Aftercare

AFTERCARE FOR TATTOOS

If you have any questions about your tattoo or the healing process,
please call (917) 675-7608 or e-mail info@rbitattoo.com

THINGS TO DO:

Always wash your hands before touching your tattoo!

​When you get home: Remove bandage within 2-3 hours after getting your tattoo. Do not re-bandage ever again!!!

  • Wash your tattoo with an anti-bacterial liquid dial gold soap. Wash generously with sterile clean hands and cool water. Do not use a washcloth or anything that will exfoliate your tattoo, however, don’t be shy or afraid to lather, foam, and clean your tattoo… The key is to wash it to the point that you are removing any pre-existing ointment, blood, and build up of natural bodily fluids. You want to clean it and imagine starting each day and night with a clean sterile tattoo. Only wash TWO TIMES A DAY. Do not excessively wash your tattoo.
  • Gently pat your tattoo dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Do not rub, or use a fabric with a rough surface.
  • For the first 3-5 days: Rub a small amount of Aquaphor or Redemption ointment 4 times a day, in thin light coats. It shouldn’t be greasy or thick, LIGHT!!! Do not use any other product but Aquaphor or Redemption.
  • Wear clean, soft clothing over your tattoo for the first 2 weeks– nothing abrasive or irritating.
  • After the first 4-5 days switch to using a water-based nonscented lotion. At this point you want your tattoo to be on the dryer side so it can heal and not be over saturated and over hydrated. Oxygen heals keep that in mind.
  • Once your tattoo begins to peel, continue using lotion as directed, do NOT PICK OR MASSAGE PEELS AND SORE AREAS, LET THEM TAKE THIER COURSE AND FALL OFF NATURALLY. This is normal! Do not pick at the skin.
  • If your tattoo is fully peeled and areas look like dried glued aka milky white, this is an indication that your tattoo has been overly hydrated. Moving forward cut back off the ointment and only hydrate once a day. Allow your skin to dry up and fully mature, because proper aftercare is especially important for every custom tattoo design.
  • Most tattoos take 2 weeks to heal sometimes 3-4 weeks to fully settle in and subdermal scaring to subside, at the end of the day it is a scar! . A tattoo is truly healed, protected, and sun-ready after two months. We don’t suggest any other methods of healing!
  • After a full month of healing we suggest 50 SPF sunscreen daily… or when you go on vacation 5 times a day and use a non alcohol based sunscreen, Do NOT use spray-on sunscreens as this will dull your tattoo over time.
  • It’s simple, don’t fuck it up!

THINGS TO AVOID:

  • Do not pick, scratch, peel, slap, rub or irritate your tattoo.
  • You can shower, but you may not soak your tattoo for 2 weeks. No swimming, soaking or hot tub.
  • You may not expose your tattoo to the sun for at least 3 weeks, after that you must use sun block.
  • Do not wear abrasive materials, jewelry, or shoes that rub against your tattoo.
  • Do not let anyone touch your tattoo unless they wash their hands.
  • Beware of gym equipment, wash it well before using it.
  • Don’t be an idiot take care of your tattoo.

AFTERCARE FOR PIERCINGS

If you have any questions about your piercing or the healing process,
please call (917) 675-7608 or e-mail info@rbitattoo.com

Piercing Aftercare

Proper aftercare plays an important role in helping your piercing heal safely and successfully. At Red Baron Ink, we follow professional piercing and aftercare standards and use high-quality, body-safe jewelry appropriate for initial piercings.

For most piercings, we recommend:

  • Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your piercing.
  • Clean the area with sterile saline wound wash as recommended by your piercer.
  • Avoid twisting, turning, rotating, or unnecessarily touching the jewelry.
  • Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ointments, or harsh soaps on the piercing unless specifically instructed by a healthcare professional.
  • Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, and other bodies of water during the early healing period.
  • Keep makeup, skincare products, hair products, and other irritants away from the piercing while it heals.
  • Avoid sleeping directly on a healing piercing whenever possible.
  • Leave your initial jewelry in place unless your piercer recommends a change.

Many initial piercings are fitted with slightly longer jewelry to allow room for normal swelling. Once the swelling has gone down and the piercing has progressed appropriately, your piercer may recommend a downsize appointment to replace the initial post with properly fitted jewelry. Downsizing at the appropriate time can help reduce unnecessary movement, irritation, snagging, and pressure.

Healing times vary depending on the piercing, placement, your body, and your lifestyle. A piercing may look healed on the outside before the tissue inside has fully healed, so continuing proper aftercare is important.

If you experience unusual or persistent swelling, significant pain, excessive redness, discharge, or have concerns about how your piercing is healing, please contact the studio so one of our professional piercers can take a look. If you believe you may be experiencing a medical complication or infection, seek care from a qualified healthcare professional.

When in doubt, don’t remove the jewelry or attempt to treat the piercing yourself — contact your piercer first.

HINTS AND TIPS 

Jewelry

  • ​Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewelry, leave it in the place for the entire healing period. See a qualified piercer to perform any jewelry change that becomes necessary during healing. See the APP website to locate an APP member, or to request a copy of our Picking Your Piercer brochure.)
  • Contact your piercer if your jewelry must be removed (such as for a medical procedure). There are non-metallic jewelry alternatives available.
  • Leave jewelry in at all times. Even old or well-healed piercing can shrink or close in minutes even after having been there for years. If removed, re-insertion can be difficult or impossible.
  • With clean hands or paper product, be sure to regularly check threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness. (“Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.”)
  • Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry (or have a professional piercer remove it) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In most cases, only a small mark will remain.
  • In the event an infection is suspected, quality jewelry or an inert alternative should be left in place to allow for drainage of the infection. If the jewelry is removed, the surface cells can close up, which can seal the infection inside the piercing channel and result in an abscess. Do not remove jewelry unless instructed to by a medical professional.

For Particular Areas

Navel:

  • A hard, vented eye patch (sold at pharmacies) can be applied under tight clothing (such as nylon stockings) or secured using a length of Ace® bandage around the body (to avoid irritation from adhesive). This can protect the area from restrictive clothing, excess irritation, and impact during physical activities such as contact sports.

Ear/Ear Cartilage and Facial:

  • Use the t-shirt trick: Dress your pillow in a large, clean t-shirt and turn it nightly; one clean t-shirt provides four clean surfaces for sleeping.
  • Maintain cleanliness of telephones, headphones, eyeglasses, helmets, hats, and anything that contacts the pierced area.
  • Use caution when styling your hair and advise your stylist of a new or healing piercing.

Nipples:

  • The support of a tight cotton shirt or sports bra may provide protection and feel comfortable, especially for sleeping.

Genital:

  • Genital Piercings—especially Prince Alberts, Ampallangs, and Apadravyas—can bleed freely for the first few days. Be prepared.
  • Urinate after using soap to clean any piercing that is near the urethra.
  • Wash your hands before touching on (or near) a healing piercing.
  • In most cases, you can engage in sexual activity as soon as you feel ready, but maintaining hygiene and avoiding trauma are vital; all sexual activities should be gentle during the healing period.
  • Use barriers such as condoms, dental dams, and waterproof bandages, etc. to avoid contact with your partners’ body fluids, even in monogamous relationships.
  • Use clean, disposable barriers on sex toys.
  • Use a new container of water-based lubricant; do not use saliva.
  • After sex, an additional saline soak or clean water rinse is suggested.

Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, please contact your piercer.