aftercare (tattoo&piercing)
TATTOO AFTERCARE:
1. Leave bandage on for about two hours.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly with hot water.
3. Now wash your tattoo using only your hands and a mild fragrance-free soap (J&J Baby Soap, Dr. Bronner's) for five minutes under hot water.
4. Gently pat tattoo dry with a clean paper towel.
5. Allow tattoo to air dry for 20 minutes.
4. WITH CLEAN HANDS apply a thin layer of one of the following: Lubriderm, Vaseline Intensive Care, or Aveeno Hand Lotion. Do this 3-5 times a day.
5. DO NOT RE-BANDAGE.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 4, two or three times daily for the first three days.
THINGS NOT TO DO:
1. Do not pick, scratch, or monkey, with your healing tattoo.
2. Do not expose your healing tattoo to direct sunlight until totally healed. Even then it is suggested to use strong sunblock.
3. Do not soak (after the first soak) your healing tattoo in any water for 2 weeks.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Ointments and lotions do very little for the healing of your tattoo. YOUR BODY DOES MOST OF THE WORK. Applying too much lotion or ointment too often is COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE to your body's efforts and can result in rash, bumps and itching that will hinder your tattoo healing well. The best method for healing is making sure your tattoo stays clean through out the day and that you use just enough lotion to cover the area after washing.
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT YOUR TATTOO ARTIST OR CHAMELEON TATTOO AT 617-876-0412
PIERCING AFTERCARE:
HOW YOUR PIERCING HEALS IS UP TO YOU!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL PIERCINGS OTHER THAN THE TONGUE:
Items you need to buy (available at Chameleon or your local Pharmacy)
1)Liquid Baby Soap or Dr. Bronner's Soap - Use once a day in shower; Dilute soap into a lather and VERY GENTLY surround the peircing, then rinse with hot water.
2) Sterile Wound wash saline (metal can) - Spray directly onto the piercing and pat dry; Use once or twice a day depending on the reaction of the skin. If your skin becomes dry/ashy and feels itchy and tight, use less saline.
3) For lip/labret and cheek piercings - Antiseptic mouth wash, rinse 2-4 times a day for the first 5-7 days.
DO NOT TOUCH your piercing with your hands unless you have just washed them. No piercing infects itself. You must introduce your piercing to foreign bacteria to create an infection (i.e.: touching money, doorknobs, and/or other people's hands) so one of the most important things to remember is never touching your piercing with un-washed hands.
Never use Bacitracin or Neosporin. Petrolium based ointments will only serve to CLOG the piercing and make it difficult for your body to DISHCHARGE. NEVER USE Rubbing Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Betadine, Witch Hazel, or Hibiclens. These products are too strong and will irritate your skin and piercing.
For navel piercings: Avoid wearing pants or skirts/tights that have high waistbands. Any waistband that puts pressure on the piercing could complicate the healing.
A Zinc or Vitamin C Supplement along with proper nutrition and rest will promote healing!
You should contact a health care provider if you experience any unexpected redness, excessive tenderness or swelling, a rash, greenish discharge, or if you experience a fever within 24 hours of the procedure.
OTHER INSTRUCTIONS:
The following is an OPTIONAL alternative to the saline wound wash. This is a less expensive, MORE EFFORT REQUIRED approach. If you are able to keep up with doing the preparation involved, fantastic!! If you are unable to do so, just stick with the wound wash saline.
Navel and Nipple Piercings: Soak your piercing two to four times a week in sea salt and water for 5-15 minutes. Place an 1/8th or a teaspoon of sea salt in a shot glass or any small glass (8oz.), fill with very warm water, stir, lean forward, place the piercing over the glass, press the glass towards the body, lean back and let it soak.
YOU MAY CHANGE THE JEWELRY AFTER THE HEALING TIME HAS PASSED SO LONG AS THE PIERCING IS NO LONGER RED OR DISCHARGING. FURTHERMORE, CHAMELEON STRONGLY SUGGESTS HAVING A PROFESSIONAL PIERCER CHANGE THE JEWELRY FOR YOU THE FIRST TIME. This way you can learn how to properly change the jewelry on your own.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TONGUE PIERCINGS
Items you need to buy (available at your local pharmacy):
1. Anti-septic mouthwash (diluted %50-%75 with bottled water)
2. Sea Salt
Rinse your mouth thoroughly with diluted mouthwash after eating or drinking ANYTHING other than water. Do this for 2 weeks. Then for 2 more weeks, rinse with diluted mouthwash 5-7 times a day.
Also, if you want to, you can soak your tongue in sea salt and water (1/8th teaspoon sea salt and 8 oz. water) 4-5 times a day for about 1 minute each time.
Smoking (anything) and drinking alcohol is not suggested. These behaviors will increase swelling and discomfort during the initial stages of the healing. If you are going to drink or smoke, YOU MUST THOROUGHLY RINSE WITH DILUTED MOUTHWASH IMMEDIATLY AFTERWARDS!!
Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap prior to touching your piercing. However, even better than touching your tongue piercing with washed hands is not touching your tongue piercing at all.
For the first 5-7 days, NO KISSING OR OTHER SUCH ACTIVITIES!! Even with proper rinsing, these behaviors can easily cause infection.
Eat only foods that cause no discomfort. Most people only eat soft, bland foods (mashed potatoes, jello, soups, etc.)for the first 3-7 days. Work your way up to crunchy, spicy and as long as it feels okay, it's okay. With proper rinsing, no food will cause infection.
A Zinc and/or Vitamin C Supplement along with proper nutrition and rest will promote healing.
You should contact a health care provider if you experience any unexpected redness, excessive tenderness or swelling, greenish discharge, or if you experience a fever within 24 hours of the procedure.
OTHER TIPS FOR PIERCING CARE:
It is normal (for the first week or so) to have a whitish/yellowish film on the top of your tongue. This is one of the tongue's natural defenses.
It is normal for a whitish discharge to come out of your piercing. You will probably also get a white ring around the piercing on the underside of your tongue (do not pick at this!)
Once your tongue is feeling well again, you want to add this to your daily routine: prior to brushing your teeth, check the tightness of both the beads as they both can come loose. You should also brush the barbell. DO NOT TAKE THE BARBELL OUT OF YOUR TONGUE. Simply hold the barbell between your teeth and brush the bead on top and then flip the bar and brush the bottom one as well.
You may change the barbell to a shorter one (5/8" length) in 2-4 weeks, so long as your tongue is not swollen. This will reduce the chance of tooth damage.
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT OUR PIERCERS AT CHAMELEON TATTOO AT (617) 876-0412
1. Leave bandage on for about two hours.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly with hot water.
3. Now wash your tattoo using only your hands and a mild fragrance-free soap (J&J Baby Soap, Dr. Bronner's) for five minutes under hot water.
4. Gently pat tattoo dry with a clean paper towel.
5. Allow tattoo to air dry for 20 minutes.
4. WITH CLEAN HANDS apply a thin layer of one of the following: Lubriderm, Vaseline Intensive Care, or Aveeno Hand Lotion. Do this 3-5 times a day.
5. DO NOT RE-BANDAGE.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 4, two or three times daily for the first three days.
THINGS NOT TO DO:
1. Do not pick, scratch, or monkey, with your healing tattoo.
2. Do not expose your healing tattoo to direct sunlight until totally healed. Even then it is suggested to use strong sunblock.
3. Do not soak (after the first soak) your healing tattoo in any water for 2 weeks.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Ointments and lotions do very little for the healing of your tattoo. YOUR BODY DOES MOST OF THE WORK. Applying too much lotion or ointment too often is COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE to your body's efforts and can result in rash, bumps and itching that will hinder your tattoo healing well. The best method for healing is making sure your tattoo stays clean through out the day and that you use just enough lotion to cover the area after washing.
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT YOUR TATTOO ARTIST OR CHAMELEON TATTOO AT 617-876-0412
PIERCING AFTERCARE:
HOW YOUR PIERCING HEALS IS UP TO YOU!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL PIERCINGS OTHER THAN THE TONGUE:
Items you need to buy (available at Chameleon or your local Pharmacy)
1)Liquid Baby Soap or Dr. Bronner's Soap - Use once a day in shower; Dilute soap into a lather and VERY GENTLY surround the peircing, then rinse with hot water.
2) Sterile Wound wash saline (metal can) - Spray directly onto the piercing and pat dry; Use once or twice a day depending on the reaction of the skin. If your skin becomes dry/ashy and feels itchy and tight, use less saline.
3) For lip/labret and cheek piercings - Antiseptic mouth wash, rinse 2-4 times a day for the first 5-7 days.
DO NOT TOUCH your piercing with your hands unless you have just washed them. No piercing infects itself. You must introduce your piercing to foreign bacteria to create an infection (i.e.: touching money, doorknobs, and/or other people's hands) so one of the most important things to remember is never touching your piercing with un-washed hands.
Never use Bacitracin or Neosporin. Petrolium based ointments will only serve to CLOG the piercing and make it difficult for your body to DISHCHARGE. NEVER USE Rubbing Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Betadine, Witch Hazel, or Hibiclens. These products are too strong and will irritate your skin and piercing.
For navel piercings: Avoid wearing pants or skirts/tights that have high waistbands. Any waistband that puts pressure on the piercing could complicate the healing.
A Zinc or Vitamin C Supplement along with proper nutrition and rest will promote healing!
You should contact a health care provider if you experience any unexpected redness, excessive tenderness or swelling, a rash, greenish discharge, or if you experience a fever within 24 hours of the procedure.
OTHER INSTRUCTIONS:
The following is an OPTIONAL alternative to the saline wound wash. This is a less expensive, MORE EFFORT REQUIRED approach. If you are able to keep up with doing the preparation involved, fantastic!! If you are unable to do so, just stick with the wound wash saline.
Navel and Nipple Piercings: Soak your piercing two to four times a week in sea salt and water for 5-15 minutes. Place an 1/8th or a teaspoon of sea salt in a shot glass or any small glass (8oz.), fill with very warm water, stir, lean forward, place the piercing over the glass, press the glass towards the body, lean back and let it soak.
YOU MAY CHANGE THE JEWELRY AFTER THE HEALING TIME HAS PASSED SO LONG AS THE PIERCING IS NO LONGER RED OR DISCHARGING. FURTHERMORE, CHAMELEON STRONGLY SUGGESTS HAVING A PROFESSIONAL PIERCER CHANGE THE JEWELRY FOR YOU THE FIRST TIME. This way you can learn how to properly change the jewelry on your own.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TONGUE PIERCINGS
Items you need to buy (available at your local pharmacy):
1. Anti-septic mouthwash (diluted %50-%75 with bottled water)
2. Sea Salt
Rinse your mouth thoroughly with diluted mouthwash after eating or drinking ANYTHING other than water. Do this for 2 weeks. Then for 2 more weeks, rinse with diluted mouthwash 5-7 times a day.
Also, if you want to, you can soak your tongue in sea salt and water (1/8th teaspoon sea salt and 8 oz. water) 4-5 times a day for about 1 minute each time.
Smoking (anything) and drinking alcohol is not suggested. These behaviors will increase swelling and discomfort during the initial stages of the healing. If you are going to drink or smoke, YOU MUST THOROUGHLY RINSE WITH DILUTED MOUTHWASH IMMEDIATLY AFTERWARDS!!
Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap prior to touching your piercing. However, even better than touching your tongue piercing with washed hands is not touching your tongue piercing at all.
For the first 5-7 days, NO KISSING OR OTHER SUCH ACTIVITIES!! Even with proper rinsing, these behaviors can easily cause infection.
Eat only foods that cause no discomfort. Most people only eat soft, bland foods (mashed potatoes, jello, soups, etc.)for the first 3-7 days. Work your way up to crunchy, spicy and as long as it feels okay, it's okay. With proper rinsing, no food will cause infection.
A Zinc and/or Vitamin C Supplement along with proper nutrition and rest will promote healing.
You should contact a health care provider if you experience any unexpected redness, excessive tenderness or swelling, greenish discharge, or if you experience a fever within 24 hours of the procedure.
OTHER TIPS FOR PIERCING CARE:
It is normal (for the first week or so) to have a whitish/yellowish film on the top of your tongue. This is one of the tongue's natural defenses.
It is normal for a whitish discharge to come out of your piercing. You will probably also get a white ring around the piercing on the underside of your tongue (do not pick at this!)
Once your tongue is feeling well again, you want to add this to your daily routine: prior to brushing your teeth, check the tightness of both the beads as they both can come loose. You should also brush the barbell. DO NOT TAKE THE BARBELL OUT OF YOUR TONGUE. Simply hold the barbell between your teeth and brush the bead on top and then flip the bar and brush the bottom one as well.
You may change the barbell to a shorter one (5/8" length) in 2-4 weeks, so long as your tongue is not swollen. This will reduce the chance of tooth damage.
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT OUR PIERCERS AT CHAMELEON TATTOO AT (617) 876-0412
