Congratulations on your new cosmetic tattoo!
For the first 3-10 days the colour intensity of your tattoo will be significantly darker, larger and sharper that what is expected for the final outcome. Although the area may appear to be healed in under two weeks, your skin is not fully healed for around 4-6 weeks at which time the true colour of the tattoo will be visible. This is the ‘settling in’ stage.
It is best to choose an aftercare product that is formulated to be used on a fresh tattoo or is safe to use on broken or sensitive skin. DO NOT use Vaseline, Noxema, Neosporin, or Bactine on the newly tattooed area. It doesn’t have to be anything special but I recommend a light, unscented, gentle moisturizer that will completely absorb into your skin and not create a barrier that prevents your skin from breathing. I usually have inexpensive aftercare products available to purchase!
How do I take care of my new tattoo?
It's very important to never touch your healing tattoo without first washing your hands thoroughly. Only touch the area with your clean fingers and only when necessary. As much as you reasonably can keep the area clean, dry, and free of potential irritants while it is healing (7-14 days) and moisturize sparingly 1-3x daily.
First carefully remove any makeup you are wearing on your face (disposable makeup wipes are ideal). Be sure to wipe away from your fresh tattoo! Wash your face outside of the shower with a cloth or wipe, but don’t scrub on the tattooed area.
On the day of your procedure, you may notice the tattoo weep a small amount of lymphatic fluid/blood/ink. It is important to gently remove this material before going to bed so that it does not form thicker scabs and prolong healing. For eyebrows, use a damp cotton round or paper towel and dab your brows gently. For freckles, you can use your clean hands with water and a little bit of mild soap and carefully wash your entire face.
Use a clean towel or paper towel to pat the area dry when you are done washing, and after every time it gets wet. Do not apply any moisturizer after this first washing. You can moisturize the tattoo the next morning.
In the following days when you normally wash your face, remove any makeup first and then use the unscented natural soap in place of your usual soap. Never scrub the tattoo and always pat it dry after.
Limit the amount of time the tattooed area stays wet or damp. Avoid long showers, swimming, soaking, excessive sweating, saunas, and hot yoga for at least 10 days. Quick showers are OK but be sure to pat dry immediately!
Within a few days the tattoo may feel dry, tight, and itchy. Each dot or line will form a scab or peel like a flaky sunburn as it heals over the next week or two. Moisturize as needed to hydrate the skin and relieve discomfort.
Do not scratch or pick at it! This can be the hardest part of healing any tattoo. Do not pick or peel off any flaky bits, let them come off naturally. If the scab comes off before it’s ready, it can remove pigment or cause scarring.
Once the scabs have all come off on their own, the tattoo is superficially healed and you can get it as wet as you want! The area may still be a little sensitive especially to some skincare products and sun exposure, so do still be cautious and use sun protection. Sometimes the tattooed skin can look surprisingly light/milky, patchy, pink/purple, or hyperpigmented right after the scabs fall off. The colour will continue to ‘settle in’ over the following weeks as your skin finishes renewing itself until the true colour can be seen underneath the newly healed skin.
Special Considerations for Cosmetic Tattoos:
After 2 weeks the area should appear healed on the surface, but your skin is still healing. The colour may appear light initially and darken as it settles in over the next few weeks. After 6 weeks we can do another session if required.
Do not apply any makeup to the immediate area during the initial healing process (7-14 days). Take extra care when applying or removing makeup/products on surrounding areas.
The pigment will fade with time, but no guarantees can be made as to how quickly and evenly it will lighten due to many individual factors. Always protect the area from sun exposure when possible and avoid laser treatments or aggressive exfoliating treatments directly on the tattooed area.
Please be aware that one procedure cannot ensure the desired outcome. I offer one free touch-up service within 3 months of the first procedure and any additional touch-ups will be done at a discounted rate.