Here are your piercing and tattoo aftercare instructions!
(laser treatment aftercare is below)

Click here for Spanish version of Aftercare!

TATTOO AFTERCARE

There are many ways to care for a new tattoo and advice will vary depending on factors such as the size of the tattoo, location on your body, your previous experience with tattoos, and even your work environment. The following is a general guideline that will help your tattoo heal as easily as possible.

The most important thing to remember is: Listen to your Tattoo Artist! They want your tattoo to look the best it possibly can!


If you have any issues, questions, or concerns, please contact Evolved.

OCCLUSIVE BANDAGE (CLEAR)

  1. Leave the first bandage on for at least 8 hours. It is typical, and perfectly fine, for blood and fluids (exudation) to collect under the bandage during this time. Before removing the bandage, thoroughly wash your hands using a mild, unscented soap free of all dyes and harsh chemicals. We like Dr. Bronner’s or H2Ocean Foam Soap. After the bandage is removed, wash the tattoo gently with your clean fingertips. To avoid contact with unnecessary bacteria, do not pat dry or use a towel. Let the tattoo air dry.
  2. Prepare the new bandage by peeling off the paper backing to reveal the adhesive side. If you were not given a second bandage, please follow the aftercare (black bandage) instructions from this point forward.
  3. Gently apply the bandage using light pressure. For best results, make sure the body part is relaxed and in a neutral position. Remove the plastic top layer, leaving only the thin transparent barrier on the skin.
  4. Wear this second bandage for 3 to 7 days (max!), depending on the size and placement of the tattoo and your own life activities. After that period, remove the bandage and clean the area as in Step 1.
  5. If your bandage falls off due to normal daily activities, immediately follow the aftercare instructions below (black bandage).

AFTERCARE (BLACK BANDAGE)

  1. Leave the bandage on for 2 to 4 hours or until you can remove it under clean conditions. The bandage is there to protect your tattoo while it is still fresh and susceptible to bacteria. There is no need to apply another bandage after the first has been removed.
  2. Before removing the bandage, thoroughly wash your hands using a mild, unscented soap free of all dyes and harsh chemicals. We like Dr. Bronner’s or H2Ocean Foam Soap. After the bandage is removed, wash the tattoo gently with your clean fingertips. To avoid contact with unnecessary bacteria, do not pat dry or use a towel. Let the tattoo air dry.
  3. Apply a small amount of the product your tattoo artist suggested. (You never want to smother the tattoo).Your tattoo artist may encourage you to switch to a different product at some point during the healing process. Some of the products we like are lotions such as Lubriderm, Curel, Vaseline Intensive Care, Aveeno, and H2Ocean (unscented, the fewer chemicals the better) and ointments such as Aquaphor, Aquatat, Vitalitree, Vitamin A+D, and coconut oil. Always wash your hands first and be gentle when applying lotion or ointment. This should be done 1 to 3 times daily.
  4. Tattoos generally take 2 to 4 weeks to heal. Some scabbing will occur and it is very important to let these scabs fall off naturally. Never pick the scabs or pull them off! Scabs that are removed before they are ready to fall off naturally will often result in spotty coloring and longer healing times.
  5. Wear loose, clean clothing around the tattoo. Let it “breathe” as much as possible. Some areas of the body, for example feet, are often difficult to avoid covering. In these instances refer to the directions of your tattoo artist.
  6. Never submerge your tattoo underwater. Showering is fine but remember to be gentle. Don’t soak the tattoo.
  7. Avoid direct sunlight and UV rays. Tanning is very bad for a healing tattoo. Sunblock is also bad for a healing tattoo. However, after your tattoo has completely healed, using sunblock will help reduce fading over the years.
  8. If you have pets, make sure to avoid getting pet hair on the tattoo.
  9. Working out and other activities may need to be altered during the healing process. Your tattoo artist can advise you on the best way to go about your day-to-day life and still properly care for your tattoo.

GENERAL PIERCING AFTERCARE

The following advice is based on our experiences, our clients’ experiences, and advice from other professionals. Please contact us with any questions or concerns, but if you have a serious medical problem consult a physician.

  1. To begin with, DO NOT TOUCH your piercing! The old idea of rotating your jewelry throughout the day is outdated. Every time you touch your piercing, you introduce a multitude of germs and bacteria that are on your unwashed hands. ALWAYS wash your hands with a fragrance-free, anti-bacterial liquid soap before cleaning your piercing.
  2. The average healing time for a new piercing is 3 to 9 months. This is an estimate only. Aftercare and your individual body can change this time considerably. Let your body be your guide and DO NOT RUSH IT! If you have questions regarding the healing of your piercing, please stop in or call. We will be happy to check your progress.
  3. DO NOT remove your jewelry!Especially with a new piercing, your body will immediately begin to close the hole. If you must remove the jewelry for a medical procedure, school, or work-related activity, please contact us. We sell retainers and can provide advice for this process.
  4. With many piercings, the initial jewelry will be of a slightly greater length or diameter to allow for any swelling that may occur and to facilitate cleaning. When you are ready to downsize your jewelry, you can purchase sterilized jewelry which one of our piercers will insert for you free of charge.
  5. Avoid pools, hot tubs, lakes, beaches, etc. They contain either a great deal of bacteria or chemicals. If you opt to swim, flush out and clean the piercing afterward, but please avoid sand, oils, lotions, excessive sun, etc. Whenever possible a watertight, waterproof patch may be used to protect your piercing while healing.
  6. Be careful of all contact with possible irritants such as phones, pillows, hair, cosmetics, combs, brushes, towels, pet hair, etc. Remember to change your bed linens and pillowcases frequently. Please DO NOT use any of the following products:  alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Listerine, Bactine, Betadine, Iodine, Neosporin, Bacitracin, Vaseline, Dial soap, other strong soaps, Hibiclens, pierced ear care solutions (these solutions contain Benzalkonium Chloride and Benzethonium Chloride). These are all very harsh for a new piercing and do more harm than good.
  7. Finally, the healthier you are, the faster you will heal. It is a fantastic idea to eat well, sleep well, drink lots of water, take a multivitamin, exercise, and follow our aftercare.

 

FACIAL AND BODY PIERCINGS

  1. To clean your piercing, please use warm water, chamomile tea, or a sterile saline wound wash such as NeilMed. 
  2. First, WASH YOUR HANDS. This is by far the most important step. Any cleaning done will have no effect if you are touching your piercing with dirty hands. Second, using the end of a cotton swab or folded gauze, swab the area around your piercing with warm water, chamomile tea, or NeilMed, wetting and gently removing any “crusties” from around the piercing. Third, rinse the area after cleaning and pat dry with gauze (cloth towels may harbor bacteria). You should NOT rotate your jewelry at all – the less contact and less irritation, the better.
  3. The perfect time to clean your piercing with water is in the shower. After you have washed your hair and the rest of your body, let the warm water run over the piercing to eliminate any accumulated “crusties” or dried skin. Be careful to keep shampoo, soap, etc. out of the piercing.
  4. To use chamomile tea, brew the tea in a clean cup. Use the tea the same as water. Or for additional pampering, gently use the tea bag itself as a warm compress. Do not use chamomile tea if you have a ragweed allergy or if the area becomes irritated.
  5. When using NeilMed, be sure to let the saline come out without touching the tip to anything in order to avoid contaminating the can.

 

ORAL PIERCINGS 

  1. Oral piercings include any lip, cheek, or tongue piercing. If any part of the piercing is inside your mouth, you should follow this section in addition to the facial aftercare section.
  2. Avoid oral contact(kissing and sexual contact), alcohol, smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, spicy foods, acidic foods, biting your nails, chewing on pen caps, gum, or anything else that may irritate the area or introduce bacteria into the piercing.
  3. Drink lots of cold water and use ice chips to help reduce the swelling and soothe the area. Now is a great time to get a new toothbrush! We suggest that you avoid toothpaste with baking soda and/or peroxide.
  4. The most important thing is to rinse with lots of cold bottled water throughout the day and after EVERY meal or snack. Rinsing well will remove particles around the new piercing.
  5. Please use Biotene or a similar mouthwash that is alcohol-free and peroxide-free. Twice a day is plenty – once in the morning and once in the evening. Use cold water throughout the day to rinse after meals and as needed. Do not overuse and DO NOT use alcohol-based mouthwashes.
  6. Please be very careful not to bite the jewelry while eating. It will take time to get used to having jewelry in your mouth. Be patient! Once the swelling goes down, PLEASE come back to Evolved for a shorter barbell. We include a coupon here for a discounted post and will be happy to sterilize it and change it for you for free. This is VERY important!!  The initial jewelry is much too long to wear for more than 1-3 weeks.

BALLS, ENDS, GEMS

  1. If your jewelry is internally threaded, it is a very good idea to get into the habit of checking to make sure the balls, ends, or gems are on tightly. To do this, you should first wash your hands thoroughly! Then carefully tighten clockwise.
  2. If your jewelry is threadless, you should make sure the ends are on tightly. First, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly! Then gently squeeze the ball, end, or gem and the post together. You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure. A gentle touch goes a long way!
  3. If your jewelry uses o-rings, you will want to keep them clean. 
  4. And finally, it is always advisable to keep extra balls, ends, gems, o-rings, and even insertion tapers on hand. We are more than happy to help, but having what you need at home is always best.

Here are your laser treatment aftercare instructions!

If you experience any unusual pain or discomfort after the treatment, call the MediZen office at 614-266-9922.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your care!
Dr. Elena A.Christofides & Dr. Maggie Gasiorova

HOW TO CARE FOR THE SKIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TREATMENT:

  1. Within 4-6 hours of your treatment, remove the bandage and clean the treated area (after first washing your hands).
  2. To clean the skin, we suggest a gentle soap, like Dr. Bronner’s. Cleanse the affected area 2-3 times a day, and gently pat dry with a clean towel. Do not rub. 
  3. Then, apply a thin layer of Aquaphor ointment to the treated area and cover with a fresh, clean, non-stick dressing. 
  4. For the initial 72 hours after treatment, keep the area covered during the day with a non-stick dressing. Each time you cleanse the treated area, reapply Aquaphor and cover the treated area using a fresh non-stick dressing. Do not keep it bandaged overnight. 
  5. Blisters, crusting, scabbing, bruising and redness may occur and are a part of the healing process. The surface of the skin may take 5 to 7 days, but can take up to 3 weeks, to return to its normal texture.
  6. Pinpoint bleeding may happen after each treatment, this refers to tiny bleeding areas that look like a pinprick. This surface bleeding may occur up to 48 hours after your treatment. This is different than bruising under the skin. You may bruise under the treated area as a result of the heat given off by the laser. DO NOT pick at the skin, pierce the skin or otherwise attempt to drain the blood. Your body will absorb this blood as a part of the healing process. 
  7. Scabbing can be expected when you have pinpoint bleeding. *If this happens* Apply coconut oil, rather than Aquaphor to the affected area 2-3 times a day. Coconut oil is a natural antibacterial agent and will keep the area moisturized and help it heal. We suggest using organic, cold-pressed, coconut oil (with no additional flavors added) for this application. Keep your treated area bandaged when out and about in the world until it is healed, and the scabs have fallen off on their own. 

Aftercare is a very important part of the laser process.

What you do and don’t do after your laser tattoo removal treatment will impact your results. Read through these aftercare instructions and follow our recommendations for the best results.

Immediately after the laser treatment, the area may be raised, red, bruised, and/or swollen. It can feel like a bad sunburn. You may experience a pulsating feeling, like a heartbeat. 

The area will feel warm to the touch and may stay warm for a few days after. These sensations are your body’s response to the trauma from the laser treatment. These are the signs that your body has started to break down the pigment in your tattoo.

You can take Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Naproxen, Aleve) as needed, but please do not take any aspirin. Aspirin increases the risk of bruising and/or bleeding.

Exercise is encouraged post-treatment. Being as active as you can typically helps your body’s immune system to break down the tattoo pigment. There is no need to restrict activity.

It is important to hydrate after the procedure to encourage the flushing of the ink from your system. This can include water and herbal tea, but not soda. Please drink an ADDITIONAL 4-8 cups (32-64 oz), daily for the first 3-4 weeks after your laser treatment.

Please be aware that the laser treated area will be sensitive. You may feel uncomfortable when using overly warm water on the area. We do not recommend this. 

Prolonged exposure to extremes of temperature and humidity can destroy the integrity of your skin and slow down the healing process, increase the risk of infection, or even cause scarring. The activities that will need to be limited include hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms or swimming pools, fresh bodies of water (or similar) during the entire healing process. We particularly advise against immersing yourself in water 

Do not expose the laser treated area to significant direct sunlight. Limit your exposure to 10 minutes a day or less. You must protect the laser treated area from the sun with a zinc oxide sunscreen throughout the healing process and cover the treated tattoo to keep it out of direct sunlight. Sun exposure can cause changes to the pigmentation of the skin around the treated area (excessive color or loss of color) and other complications. Burt’s Bees Diaper Rash Cream is our preferred product to use as a zinc oxide sunscreen.