on how much work was done, but at least 2-3 days is common. During this time it’s normal for the bandage to collect some liquid. Full saturation work can bleed a-lot so it’s common to remove the initial bandage after it fills with fluid and replace with a new one. If for any reason the adhesive starts leaking, is peeling excessively, or other complications arise it’s ok to remove early and continue with a different dressing. This film acts as a barrier from outside contaminates so leaking also means bacteria can enter the bandage. To remove adhesive dressing, do so under warm water and peel the bandage parallel to the skin, not straight out, as this causes less trauma to your skin and the tattoo.
FOR DRI-LOC PADS AND WRAPS: The initial wrap is just to get you home and can be taken off before settling down for the night. You’re welcome to leave this one on overnight, but make sure to remove it and clean the tattoo thoroughly asap the next day. You may need to change these wraps over the next 2-3 days until liquid and plasma are no longer coming from your tattoo.
After removing the above bandages, you’ll want to clean your tattoo with mild, unscented soap and lukewarm water until it’s no longer goopy or soapy. Bar soap can hold bacteria so liquid pump soap is recommended. Don’t submerge or rub your healing tattoo, simply pat it with soap, and let running water do the work to remove excess. Pat dry the tattoo with a clean paper towel then let it air-dry for 20 minutes. Oxygen is good for cell regeneration, so it’s important to let your skin and tattoo breath a bit so it heals cleanly.
If you used an adhesive wrap and there’s still glue residue on your skin, first try massaging it with warm water and unscented soap for a few minutes. If that doesn’t work, try massaging the adhesive patches with coconut oil or baby oil lightly to help break down the glues. If the skin isn’t reacting to the leftover adhesive, it’s ok to apply moisturizer and work at it gently over the next few days.
For the first week wash your tattoo and reapply ointment 2-3 times daily. Unscented cocoa butter is recommend as it’s healthier for your skin, but if you prefer petroleum-based ointments like aquaphor just be sure to apply it lightly to avoid clogging the skin. It’s common to wrap the leaky tattoo the first few nights to avoid ruining sheets, just apply ointment or moisturizer to the area and wrap the tattoo to keep it moisturized and contained overnight.
To avoid the tattoo drying out and scabbing after the first week, switch to an unscented moisturizer for 1-3 weeks. You can also continue using cocoa butter if you prefer.
Tattoos generally take 2-4 weeks to heal, depending on scale and complexity. Have patience, the better care you take of them the better they’ll look when full healed. Avoid sun exposure, submerging in water, tight clothing, and don’t scratch, itch, or pick at your tattoo!
If for any reason you notice signs of infection, excess scabbing, reactions, or unusual changes to the tattoo’s appearance, don’t hesitate to contact your artist!