At the end of every session we go through the same five things, and hand them over in writing as well. Not because they are complicated, but because after two hours in the chair nobody remembers what was said out loud.
The tattoo leaves covered. An ordinary dressing stays on for a few hours; a transparent film stays on considerably longer. Either way we tell you exactly how long and what to do when it comes off, because it changes from one piece to the next.
Wash with clean hands, warm water and a mild unscented soap, and pat dry rather than rubbing. No sponge, no flannel, and no towel that has been used for anything else.
A thin layer of ointment, two or three times a day. Thin — not a layer that shines. Skin smothered under ointment heals more slowly, and it is the most common mistake we see.
Around the third day it starts to flake, and pieces come away the colour of the ink. It looks alarming and it is part of the process: what comes away is skin, not the tattoo. Do not scratch it, do not pick it, and do not help it along.
Two to three weeks with no sea, no pool and no direct sun on the area. After that, sunscreen on the tattoo for life — sun is the one thing that genuinely fades one.
If something looks wrong — redness spreading outward, pain building instead of settling, a temperature — do not wait for the next appointment. Send us a photograph, and if it needs a doctor we will say so.