MAIN STREET TATTOO COLLECTIVE
PIERCING & TATTOO aftercare
Open until 10:00 pm
Tattoo and Piercing Studio in O'Fallon, Missouri.
TATTOO & PIERCING AFTERCARE
Great work deserves great aftercare. How you care for your new tattoo or piercing during the healing process can make a major difference in how it looks, feels, and heals.
Always follow the specific instructions given to you by your Main Street Tattoo Collective artist or piercer. Every body heals differently, and your artist or piercer may provide instructions specific to your service.
TATTOO aftercare
TATTOO AFTERCARE
THE FIRST 24 HOURS
Your artist will cover your new tattoo with a protective dressing or bandage when appropriate. Leave the covering in place for the amount of time your artist recommends. Different types of dressings require different removal times, so follow the instructions you were given at the shop.
Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your new tattoo.
Once instructed to remove the covering, gently wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free cleanser. Do not scrub the tattoo. Gently pat it dry with a clean disposable paper towel or allow it to air dry.
If your artist applies an adhesive film or similar protective dressing, follow their instructions for how long to leave it in place and how to remove it.
KEEP IT CLEAN
Your new tattoo is healing skin and should be treated accordingly.
Wash your hands before touching it and gently keep the tattoo clean throughout the healing process. Avoid aggressive scrubbing, exfoliating products, heavily fragranced products, and anything else that may unnecessarily irritate the skin.
After washing, gently pat the area dry. Don't rub it with a towel.
KEEP IT LIGHTLY MOISTURIZED
As your tattoo begins healing, the skin may feel dry or tight. Apply a thin layer of the aftercare product recommended by your artist or a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer.
More is not better. Avoid smothering the tattoo under a heavy layer of lotion or ointment unless specifically instructed otherwise by your artist.
DON'T PICK OR SCRATCH
Flaking, peeling, mild scabbing, and itching can occur while a tattoo heals.
Let it happen naturally.
Do not pick at scabs, peel flaking skin, or scratch the tattoo. Doing so can irritate the skin, interfere with healing, and potentially affect the appearance of the finished tattoo.
KEEP IT OUT OF THE WATER
Normal showers are fine, but avoid soaking your new tattoo while it is healing.
That means no:
Swimming pools
Hot tubs
Lakes
Rivers
Baths
Extended soaking
Keep the tattoo clean, but don't leave healing skin submerged in water.
PROTECT IT FROM THE SUN
Keep a healing tattoo out of prolonged direct sunlight.
Once your tattoo has completely healed, protecting it from ultraviolet exposure will help preserve its appearance over time. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen on healed tattoos when they will be exposed to the sun.
WHAT'S NORMAL?
Some redness, tenderness, mild swelling, clear fluid, itching, flaking, and scabbing can occur as a new tattoo heals.
These symptoms should generally improve as healing progresses.
Pay attention to your body. Redness that becomes darker or continues spreading, worsening pain, pus, open sores, fever, chills, or a painful rash can be signs that something isn't healing normally.
If you believe your tattoo may be infected or you're experiencing a significant reaction, contact a qualified medical professional promptly.
PIERCING aftercare
PIERCING AFTERCARE
KEEP IT CLEAN. KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Wash your hands thoroughly before touching or cleaning your piercing.
For routine aftercare, use a packaged sterile saline wound wash containing 0.9% sodium chloride without unnecessary additives. Gently rinse or spray the piercing and carefully dry the area with clean disposable gauze or another clean disposable product.
Do not make your own saltwater solution. Homemade mixtures can easily be made too strong and irritate or dry the healing tissue.
DON'T TWIST OR ROTATE YOUR JEWELRY
You do not need to twist, spin, or rotate your jewelry while cleaning a new piercing.
Doing so can irritate the healing tissue.
Other than cleaning, leave your new piercing alone as much as possible and always wash your hands before touching it.
LEAVE YOUR JEWELRY IN
Don't remove your initial jewelry simply because the piercing looks or feels healed.
Piercings heal from the outside inward, which means the outside can appear healed while the tissue inside remains fragile.
Some piercings also require the initial jewelry to be professionally downsized during healing. If a jewelry change or downsize is necessary, have your piercer handle it rather than changing it yourself.
Even established piercings can shrink or close surprisingly quickly when jewelry is removed.
PRODUCTS TO AVOID
Unless specifically directed by an appropriate healthcare professional, avoid using harsh products on your healing piercing, including:
Rubbing alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
Iodine
Harsh or antibacterial soaps
Ointments
Products containing unnecessary fragrances or additives
These products can irritate healing tissue and potentially delay healing.
Over-cleaning can also cause irritation. More cleaning does not necessarily mean faster healing.
AVOID IRRITATION
Try to minimize friction, pressure, unnecessary movement, and trauma to your new piercing.
Keep clothing, bedding, phones, headphones, eyeglasses, and other objects that regularly come into contact with the area clean.
Avoid sleeping directly on a healing cartilage piercing whenever possible.
Keep cosmetics, lotions, sprays, and other personal-care products away from the piercing while it heals.
STAY OUT OF THE WATER
Avoid submerging a healing piercing in swimming pools, lakes, oceans, hot tubs, and other bodies of water.
Showers are generally preferable to baths while a piercing is healing.
WHAT'S NORMAL?
During the early stages of healing, you may experience:
Localized swelling
Tenderness
Minor bleeding or bruising
Mild discoloration
Itching
A small amount of whitish-yellow fluid that dries into crust around the jewelry
A piercing can look healed on the outside before it has completely healed internally, so continue proper aftercare for the entire recommended healing period.
WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT
Increasing pain, significant or worsening swelling, spreading redness, warmth, pus-like discharge, fever, or other worsening symptoms may indicate a problem that requires medical attention.
If you suspect an infection, do not automatically remove the jewelry yourself. Contact your piercer and seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional. Removing jewelry when an infection is present may complicate the situation.
ORAL PIERCINGS
Tongue, lip, cheek, and other oral piercings require additional care.
Follow the specific instructions provided by your piercer. Maintain good oral hygiene and use any recommended alcohol-free oral rinse as directed.
During healing, avoid playing with the jewelry and minimize smoking and vaping, as these can increase irritation and prolong healing. Avoid sharing cups, utensils, and other items that can introduce bacteria.
Your piercer may also recommend returning after the initial swelling has subsided to have the jewelry professionally downsized.
HEALING TAKES TIME
Every person and every tattoo or piercing heals differently.
Don't judge healing solely by how the surface looks. Continue following your aftercare instructions and give your body the time it needs.
If you're unsure whether something you're experiencing is normal, contact Main Street Tattoo Collective. We'd rather have you ask than guess.
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR AFTERCARE?
We're here for you after you leave the chair, too.
If you have questions about caring for your new tattoo or piercing, contact Main Street Tattoo Collective and speak with your artist or piercer.