It is illegal to tattoo a person under 18 years of age, in the state of N.S.W. Even with parental consent, It is still illegal.

Having a tattoo done properly by a professional, talented and hygienic tattooist is half the work, the rest is up to you. By simply not following one or two of the listed instructions, you could ruin or mar an otherwise beautiful piece of tattoo art.

AFTER CARE PROCEDURES  

Please take the time to read this carefully all the way through before you start the aftercare procedures. There is no one “right” way to heal the tattoo as defined by the industry, but there are several things that everyone agrees on. From years of experience all over the world and from working with a number of other tattoo artists, I have found that following these procedures will produce a nice and healthy healed tattoo. If you have been told something else by another artist, shop or friend, please keep in mind that if you trusted me to tattoo you in the first place, then it is probably best if you trust my directions to heal your tattoo.

1. Remove the dressing in 3-6 hours.

The purpose of the dressing is to protect your new tattoo from filth, dirty hands, airborne bacteria and other infectious things that we come into contact with every day. The other reason is to keep the small amount of blood and lymph fluid that will seep, from dripping on your clothes. A freshly done tattoo will seep fluid for about 30 minutes after the procedure, this is normal and with a plastic wrapping it does not get absorbed into the bandage, it remains locked in. Do not be alarmed. On larger tattoos, you may wish to leave the bandage on for longer to give the entire area a period of time to seal up and be ready to face the outside world. The dressing should remain on for at least 3 hours, but no longer than 12 hours. Unless told otherwise .

2. Wash your tattoo with soap and water, but wash your hands first.

This is one of the most important steps in the care of your tattoo. As soon as you remove the dressing you must wash the tattoo thoroughly with  water and  soap. The area will be tender, but it is important to remove all the dry blood, ink and fluid. When the tattoo has been thoroughly cleaned, pat dry with a clean towel. Don't be scared to give it a good clean with your hand lathered in soap , you will not smudge or blur anything . Your Tattoo is in there to stay .

3. Keep your tattoo clean.

For the first 36 – 48 houing tour tattoo, all you need to do is wash it morning and night  gently with  soap, water and your finger tips. No wash clothes. Also, keep it out of harm’s way. No bodily fluids or other possibly infectious things should ever come in contact with a healing tattoo.
It is not necessary at this point to apply any creams or lotions. Wear loose cotton clothing when possible and keep your tattoo out of direct sunlight at all times for the first 30 days. It is perfectly normal for your new tattoo to seep and push out ink and leave marks on sheets and clothes. So be careful, but don’t panic.
NEVER apply alcohol, peroxide, polysporin, Vaseline, savlon, vitamin E cream or any other type of ointment without first consulting your tattoo artist, friends may mean well, but they can cause more harm than good when it comes to tattoo advise. Do not listen to any advice from experts in bars or on the street for at least one month after getting you tattoo.

4. Wash your tattoo daily and keep it moist

After the second day of washing and patting dry your tattoo, it will start to feel a little dry and tight as it heals naturally. This is good. At this point you can apply and rub into the skin a small amount of bepanthen cream available from the front counter of the shop or pharmacy.
10 minutes after applying the cream, take a new piece of paper towel and dab off all the extra cream that was not absorbed into your skin/tattoo. This will ensure a quick natural healing process and prevent you from unnecessarily drowning your tattoo in cream, resulting in colour loss. Natural healing is good and healthy, the cream keeps the tattoo moist and supple and it’s antiseptic qualities fight infection. Repeat this exact process 1-3 times a day, or as needed. Don’t over-do it!

5. If a scab does form, DO NOT pick at it.

Most tattoo’s heal in 3-10 days. When properly cared for by a healthy individual, most tattoo’s are healed with only a light flaking, in about 5-7 days. Occasionally a scab will form. If a scab should form, DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH AT IT OR HELP IT TO FALL OFF. When a scab does form, the itching that accompanies it is normal. A thin application of cream will generally ease the itching, making sure to remove the excess. If you do pick at the scab, a new one will form and you will probably suffer from colour loss. After your initial flake falls off, some people experience a secondary flake, known as milky skin. If after healing, your colour seems to be cloudy, but brightens up when wet or when lotion is applied, then you have milky skin. This will go away in a few days to a week with regular application of cream and the avoidance of sunlight.

6. Avoid excessive water and direct sunlight.

You may bath or shower with your new tattoo. If you bath, do not allow your new tattoo to remain submerged for more than a few moments. Do not allow the shower to beat on a fresh or healing tattoo. This may prematurely release any flaking that you may have, resulting in colour loss. Always pat your tattoo dry. Do not be alarmed if some of the flake should happen to fall off. This is normal after 3-5 days. Do not expose your new tattoo to direct sunlight ever. A new tattoo has no sun blocking capabilities and will sunburn in as little as 3 minutes in direct sun light. Sunburn will result in prolonged healing time, excessive scabbing and certainly some colour loss. Do not take fully submerged baths, swim in the sea (or any fresh water) until all flakiness has stopped and is fully healed. And for chlorine pools, give it about 3 extra days to avoid burns. Chlorine is bleach!

7. Avoid tight clothing and go easy

Avoid wearing exotic materials, tight, new or restrictive clothing in the area of your new tattoo. New clothes from the factory carry lots of infectious materials and toxic chemicals. Wash those new clothes first. Tight clothing, nylons and polyesters can rub and wear off the protective coating on your tattoo. This increases healing time, cause colour loss and infection. For the first week take it easy at the gym. Avoid physical activities that can cause excess perspiration and let your tattoo heal. It’s only a week, a nice tattoo lasts a lifetime, just like a blotchy one. It is solely up to you!

Your new tattoo has been applied under the strictest guidelines. All needles are new and sterilised in a hospital type steam and pressure steriliser known as an autoclave. All tubes are sterilised in the same manner and packaged in separate bags. The tube assemblies used for each client remain in a sealed, sterile bag until they are removed in front of the client. Pigment receptacles, excess pigments, rinse cups and any other items used are single service and are disposed of after use. Latex gloves are worn at all times. These to, are disposed after each use. There is no possible way that any bacteria or communicable disease can be transmitted while you receive a tattoo following these standards.

Finally, I urge you not to listen to the advice of others. They did not apply your tattoo and therefore cannot know how to heal it. Follow these instructions carefully and you will have a crisp, bright tattoo for the rest of your life.