-Before your appointment: abstain from drinking alcohol for 1-2 days, drink plenty of water, eat a substantial meal and get a full nights rest. You’re about to experience some heavy trauma to your system and you must be prepared.

-Bring proper clothing choices for the area we are tattooing. There will be a lot of ink and plasma, and while I try to work as clean as possible, any clothing near the area will make tattooing more difficult as well as increase the potential for contamination (not to mention ruining your clothing). Wear something comfortable and bring an option for if you become cold as sometimes this may happen when the body is under duress.

-For full appendages (arms/legs) or any areas that crease/bend, it is incredibly important to immobilize the are for days 3-5 as excessive movement will lead to premature cracking at the joints or wherever the skin creases. This will lead to prolonged healing, scar tissue and the need for touch-ups.

-In warmer months it is important to avoid excess moisture and sweat while healing your tattoo. Allowing proper airflow and keeping activity and time in the sun to a minimum will help with this.

-In colder months the issue will be keeping clothing off of your tattoo as any friction and contact with fabric will potential cause healing issues.

-While I take care to thoroughly bandage the area, it is important to use clean bedding and if you have pets, keep them in a separate area for the first 2-3 days so as not to contaminate the area with any potential bacteria or pet hair.

-The swelling will seem alarming in the extremities. In the majority of cases this is nothing to worry about and will return to normal within 4-5 days. With plenty of rest, elevation and limiting activity, you will see faster improvement and experience less pain and tenderness during the healing process.

Upon completion of your session, you will undoubtedly feel a number of symptoms including but not limited to, fatigue, nausea, swelling, tenderness, pain, and potential fainting.

The severity of symptoms varies from person to person and how you take care of yourself. The more hydrated, well rested, and prepared you are for the session, the better you will fare.

Your aftercare begins with wrapping the area in a non adherent absorbent pad so as to keep the area contained and control any plasma. I advise you keep this covering on your tattoo for the next 8-12 hours (usually over night while sleeping), to allow the tattoo to weep without being exposed to bedding and any other potential contaminates.

(an additional covering of self adherent wrap may be applied to keep everything held in place)

After the 8-12 hour period (usually coupled with a good nights rest), you will notice significant swelling. Remove the bandaging and dispose of it in a clean fashion, as it will be saturated with plasma.

Once bandages have been removed, I advise taking a warm shower (as warm as you can stand) and lathering well with a mild anti-bacterial soap or otherwise fragrance free/meant for sensitive skin. You will notice a significant layer of plasma on the skins surface and the objective is to remove this plasma completely.

After lathering, rinse thoroughly and if you notice any more film of plasma, repeat these steps.

Once out of the shower, dry thoroughly with clean paper towel or a clean cloth towel (taking care to not transfer any lint to the skins surface). Paper towel is the preferred method of drying for its lower potential for lint, and it being a clean disposable surface. Let air dry for 15-20 minutes. DO NOT apply any ointment or salve.

Inspect the surface of the tattooed skin. It should be matte textured and free of any weeping spots. If any remain, it can help to re bandage with a clean wrapping on the second day to keep any clothing off of the area, as well as, keeping it contained from outside contaminates.

Repeat this for day 3

With proper cleaning, allowing good airflow to your tattoo, and some light moisturizing by days 4-5 you should notice the tissue begin to peel in consistent sections. Allows this process to occur naturally and with washing, as prematurely removing peels that are not ready will lead to prolonged healing and potential scarring.
Be sure to keep the fresh skin out of direct sunlight as this can also damage the underlying tissue.

The addition of more nourishing moisturizers such as shea butter, cocoa butter, other natural fragrance free salves may help return the skin back to its normal condition more quickly.

This time is crucial to keep activity minimal and any limbs as immobile as possible to prevent premature cracking, otherwise your healing will be prolonged and will most likely require a touch up.

With proper cleaning, allowing good airflow to your tattoo, and some light moisturizing by days 4-5 you should notice the tissue begin to peel in consistent sections. Allows this process to occur naturally and with washing, as prematurely removing peels that are not ready will lead to prolonged healing and potential scarring.
Be sure to keep the fresh skin out of direct sunlight as this can also damage the underlying tissue.

The addition of more nourishing moisturizers such as shea butter, cocoa butter, other natural fragrance free salves may help return the skin back to its normal condition more quickly.

Keep in mind that all bodies and skin types are different and may require slightly longer timelines. 7-10 days is the average for fully pealed. Some people may experience a second round of lesser peeling.

Blackwork tattooing is an intense process and requires disciplined care for those “Instagram Worthy” results. While technique and attention to skin trauma is the best way to achieve consistent results, the rest relies on a clients ability to heal properly. Sometimes life happens and accidents will cause disruptions in healing leading to an imperfection. THIS IS OKAY

The internet is flooded with unrealistic expectations for tattooing and blackwork specifically. While minimal trauma is the best way and we would all love a one shot single pass perfect heal, the truth is sometimes a touch-up is necessary.

I believe in transparency and I specialize in blackwork as a means to help people transform and feel powerful in their skin. To me its a rejection of traditional art, a freedom from the pressures of unattainable perfection and a place where your tattoo doesn’t need to have some profound meaning. It can just be.