Lainey Bee's aftercare instructions 

Every tattooer has a different approach on how you should take care of your tattoo; the aftercare tattoo instructions. The reason that there are so many different stories on what is best is because no tattoo is the same. After all different styles and techniques need different aftercare instructions. When you have a tattoo done by Lainey Bee, this is her explanation to you.

Tattooing wounds the skin. The upper layer of your skin will heal the fasted. This layer is called the epidermis (outermost layer of skin) and it will seem to be healed in about 3 weeks when there is no infections, scratches etc. But the second layer of skin, the layer where the tattoo ink will stay, also called the dermis, won’t heal as fast. As a result the total healing of the tattoo, and the tattoo aftercare, will take about 6 weeks. Keep in mind that the colors will still change a little up to 6 months.

Direct aftercare; Cleaning the finished tattoo

Once the tattoo is finished, it is covered with a plastic cling film. You can remove this after 3 to 5 hours. After removing the film clean the tattoo as following:

*    Wash the tattoo at least twice a day with mild unscented soap. Ohanaorganics shower gel is available in the studio @customcult or for those who don't life in the Netherlands at www.ohanaorganics.com. Start with cold water and let it slowly get warmer, lubricate it with the recommended shower gel and wash it well so that no soap remains on the tattoo. Then lower the temperature of the water and let it air dry. It is important to completely remove the slippery gel layer that has built up underneath the cling foil. Do not wash for to long because this will get the skin/tattoo soaked and soft. 
*    If you have a dusty workplace, animals in your house, people touching the tattoo by mistake or anything else that can get the tattoo infected and damaged please make sure you clean your tattoo as fast as possible. 
*    Dry the tattoo gently with a clean towel or air dry after washing. Do not rub or scratch. Let the tattoo get as dry as possible before you put aftercare on it. 
*    Use a small amount of tattoo aftercare. (not more then 1/2 a pea size for a full hand size tattoo) A little Ohana Organics tattoo butter goes a long way!  
*    Do not cover the tattoo. The wound needs oxygen to heal. If you wear clothing over it, the best choice is cotton.
*    The first nights the tattoo may still ‘bleed’ (wound fluid and blood plasma). This often happens with large tattoos. Make sure you wear clean cotton pajamas every night for the first week. If it is stuck to the tattoo in the morning, then softly submerge it in the shower.
*    If the skin is swollen, drink plenty of water and keep the body part elevated when possible.

6 week aftercare; During the healing process:

Touch the tattoo as little as possible (first wash your hands before caring for the wound).

Do not!!!: 
    - scratch the tattoo wound.
    - peel off any scabs that might form when healing, or you will remove ink out of the tattoo.
    - cover the tattoo with tight or soiled clothing.
    - cover the tattoo with bandages.
    - expose the tattoo to sunlight or a sunbed (especially with color tattoos).
    - rub the tattoo with petroleum jelly.
Do not go to (bubble) baths, swimming pools, saunas and steam baths for 6 weeks.

The tattooed skin remains very sensitive to sunlight after healing. Always protect your tattoo with a high SPF sun care product. Preferably a sun block with minimum spf 50. Sun care products do not prevent your skin and the tattoo from changing it's color but it will keep it from damaging. 

If you have any questions about the tattoo aftercare instructions please do not hesitate to contact me!
Note: Contact your doctor for extreme redness, swelling, bleeding, wound fluid, color change or chronic pain.