Aftercare Instructions
You must follow these instructions after your session:
Day 1 (Day of treatment): Before bed, gently clean the area with a small amount of water on a Q-tip, just barely damp, NOT wet. For larger areas, gently cleanse with a clean, damp facecloth. For lips, apply aftercare immediately after cleansing and continue to use it as needed.
Day 2 & 3: When you wake up, gently wash the area with the provided cleanser and a damp Q-tip or clean, wet face cloth. Be extra careful not to rub, tug, or scrub the area. Do this twice a day to prevent any buildup of blood/lymph. Do not use aggressive movement/manipulation of the skin- be gentle. Make sure your hands are clean before touching. For lips, continue using aftercare as often as needed.
Days 4-14: If the area feels tight or dry, you may apply a very thin layer of aftercare cream after cleansing with a gentle, scent-free soap. Apply a minimal amount of aftercare cream (approximately half the size of a grain of rice). This is to add a small amount of moisture – the area should not appear greasy, glossy or shiny; if it does, you used too much. For lips, continue using aftercare as often as needed.
Pro-Tip: Once completely healed, always apply a layer of sunscreen SPF 30 up to SPF 50 when exposed to the sun. Sun exposure might cause the colour pigment to fade quickly.
The following must be avoided for 10 days post-procedure:
No shower stream over the area. Wash face CAREFULLY with a washcloth or cleansing wipes, avoiding the treated area.
• Sweating
• Exercising
• Practicing sports
• Swimming
• Hot sauna, hot bath, or Jacuzzi
• Sun tanning or salon tanning
• Any laser or chemical treatments or peelings, and/or any creams containing Retin-A or Glycolic Acid on the face or neck
• Picking, peeling, or scratching the area. You will cause scarring of the area or removal of the pigment if you pick or peel scabs prematurely.
• Performing tasks related to heavy household cleaning, such as garage or basement cleaning, where there is a lot of airborne debris – now is not the time!
• Spicy foods
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol in excess, as it may lead to slow healing of wounds
• Driving in open-air vehicles such as convertibles, boats, bicycles, or motorcycles
• Touching of the area except for when rinsing and applying the post-care with a cotton swab
• Absolutely do not use any ointments, antibiotic creams or gels, or vitamin creams over the area– it will draw out the pigment.
Important Instructions for Showering
Limit your showers to 5 minutes to avoid creating excessive steam. Keep your face/procedure area out of the water while washing your body. Then, at the end of your shower, wash your hair.
Your face/area should only get wet at the end of the shower.
Avoid excessive rinsing and hot water on the treated area.
Please note: Itching and flaking may occur during the first seven days following the procedure.
However, experience has shown that by following these aftercare instructions, these symptoms may quickly disappear.
Touch-ups and/or corrections of the shape design are recommended only after 4-6 weeks.
If you experience any unexpected issues with skin healing, please get in touch with Jesse Volpato immediately at 403-874-6523.
Your tattoo will undergo several phases during the healing process.
Days 1-4: The pigment will appear very sharp and dark. This is because the pigment is still sitting on top of your skin and has not yet fully settled in. The colour of the pigment will soften gradually. Do not be alarmed if you see some pigment on the cotton swab, as this is excess pigment and/or body fluid that is naturally exiting your skin. The area may swell and appear larger as well.
Days 5-7: Once the skin starts healing, it will resemble dandruff flakes or dry skin. This might give you the impression that the pigment is fading too quickly; however, this is just superficial colour and dry skin being naturally removed from the area.
Days 8-12: It may appear that the pigment has completely faded – do not panic; take a deep breath and trust the process.
Days 14-28: It may still look a little patchy or uneven, but the pigment will start to “reappear” as the pigment settles and the healing continues.
The touch-up/perfecting procedure is done at the 4-8 week point, NO SOONER, to allow for complete healing of the lower layers of the skin. Any sooner can cause hypertrophic scarring.
SHOULD INFECTION OCCUR, SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION
A copy of the aftercare instructions was given to me to take home.