Tattoo Procedure Aftercare

Tattoos are a permanent body modification. For the best possible healing experience, please follow the healing instructions detailed on this page and if you need further clarification or have additional questions please reach out to the shop or your artist directly!

You got the tattoo! Now what?

Upon getting home from the studio, (unless instructed otherwise)

1.) Remove any wrapping or bandage from the tattoo and wash the surface of the skin and surrounding area with ANTIBACTERIAL LIQUID SOAP and room temperature water. Gently use your hand, a clean wash cloth, or a wet paper towel to gently clean any dried plasma, blood, or ink from the surface of the skin area.

2.) Air dry or gently pat the tattoo with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and allow the tattoo and surface of the skin to become fully dry.

3.) After the surface is fully dry apply a very thin layer of an appropriate salve/ointment, (Aquaphor/Lubriderm/Jergens/Tattoo creams) this prevents the surface of the skin from drying or cracking excessively and softens the skin. (A little goes a long way, especially with petroleum based ointments as too much can clog pores, slow healing, and cause acne around the tattoo.)

4.) Repeat steps 1-3, two to three times a day for the first two or three days, and then as needed.

DO NOT REWRAP OR COVER YOUR TATTOO, your skin is your largest organ, rewrapping the tattoo can trap moisture and bacteria against the surface of the skin resulting in delayed healing and in extreme cases infection. Your skin needs to breathe to heal properly so please try to avoid skin tight clothing over the surface of the tattoo during the initial phases of healing.

PLEASE AVOID:

Direct sunlight, tanning beds, pools/communal bodies of water, harsh soaps, peroxides, scented skin care creams, exfoliating scrubs, bar soap, tight clothing, scratching, and picking.

The easiest way to think about the healing process is that you’re a kid who has fallen of a bike and gotten a scrape, we want to wash the area with antibacterial soap just to clean any ambient bacteria, blood, or dirt off of the surface of the skin, just like washing our hands! At that point if we were to leave the scrape alone and provide no further care it would typically result in a dry brittle heavy scab that might crack or cause bleeding if left alone or picked at. To remedy this once the skin starts to dry down and tighten we apply a small amount of lotion or ointment to help soften the skin. (Important not to use too much! As keeping the tattoo too moist delays healing) and then repeat as needed! During the first 24-48 hours a tattoo can and more than likely will weep a small to marginal amount of blood, plasma and ink. After the first two days you’ll get a feel for how your body is handling the process and taking care of the tattoo becomes much easier! Just like with scabs as a kid, if you pick at the healing skin of the tattoo and remove it, it can and more than likely will remove tattoo pigment with it, resulting in a lighter spot/cracking in the tattoo. Also if you remember having scrapes in the pool or tub as a kid then you absolutely remember that soaking for longer than 15 minutes can result in the scabbed area becoming papery and crumbly, which we want to avoid.