Once the tattoo is completed, the artist will use medical-grade transparent bandage to wrap your fresh tattoo. This stuff is waterproof, breathable, and is the absolute gold-standard in the tattoo industry—it is a second skin that you can wear in the shower and will speed the healing process. We recommend you leave it in place for the next three to four days.
When the day comes, prepare to remove the bandage by thoroughly washing your hands with soap. Under running warm water, grip a corner of the bandage and slowly remove the tape. Following initial removal of the bandage, wash the tattoo with antibacterial soap and continue to do so for the next two weeks. KEEP YOUR TATTOO CLEAN—the better you care for it, the better your tattoo will heal!
Use a fragrance-free moisturizer like Lubriderm, Eucerin or Aquaphor (Not Vaseline!) twice a day with a very thin layer. This will speed healing and limit itchiness.
After the tattoo is fully healed, wear sunscreen to bolster the longevity of your tattoo. Sustained, direct sunlight over time may cause your tattoo to fade.
DO NOT:
- Scratch or pick at your tattoo—this may cause scarring or infection that can damage the tattoo.
- Cover your tattoo with sunblock until is fully healed.
- Wear tight clothing over the tattoo—the rubbing of fabric will slow the healing process.
- Go swimming at all or soak in a hot tub. (showers are fine).
- Work out for two weeks—the sweat and filth of a gym raises possibility of infection.
Tattoo healing stages:
Note: While uncommon, your body may react adversely to tattoo ink, which does not reflect the cleanliness or quality of the tattooing process, but rather, your body’s own immune response.
Redness
Once you remove the bandage, you may notice fluid or ink leaking from the tattoo—sometimes called “weeping”— or observe that the surrounding skin is very red. This will likely last for a week or so, but if the redness and oozing does not subside after one week, consult a doctor.
Itching
A tattoo is essentially a deliberate wound, and wounds itch as they heal.
The NUMBER ONE WAY to make an infected mess of a tattoo is to scratch it with unclean hands or pick at the flaking skin as it heals; you must resist the urge. Gentle application of lotion will help.
Peeling
After the second week, the tattoo will likely start to peel. Your skin is sloughing off as the body’s natural response to a wound.
Healing
Every tattoo heals slightly differently, depending on each individual and the location of the tattoo. After the first month, your tattoo will look clean, vibrant, and fully healed. You still can use the lotion for aftercare for several months to keep the tattoo moist and vibrant.