​I've been tattooed! Now what do I do?

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Caring for a tattoo is surprisingly easy. It's definitely easier than healing a piercing, that's for sure.

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Naomi will have wrapped your tattoo before you left, and informed you on when to take it off. For smaller pieces or only linework, you can remove the wrap after 3 to 4 hours, or until you get somewhere clean. Make sure you leave your tattoo covered until you get somewhere clean. It is an open wound. You don't want to get it infected!

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For solid shading or colour, it is recommended to leave your tattoo wrapped up overnight.

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When it's time for you to take the wrap off, gently wash your tattoo under warm water. Too hot or too cold will hurt.

With a clean hand, carefully wash the tattoo. If using soap, ensure that it is non-scented. Scented soaps have too many chemicals and can harm the tattoo.

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Let the tattoo air dry, or pat dry with a clean paper towel.

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Now let the tattoo do it's thing! DO NOT pick, scratch, or rub your tattoo. It's going to get itchy, it's going to get scabby, and it's going to get flaky. All of that is normal. But if you take the scabs off before they're ready to come off, you risk the chance of pulling out chunks of your own skin. Don't do that.

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Make sure your hands are clean before touching your tattoo. For cleaning purposes. Don't pick at it. Seriously.

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We recommend not using moisturizer until your tattoo has started to peel. Once it does, if it feels dry, use a non-scented moisturizer.

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NO swimming, baths, or saunas for two weeks.

NO direct sunlight for two weeks.

NO heavy drinking for 48 hours!

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Once your tattoo is healed, make sure you use sun block if you're going to be exposing your tattoo to sunlight! Protect your artwork.

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Why no swimming, baths, or saunas?

Science! Good old osmosis. It takes about two weeks for a tattoo to heal and fully settle into the skin, so if you soak a tattoo, whether it's in water, fruit juice, or sweat, you risk the chance of osmosis. Liquid goes in, ink comes out.

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What about direct sunlight while it's healing?

It'll hurt. A lot.

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And when it's healed?

More science! UV rays break down tattoo pigments. When the pigment has been broken down enough, the body gets rid of it. That's how tattoo laser removal works!

Whenever you see older folks with tattoos that are hella faded, it's because they never protected it from the sun.

(This also applies for when the tattoo is fresh.)

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Fun fact: doctors in Australia are actually loving the rising popularity of tattoos, because people are finally using sunblock. Whodathunk all you had to do to make people protect their skin was put pretty pictures on them?

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What about drinking?

Drinking thins the blood, thus you'll bleed more, thus your body will push out ink while it's bleeding. Soooooo don't do that.

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What's your policy on touch-ups?

I guarantee my work, so touch-ups are free after the initial healing. After that, it's on you to take care of it. Sunblock. Sunblock. Sunblock.

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Okay... I think I've got it.

Fantabulous. If you don't, feel free to return to this page as many times as you want. And if you still have questions, send a message!