Aria Brownell
 

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WEEK 1: Wash your tattoo 2-3 times a day - in the morning and before bed, and if you sweat or get dirty.
 
WEEK 2: Wash your tattoo 1-2 times a day including after getting dirty or sweating. Apply a small amount of moisturizer when itchy/flaky and only right after washing your tattoo and allowing it to fully dry.
 
WEEK 3: Wash your tattoo once a day/after you sweat or get dirty. Moisturize as needed.
 
WEEK 4: Your tattoo should be healed or close to it! You can now lean off your care routine and apply sunscreen and normal lotion when needed.
 
Message me if you have any questions!
 
TOUCH-UPS ARE FREE for the first year, so please reach out to me if you think you need one and we’ll schedule it as a session. I’m always happy to do so!
 
How to wash your new tattoo: Wash your hands before washing your tattoo. Lather soap gently on your tattoo. Rinse with warm water & pat dry with a paper towel or a clean (unused) towel.
 
After 3-7 days (not before, please!) you can start applying aftercare cream. Apply only a very thin coat of moisturizer after washing your tattoo and only when your tattoo is COMPLETELY dry so as to not trap bacteria underneath. I recommend only applying moisturizer when your tattoo is itchy or looks flaky/ashy.
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IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT HEALING
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Let your tattoo breathe - open air will help it heal quickly.

Avoid baths and swimming - don’t submerge in water! This can open your tattoo to bacterial infection.

Avoid sun! If you are in the sun for an extended period, keep your tattoo shielded from the sun with a wrap or fabric until it is healed. Your tattoo is healing, and sunburn can severely hinder this process and affect how well your tattoo settles in your skin.
 
Avoid applying sunscreen over your tattoo until after 3 weeks when your tattoo is fully healed. Then apply liberally! Your healing tattoo is an open wound, so you don't want to rub fragrant cream with metal irritants into your wound. Simply avoid sun contact until you are able to use sunscreen over your healed tattoo.
 
Avoid moisturizer for the first 4-7 days after getting your new tattoo. Too much moisturizer in the first few days of healing can cause risk of infection.
 
Once your tattoo starts to feel itchy/flaky/ashy, moisturize as needed but do not over-moisturize (Dry/flaky skin? Use moisturizer. Red/pimply skin? Dial back the moisturizer and let your tattoo air out).

Only apply moisturizer to your tattoo once it is fully dry after washing. Avoid trapping moisture/bacteria under a cream. Only use a very thin layer of moisturizer.
 
Moisturizers I recommend: Hustle Butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, or another all natural, petroleum-free, tattoo-specific aftercare cream.
 
Why avoid petroleum? Petroleum jelly products are made from the leftover petroleum material from oil and gas production. They are derived from crude oil, heavy and gelatinous, barely suitable for a healing wound. They create a dense layer over your skin and prevent your skin from being able to properly breathe.

Washing technique: Lightly lather Dr. Bronners soap over your tattoo to create suds. Rinse soap off with warm water. Dry your tattoo lightly with either a paper towel or with a clean (unused) towel. If washing your tattoo in the shower, make sure it’s the last thing you wash, to avoid getting other shower products on it.

*SANIDERM/SECOND SKIN CARE: I recommend taking this bandage off at a maximum of 3 days and a minimum of one night. Remove bandage early if you sweat with it on, after any signs of irritation, if the edges start to peel over your tattoo, or if the liquid underneath the plastic leaks out of the bandage.

To remove: If removing in the shower, simply peel slowly from a corner under warm water stream. the warm shower water will help melt away the adhesive. If outside the shower, soak a clean towel or paper towel with warm water and hold the edge of the bandage with the towel while slowly peeling. Once removed, wash your tattoo right away and begin daily aftercare routine.

*RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS:
To clean: Dr. Bronner’s (preferably baby/unscented) or another all-natural and unscented soap
Aftercare: Tattoo-specific aftercare creams like Hustle Butter OR natural moisturizers like coconut oil or cocoa butter.
 
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Some things that may affect how your tattoo heals:
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Low iron levels can limit the amount of oxygen in your blood. With less hemoglobin produced because of this, your body can heal much slower. Speak to your doctor before taking any supplements, but if you know you have low iron levels/are anemic, consider introducing a low-level iron supplement into your routine leading up to your tattoo appointment and during the healing process. Again - please consult a doctor first before doing so, because iron levels that are too high can be problematic as well. But, healthy iron levels in your blood can help prevent a "bad heal" by supporting your body's ability to produce new tissue.
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Alcohol use can slow your body's healing process. Please do not drink the day before or the day of your tattoo appointment. Alcohol can equally affect your tattoo during its weeks of healing, so consider limiting alcohol use for weeks after your tattoo if possible. Alcohol use disrupts just about every function in our bodies. All of your body's natural functions will in some way affect how your tattoo heals. Most directly related to your tattoo, alcohol use can produce high blood pressure, anemia, low platelet count, and other blood disorders that will affect your skin healing properly. Alcohol use will also affect your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to infection and disease.
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Tight clothing - I understand that oftentimes, our jobs require us to wear certain uniforms and also that some people may prefer or need to wear bras with underwire support. Unfortunately, this physical pressure on a healing tattoo can limit the blood flow to the area and affect how well your tattoo heals. If possible, wear clothing that is loose around your tattoo area for at least two weeks, and three weeks if you can. If your tattoo is in an area that may be underneath your bra, consider either going without a bra whenever possible or at least wearing a looser bra, maybe a sports bra or bralette without wiring.
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