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How do I prepare for my appointment?Getting a tattoo, especially a large piece takes a bit out of you. You want to make sure your body is prepared for your appointment. Eat something within 2 hours of your appointment Stay hydrated Don't show up hungover Reschedule if you are sick or if you are healing from a recent injury or surgery. Reschedule if you have a sunburn or rash in the area to be tattooed.
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What is your cancellation policy?If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment please be considerate and give me notice before your scheduled time. No-Shows or cancellations within 48 hours of the scheduled appointment are subject to a loss of any deposit. An appointment is considered a No-Show if there is no call or appearance up to 15mins after the scheduled appointment time. Multiple rescheduled appointments or cancellations are subject to loss of a deposit at my discretion. My time is valuable, please do not set an appointment you cannot keep.
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What should I wear to my tattoo appointment?Show up to your tattoo appointment in comfortable and accessible clothing. Make sure that I will be able to easily access the part of your body you are planning to get tattooed. I highly suggest bringing a zip up sweatshirt or sweater. This will keep you warm and can be worn in different ways to help cover you during the service.
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Will it hurt?Probably. Tattoos hurt. The degree in which it will hurt will depend on the placement and how you are feeling that day. I will do my best to make sure you have the best experience possible. You can also set yourself up for sucess by taking a look at this list of how to prepare for your tattoo appointment.
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Can I bring things to distract myself?Yes! I encourage you to be honest with what you need out of your appointment. If you want to chat, we can chat. If you prefer to read or throw on headphones, go for it. If you want to check out completely and stare at the wall, cool. Your tattoo experience should not be a stress. I will always have music playing at the shop, and will be as available as you'd like during your tattoo.
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What do I do for aftercare?Check out my aftercare instructions!
Day of Your Appointment
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Leave your bandage on for at least 4 hours. You may leave it on overnight if you have a later appointment or want to keep it protected while you sleep.
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Avoid excessive activity or sweating.
The First Wash
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Thoroughly wash your hands before touching your new tattoo.
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When you remove your bandage, you’ll notice excess Vaseline, blood, and ink on your tattoo. You will gently wash this off.
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Wash your tattoo with UNSCENTED soap (I like this one). Lather the soap in your hands, using your fingertips to gently clean your tattoo.
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Pat your tattoo dry with a clean towel.
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Let your tattoo breathe. Leave it un-bandaged and wear loose, comfortable clothing.
The Healing Process
Your new tattoo is an open wound that needs to be kept clean in order to heal properly:
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For the first week, wash your tattoo two times a day.
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On the second or third day, you’ll notice that your tattoo will feel tight and dry. You can now add UNSCENTED lotion to your washing routine.
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Apply a thin layer of lotion at a time and let it soak in. If your tattoo becomes dry and itchy later, you can always layer on a little more lotion.
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Your tattoo may get flaky or scab slightly as it goes through stages of healing. Do not pick off scabs as they may take pigment with them. If scabs or flakes come off while you’re washing your tattoo, that means they were ready to come off.
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The average tattoo takes 2 weeks to heal. Depending on your body and the tattoo, your healing process could be faster or slower than this average.
What NOT To Do With Your New Tattoo
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Do NOT submerge your tattoo in water for 2 weeks (no swimming, baths, or hot tubs).
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Do NOT tan or expose your healing tattoo to the sun.
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Do NOT pick or scratch your tattoo.
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Do NOT wear tight clothing that will rub your healing tattoo.
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Do NOT touch your healing tattoo with dirty hands.
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Do NOT let people or pets touch your healing tattoo.
Contact Your Artist If:
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Your tattoo is red and warm to the touch. Irritation is expected the day of your tattoo and likely the following day. If it persists, contact your artist.
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Your tattoo is oozing or has excessive scabbing.
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You develop a rash or reaction around your tattoo.
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You have questions about the healing process.