Good preparation and consistent aftercare support healing and help protect your results. These general guidelines apply to cosmetic tattooing. You will also receive instructions tailored to your procedure and skin.
Please follow the written instructions provided at your appointment, especially for cleansing, dressings, and aftercare products. Different treatment areas may need different care.
Before Your Appointment
- Share relevant medical conditions, allergies, medications, previous tattooing, and recent treatments during your consultation.
- Let me know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have difficulty healing, develop raised scars, or are receiving treatment that affects your immune system.
- Tell me about retinoids, acne treatments, peels, laser treatments, injectables, and recent surgery. We will discuss appropriate timing before treatment.
- Do not stop prescribed medications, including blood thinners, without guidance from your prescribing clinician.
- Avoid arriving with sunburn, broken skin, an active rash, or infection in the treatment area. Contact me before your appointment if these develop.
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before your appointment.
- Eat beforehand, stay hydrated, and allow enough time for consultation and design.
- If you have a known reaction to tattoo pigments, anesthetics, adhesives, or skincare products, tell me in advance. A patch test, when appropriate, cannot rule out every possible reaction.
Brows
Tell me about previous brow tattooing, removal, or significant skin sensitivity. Avoid arriving with irritated skin from waxing, peels, or exfoliation. Let your brows grow as naturally as possible so I can assess their shape and hair pattern.
Lips
Tell me if you have ever had cold sores, even if the last episode was years ago. Lip tattooing can trigger an outbreak. Ask your prescribing clinician whether preventive antiviral medication is appropriate; I cannot prescribe it.
Do not attend for lip tattooing with an active cold sore, cracked or bleeding lips, or an infection. Tell me about recent lip fillers or other lip treatments before scheduling.
Eyeliner
Please tell me about dry eye, blepharitis, recent eye surgery, or any ongoing eye condition. Unexplained eyelid redness or irritation should be assessed before treatment.
Arrive without eye makeup or lash extensions. Remove contact lenses and bring glasses. Tell me about lash-growth products and any recent eye treatments so we can discuss preparation.
Areola and Scar Tattooing
The area must be fully healed and stable. If you have had surgery, radiation, or reconstruction, confirm suitable timing with your treating clinician before treatment.
Wear soft, comfortable clothing that will not rub the area. Follow the specific dressing and aftercare plan provided for your procedure.
Freckles and Beauty Marks
Arrive without sunburn or irritation in the planned area. Do not request tattooing over a natural mole or a spot that is new, changing, bleeding, or unexplained. Have concerning spots assessed by a dermatologist first.
Scalp Micropigmentation
Tell me about scalp conditions, hair-loss treatments, recent hair transplantation, or other scalp procedures. We will discuss hair length and preparation based on your treatment plan. Avoid arriving with an irritated or sunburned scalp.
After Your Appointment
- Wash your hands before touching the treated area.
- Clean the area gently using the method provided at your appointment. Do not scrub.
- Use only the recommended aftercare products, in the amount instructed.
- Do not pick, peel, scratch, or remove flakes or scabs.
- Keep makeup, exfoliants, retinoids, acids, and fragranced products off the healing area.
- Avoid swimming, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, soaking, and heavy sweating until the surface has healed and you have been advised it is appropriate to resume.
- Protect the area from direct sun and tanning while it heals.
- Keep bedding clean and avoid rubbing or friction from clothing.
- Follow your procedure-specific instructions for dressings. Do not add an occlusive covering unless instructed.
After the skin has fully healed, use appropriate sun protection on exposed treated skin. For most exposed skin, a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is recommended. Use a suitable lip SPF for healed lips and eye-safe protection around the eyes.
What Healing Can Look Like
Color often appears stronger immediately after treatment. Mild, short-lived redness, tenderness, or swelling can occur, followed by dryness or flaking.
Color may look uneven or lighter during healing. Do not judge the final result while the surface is still healing. Many facial PMU results are assessed around 4–8 weeks; areola and scar work can take longer.
Follow-Up Care
A follow-up appointment may be recommended to assess pigment retention and discuss refinement. Further tattooing should wait until the area has healed adequately.
Lip Aftercare
Use only the recommended lip product and keep the area clean. Avoid friction and anything that stings or irritates healing lips. If a cold sore develops, contact your healthcare professional promptly.
Eyeliner Aftercare
Avoid eye makeup, false lashes, lash adhesive, and rubbing your eyes while the area heals. Follow the instructions provided about returning to contact lenses and lash services.
Areola and Scar Aftercare
Follow your individualized dressing and cleansing instructions. Avoid clothing that presses or rubs against the treated skin. Do not use facial PMU aftercare instructions in place of the plan supplied for your areola or scar procedure.
When to Ask for Help
For routine healing questions, text me at (702) 210-1572.
Seek prompt medical assessment for worsening redness, warmth, swelling, pain, discharge, fever, or a spreading rash. Eye pain, light sensitivity, or any change in vision requires urgent eye-care assessment. Trouble breathing or rapidly developing facial or throat swelling is an emergency.
Recent Comments