Category: Care Tips

female tattoo artist wiping down fresh tattoo concept: tattoo aftercare

Every tattoo artist will have a slightly different way that he/she recommends taking care of your tattoo. Because of the many different factor in a tattoo, it is important to carefully listen to what your artist tells you is the best aftercare for your tattoo. What we are describing here are our general best practices for tattoo after care.

Tips For Getting Your First Tattoo

Aftercare Steps

  • After your artist has wrapped your tattoo in plastic wrap, leave it covered for 3 hours. Your tattoo is an open wound while its fresh which can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so it’s important to keep it wrapped for the full three hours.
  • After the three hours are over, carefully unwrap your tattoo and wash the area with warm water and antibacterial soap. Be cautious not to rub or be rough with your tattoo when washing it.
  • After you have washed your tattoo, pat it dry and give it 5 to 10 minutes to air dry. Then apply a thin layer of Aquaphor to the whole area of the tattoo.
  • For the first three days after the tattoo, wash and apply Aquaphor 3 to 5 times a days. Make sure to be gentle as you wash the tattoo. Keep a constant thin layer of Aquaphor on at all times.
  • 4 to 5 days after the tattoo, switch from Aquaphor to a non-scented lotion. Continue to apply that whenever your tattoo is feeling dry.
  • Soon after this last step your tattoo may start peel. Continue to apply lotion throughout the time where your tattoo is peeling. Do not pull the skin! This may pull the ink out.

How To Deal With Long Tattoo Sessions 

Extra Tips on the Healing Process

It is important to not pick at your tattoo if it begins to peel, the skin will fall off in its own time and it can destroy your tattoo to try and rush that process. Avoid going in bodies of water such as the ocean, chlorine pools, and jacuzzis. Also avoid giving your tattoo a lot of direct sunlight as that can destroy the tattoo while it is healing. Lastly, remember that the better you take care of your tattoo, the better it will look once it is done healing.

Everything You Should Know About Cosmetic Tattoos

 

female tattoo artist wiping down fresh tattoo concept: tattoo aftercare

A photo of artist making tattoo on man's back. Side view of shirtless customer getting his back tattooed. Tattoo expert is working in studio. concept: dealing with long tattoo session

How To Deal With Long Tattoo Sessions

When working on larger tattoos, the time it takes to complete can be pretty lengthy and take multiple sessions of tattooing. This can be concerning for people who physically can not sit for long periods of time and people who have a hard time doing long sessions because of pain tolerance issues or anxiety.

How To Choose A Tattoo

Communicate With Your Artist

The key to effectively dealing with is communicating with your artist early in the process of getting a tattoo. Our artists would be happy to work with you in a way that is comfortable and enjoyable for you, because we care about the entire tattooing experience and want that to be enjoyable.

By communicating with your artist they are able to discuss the time it will take and how many sessions you would want that broken up into. So always be upfront with your artist about any health issues or concerns.

Stay Motivated and Attain Successful Habits

Get Comfortable

If you have anxiety about having long tattoo session or know you have low pain tolerance, there are a few things that can help deal with the process. It’s important to not psyche yourself before the tattoo, mindset has a large effect on how you react to tattooing. If possible, try to find the most comfortable position, this sometimes can be impossible depending on the location of your tattoo.

Tattoo Aftercare

Bring A Distraction

Most artists won’t mind if you bring a book or look at your phone during your appointment. Just make sure your distraction is only distracting to you- that is, it should not be something that will interfere with the artist working, like a loud video game.

Getting Your First Tattoo

Stay Hydrated

Lastly, make sure to stay hydrated and bring small snacks to keep energy up throughout the process. Making sure you are properly fuelled will help manage discomfort and avoid dizziness. Absolutely do not come to your appointment hungover- you will not have a fun time if you do.

Tattoo artist tattooing his client in his workshop while he using smart phone to help deal with a long tattoo session

 

Tattoo ink being poured into small caps on a black table. concept: artist preparing for a first tattoo

Tips For Getting Your First Tattoo

You’ve finally booked your first tattoo. It took you forever to settle on your design, find the perfect artist at the perfect studio (Black Label obviously), and book an appointment. It’s a great feeling.

Now imagine you’ve turned up hungover, the artist refuses to tattoo you, you’ve lost your deposit, and missed your chance to add some great art to your body. If only you’d known.

Here’s some advice on getting inked for the first time.

Be on Time

First and foremost, your appointment is time-sensitive for a reason. Tattoo artists are busy people, and they need to rely on you to turn up to your appointment on time.

Many artists aren’t on salaries and depend on their bookings to make money; if you turn up late to your slot, you’re potentially losing your artist money.

Don’t be too early either. Artists need time to prep for your booking, be sure to give them this time.

How To Choose A Tattoo

Eat Before Your Appointment

Okay, this one’s essential. Tattoos are massive wounds, albeit pretty ones. The process takes a lot out of your body and can be exhausting.

Tattoos cause you to bleed, and you need to make sure you have enough blood sugar to withstand this.

If you don’t eat before your appointment, you’ll start to feel light-headed. You could pass out. Your artist could also recommend that you stop and book another session to complete the piece.

Don’t skip breakfast. You’ll be out of pocket and feel unwell.

Why You Should Get A Tattoo

Don’t Be Hungover

Seriously. Do not, under any circumstances, turn up to your booking hungover. Artists will not be impressed, you’ll lose your deposit, and most parlors won’t tattoo you.

Hangovers cause your blood sugar to plummet. You’ll simply bleed too much for the artist to see what they’re doing.

Tattooing is also a very intimate profession, and artists do not want to spend hours near clients who reek of alcohol.

The night out can wait. Save it for when you have an opportunity to show off your first tattoo.

The Deal On Permanent Makeup

Yes, it Hurts

People like to say that their tattoos didn’t hurt. But they do. It is a needle repeatedly piercing your skin.

This isn’t to scare you. It’s so you know what you’re to expect.

If you walk into your booking expecting a pain-free experience, you could end up with a nasty shock when your artist starts.

Certain body parts are more painful than others, special mentions to calves, ribs, and inner biceps for being exceptionally painful areas to get done.

Just keep reminding yourself of why you’re getting this done and how it will look when it’s finished.

You Can Take Breaks

Nobody is going to laugh at you for taking a break. Artists would prefer to work on someone who’s relaxed, not someone’s who’s straining to tolerate more than they can take in one sitting.

During longer sessions, it is not unusual to take several breaks. This also helps the artist rest their eyes and stretch their legs.

You wouldn’t work 5 hours straight without so much as a water break, don’t expect your artist to either. Artists will regularly ask you how you’re doing and if you want a break.

You won’t be inconveniencing them.

How To Deal With Long Tattoos

Look After It

The moment you leave the tattoo parlor is where the real work starts. Your artist will talk you through how to care for your new tattoo. Listen to them carefully.

Different artists recommend different things, but the essentials are as follows: keep it clean, moisturized, and out of the sun.

As previously mentioned, tattoos are big wounds. You must keep them clean to avoid infection.

Gently wash your tattoo one to three times a day for the first week and once a day for the two weeks after that.

You can buy specialist tattoo gels to keep your tattoo from drying out. Household goods like coconut oil are also excellent.

Enjoy It

Getting a tattoo is an addictive and rewarding experience. You’re paying for work that will last a lifetime. Enjoy the atmosphere of the parlor and the process of being tattooed.

Following the tips in this guide will help you get the most out of the experience and ensure you end up with a quality piece that stands up to the test of time.

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woman with small flower tattoo and young girl making heart shape with their hands concept: mom showing off her first tattoo

A male tattoo artist with tattoos on his arms working on his latest design concept: how to choose a tattoo

How To Choose A Tattoo

You’re ready to take the plunge and get a tattoo. Maybe this is your first tattoo, or maybe it is your hundredth. Either way, the question remains: how do you choose your tattoo?

Flash

One place to start when looking for a tattoo is with a tattoo flash. With tattoo flashes you can see lots of choices, some better than others. Sometimes you may find a flash of something you want or are looking for, but the feel or design is not quite what you are looking for. Talk with your artist about what it is you like about the piece, what you would change, color schemes, whatever it is you want to change. Our Artist will work with you through what you want so that we can create the tattoo that is right for you.

Why You Should Get A Tattoo

Drawings

Custom drawings are another great way to choose a tattoo. For custom tattoos, be sure to bring your ideas with you, do research before you come in, get reference materials, look at different styles, etc. It is important that if you want a custom tattoo, that you know what you want. Your artist can’t decide what tattoo you would like, they are there to help bring your ideas to your skin.

Wanting to directly copy another persons tattoo can be disrespectful to the wearer of the tattoo and the artist who did the piece. If you have a specific tattoo you like, bring in a picture and we can make something similar with its own unique twist.ALEC TURNER

What You Should Know About Cosmetic Tattoos

Portrait

If you are wanting a portrait of someone, it is important that your reference material is the right size, good clarity, and nice resolution. If there is ever any problems with providing these, talk to your artist to see what can be done. The more reference material you bring, the more your artist will have to work with to accurately bring about the portrait.

Who Is Alec Turner?

What to do?

If you do not know what you want at all, it is best you wait to get a tattoo until there is something that you really want or can’t wait to get. Tattoos are a life long decision, so it’s best to take your time in deciding what you want on your skin forever.

Young tattoo artist draw a new sketch on paper concept how to choose a tattoo