Aftercare

Always  wash your hands before touching your tattoo. With light water and light  soap, gently wash your tattoo every few hours, or as often as possible  for the first 5-7 days. Air dry for 1 minute and apply a thin coating of  A&D Ointment. 

FIRST WASH ONLY: Apply  Hot Water Compress! After washing the tattoo, but before applying  A&D, run hot water and use a handful of clean paper towels to hold  the hot water directly on the tattoo for 10-15 seconds. Repeat several  times until it feels soothing. Resume air drying the tattoo and apply  ointment.

While you can wash your tattoo in the shower, it is  important that you take the quickest shower possible, and exit the  steamy environment as quickly as possible.

Wrapping your tattoo  with a non-stick dressing, such as plastic wrap, for bed keeps the  tattoo from drying out overnight and sticking to the sheets, but it must  be done quickly, cleanly, and as close to bedtime as possible. Take all  supplies (wrap, soap, ointment, and tape) to the sink. Wash, dry, apply  ointment, wrap and tape it. Use plenty of tape so that it doesn't come  off in the middle of the night. You may get some irritation on your skin  from ointments and tape, but it will clear up after your tattoo heals.

DO NOT:  Pick at, soak, or expose your tattoo to direct sunlight. After your  tattoo flakes off, stop using A&D Ointment and begin using a  fragrance/color free lotion several times per day. Remember to use  plenty of sunblock if you plan on being outdoors. One sunburn per year  will take fade your tattoo over the course of its life in your skin!