AFTERCARE AND ADVICE

 As a matter of course and in your interests we have added this page of aftercare advice as word of mouth instructions tend to be altered and forgotten after a time.

          It is important you follow these instructions for optimum trouble free results in the healing of your Tattoo or Piercing. These are tried and proven methods but you will appreciate the final outcome of the healing is in your hands.

 In the first few days after a tattoo is placed on the body, the outer layer of skin will peel away and flake off similar to sunburn, this natural and protective barrier that is part of the skin will take between two and four weeks to grow back, during this time the new tattoo is very vunerable to chemical and physical effects also because each needle puncture actually pierces into the dermis (the next layer of skin down) these thousands of individual punctures must heal and close over or the pigment will leak out. Your newly placed tattoo must be well cared for until the top layer of skin grows back and protects it.

 A freshly done tattoo will only need to be covered for the first few hours after it is placed, until the drainage of tissue fluid has stopped leaking, it is then recomended not to cover it with anything, washing with mild soap three or four times a day is recomended taking care not to agitate  or scrub as this will disrupt the tattoo causing unessasary pigment loss, the tattooed skin must be kept moist by applying an aftercare or recomended moisturising cream to stop it drying out.

 After the coloured shell (scab) has fallen away the tattoo may look healed but it is still healing and as sutch is susceptible to infection, continue with the aftercare avoiding swimming pools and sea water, household detergents and cleaners also check that clothes to be in contact with the tattooed area are properly rinsed and clean.

 You will know when your tattoo is fully healed as it will feel like anyother part of the skin, the coloured shell will have gone, this will take anywhere between two and four weeks depending on how you heal and the size of the tattoo..... larger tattoos take longer to heal

 After the piercing has taken place it will be covered with a sticky patch, leave this in place for about two hours then remove and carefully clean the piercing with warn salty water, taking care not to disturb the jewelry itself and cause unnecessary bleeding, gently pat dry and spray on any any aftercare your piercer has supplied or recomended the you use, again being careful not to cause unnecessary bleeding. This method of cleansing must be repeated three times a day. After ten days the jewelry may be moved and cleaned along with the cleaning process, be thorough and clean down into the piercing, do this twice a day for the next two weeks or until the piercing has fully healed.

 Navel piercing although popular takes months to heal and is sometimes accompanied by a redness that is not an infection, if you are unfortunate enought to have your piercing become infected remove the jewelry as this may be the cause (alergic reaction) and leave to heal, if the piercing remains infected consult your doctor as it may have nothing to do with the piercing itself.

 After the piercing has taken place your tongue will be tender and may begin to swell, that is why an outsize barbell is used as opposed to one that fits to snugly, within hours your body will begin to accept the piercing and the pain if any will be more than tollerable, this does not mean that it is healed, you must after every meal and every drink rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash, this is not an option, avoid oral sex and sharp foods as these will agitate the piercing and may cause an infection delaying the healing process.

 The tongue piercing is one of the fastest healers and they rearely go wrong but if you are unfortunate enough to be infected remove the jewelry immediately and consult your doctor.

 Once your nipple has been pierced it will be covered with a dressing, leave this in place for at least two hours then remove and gently clean with warm salty water (saline solution) taking care not to to disturb the jewelry itself and so cause unecessary bleeding, gent pat area dry and apply any spray or aftercare that has been supplied or recomended by your piercer, repeat this three times a day for ten days cleaning into the piercing  thereafter, continue this method for three weeks then the piercing should be completely healed.

 Nipple piercing is becoming ever more popular and in some cases may be painful for some weeks, if any infection occurs remove your jewelry and leave to heal another piercing may be attempted at a later date, consult your doctor always as infections are not always attributed to the piercing.

 Eyes are sensitive to any astringent which makes the piercing a problem to clean, experience has taught us that saline solution (salt water) is probably the only acceptable cleaning product for the eyebrow piercing, being that if it does come into contact with the eye itself it wont do any real harm. Avoid over cleaning as this can sometimes cause unecessary swelling which in turn can delay the healing process.

 A popular visible piercing, eyebrow jewelry has a habit of re-siting itself (moving position) until it is comfortably accepted by the body, rejection of the piercing may also occur.