A tattoo is not something to be taken lightly. If you don’t take the time to choose the right tattoo studio and to pick a good artist to do your tattoo, you could end up having a very bad experience. There are a lot of inexperienced “scratchers” in this little-regulated field, so be careful!

With a few simple questions and a bit of observation, you can avoid a lot of problems.

Is the tattoo shop clean and well organized?

Is there an autoclave (sterilizer)? Ask to see it.

Does the shop conduct spore tests to test the efficiency of their sterilizer? Ask to see the spore test results. If there are none, go somewhere else.

Remember that the world of tattooing and piercing is still marginal. Have a positive attitude when you ask questions. Respect is a much-appreciated virtue in this community.

Ask questions of your future tattooist it’s your health that’s at stake! Your tattooist should respect the following safety measures:

HEALING DIRECTIONS: • Wash hands thoroughly • Remove the bandage in 3-6 hours. You may leave your bandage on over night in the case of tattoos done later in the evening. If the bandage does stick, soak the bandage in lukewarm water and gently remove it. During the first few hours it is normal for your tattoo to seep some blood or fluids. • As soon as you remove the bandage you MUST wash the tattoo thoroughly with warm water, a mild unscented soap and a clean hand (a wash cloth is too rough). The area will be tender but it is important to remove all dried blood, Vaseline and fluid. After the tattoo has been thoroughly cleaned pat dry with a clean towel. Let it alone for 2 days. Rinse daily. • Apply lotion. A mild non-scented lotion may be applied to the tattoo. A good rule of thumb is less is more. Only apply lotion if the skin feels tight (when the tattoo is itchy and flaky) GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: • No soaking in the bath and no swimming until scabs are gone. Showers are fine. • Do not expose your tattoo to direct sunlight. Tanning and sunbathing are not to be considered during the healing process. A new tattoo has no sun blocking capabilities and will sunburn in as little as 5 minutes, resulting in scarring and colour loss. Do not put sun block on your tattoo until it is fully healed. • Do not pick your tattoo! Usually a scab will form, but do not pick or scratch it. It is normal for the tattoo to get quite itchy during the final stages of healing. Picking or scratching the tattoo will cause scarring and colour loss. CALL US! Your tattoo has been applied under the strictest guidelines. All needles are brand new and disposed after EVERY client. All items used for tattooing are either single use, or sterilized in a hospital grade sterilizer known as an AUTOCLAVE. All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure your safety and ours. If you have any questions or concerns with the healing of your tattoo, come and see us to evaluate your healing process. Your tattoo artist is the only person in any position to give you advice on healing. ESTIMATED HEALING TIME IS BETWEEN 2 TO 4 WEEKS A STANDARD PIERCING: • May be tender, sore, itchy and/or uncomfortable for a few days. • May secrete a whitish-yellow fluid which crusts on jewelry. • May be red or bruise slightly around the piercing area. • May tighten around the jewelry as it heals making it dry and uncomfortable to turn. CLEANING OF PIERCING: • RUBBING ALCOHOL, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE and POLYSPORIN should NEVER be used. These products are harsh and prolong healing times. • Always wash hands thoroughly before cleaning of piercing. • Ensure piercing is last item cleaned when in the shower. • Using a Q-Tip or pressure of shower head, allow encrusted matter to rinse away from piercing. • Using SPECTRO JEL or an unscented mild skin cleanser (such as CETAPHIL) gently lather the area. • Hold ring gently and slide back and forth through the opening to build a lather. • Allow soap to soak in for a moment (this may sting which means it is getting clean). • Rinse with plenty of water, while again rotating the ring. • Pat dry with a clean towel. • Clean piercing TWICE daily, cleaning more often only causes problems. Less cleaning may invite infection. CARE OF ORAL PIERCINGS: • Suck on ice cubes for the first 24-48 hours to reduce swelling. • Advil or Midol may be taken to help with swelling as well. • Avoid dairy, spicy foods, alcohol and sexual contact as these will complicate the healing process and cause infection. • Check the beads of your jewelry frequently to make sure they are tight. • Each time you eat, drink or smoke you MUST rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash. ORAL B (alcohol free) or ORIGINAL LISTERINE (diluted 50/50 with water) are the most effective. • Should you have a Labret/Lip/Medusa/Marilyn/Madonna piercing, cleans as above for inside of mouth and treat as a regular piercing outside of mouth. INFECTIONS (HOW TO TELL IF YOU HAVE ONE AND WHAT TO DO): An infection is caused by contact with fungi, bacteria or other living pathogens. Infections can be traced to one of the following activities: • Touching piercing with unwashed hands • Letting someone else touch piercing • Contact with any bodily fluids • Infrequent washing of clothing/bedding • Going into a pool/hot tub/ocean/lake To determine if you have an infection, look for the following symptoms: • Redness or swelling • Sensation of heat at the piercing site • Pain (throbbing or spreading) • Unusual discharge: green, brown or gray in colour If you think you have an infection, come and see us. Tell us of any circumstances that may have led to the infection. DO NOT REMOVE THE JEWELRY! This can aggravate the problem further by closing off any chance of drainage. DO NOT LEAVE AN INFECTION UNATTENDED! How your piercing heals is up to you. Treat your body with respect, get plenty of rest, eat properly and follow these instructions. Your piercing may look like it is healed in a short amount of time, but continue to clean it for the duration of the healing time. Above all else BE PATIENT! piercings go through a series of ups and downs. ESTIMATED HEALING TIME IS 6 - 8 WEEKS