Aftercare for Your Tattoo
Unfortunately, there is no "magical" one way to care for every single tattoo. Several factors come into play, including the artist's technique, your skin type/health condition, and the style of the tattoo itself. but here’s what I usually recommend to my clients:
What you need (just tap on names, it will take you to amazon).
Dont buy anything before the session! The way how we care directly depends by skin type and tattoo we will do
1. Tattoo ointment or cream. What kind? Depends on your skin.
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Oily or normal skin: Hustle Butter, Tattoo Goo
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Dry skin: Aquaphor or Bepanthen (make sure it’s an ointment, not lotion)
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Cover-up: Start with Aquaphor for the first week, then switch to tattoo cream.
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This list is for clients in the U.S. and Mexico — if we did tattoo in another country, we already discussed your ointment.
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2. Second skin OR baby/puppy(pee) pads and medical tape. What to use?
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If you’re not allergic, second skin works well.
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If you are, use pads and tape. (The cheaper the pads — the better, because cheap are thinner.)
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3. Antibacterial soap bar​​​
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P.S. Aquaphor, pads, tape and bar you can just buy in any pharmacy stores.
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After the Session: First 3 Days
The most important is to figure out if you’re allergic to second skin or not. I’ll be honest - color tattoos often heal better with pads, not second skin. But pads are harder to manage, and safety always comes first. Especially for areas like the back, neck, or torso, second skin is more comfortable and practical.
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Here are 3 cases, find the one that fits you best:
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Case 1: You already have tattoos that healed well with second skin
I’ll apply the first one after the session.
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Keep it on until the morning
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Then: take it off, wash tattoo, let it dry for at least 2-4 hours, wash it again, dry for 10 minutes and then on clean dry skin apply new second skin (that i gave you after the session)
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If you have no time to dry your skin between applications, and the first piece is still sealed with no leaking — you can keep it on until the evening, and then change it (the same way as in previous sentence).
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The second second skin should stay for 2 more days.
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Case 2: You’ve never used second skin:
First: have you had a reaction to medical tape, band-aids, etc.? (redness, itching, rash, blisters?) if yes: you’re probably allergic to second skin. If no - Next morning, check the tattoo:
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If everything looks fine: Case 1
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If it’s itchy, red, hot - take it off right away and switch to pads. Case 3
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Case 3. You’re allergic to second skin (or can’t use it)
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We’ll use pads and medical tape. They’re soft cotton pads with a waterproof layer - great for absorbing fluid and protecting color tattoos. We use them only for 3 days after the session, and only when we go outside or sleeping. At home keep tattoo open. How to use them:
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After the session, I might wrap your tattoo in plastic just for the trip home, I don’t have pads on me always.
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Once home: remove it, wash the tattoo, let it air dry
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Keep it uncovered while home
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Moisturize only when tattoo dry, wash it 2-3 times per day
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When going outside or sleeping:
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Wash and moisturize, Place the cotton side of the pad on the tattoo, Tape it gently (best option: paper medical tape — it’s the most hypoallergenic)
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Important:
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At night: keep one pad on, don’t need to wake up to change it
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During the day: change it every 4 hours. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. Don’t leave the pad longer then 4 hours, because you will be sweating under it and you skin can swell more.
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Wash, dry and moisturise between every change
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Warning for hot climates:
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If there’s no AC and you sweat a lot, pads may cause issues — test it and see. If not using a pad, wear loose, clean clothes that fully cover the tattoo, but I’ll be honest - it is easy to catch infection if you cover your tattoo just with clothes.
After 3 days:
Usually my tattoos heal 2-3 weeks. Don’t cover your tattoo anymore, just with clothes when you go outside. Moisturise every time when it’s dry, and wash it 2-3 times per day.
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Important additional information:
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DONT FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS EVERYTIME YOU WILL DO ANYTJING WITH TATTOO.
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Don’t let other people touch it or animal lick it.
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Be careful with bacteria’s on surfaces, don’t rub your tattoo on dirty clothes or surfaces.
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If you can’t avoid dust or hairs sticking to your tattoo, washing every single time not a good idea, so use baby wipes.
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Wash it 2-3 times per day, but avoid direct water around 2 weeks (as it possible), Excessive water will make inks expend
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Don’t over moisturise. Should be just a thin layer, shouldnt see the ointment. Too much ointment will make inks blow or fade
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If you use second skin, when taking it off - pull it from you, and warm water will help to take it off without pain. Wash out the glue really properly
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Use only my second skin, since there are a lot of products on the market and i can be sure only about one I use
If you have sore, wound, inflammation or infection on tattoo:
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Please contact me directly first! In most cases, things will resolve by letting your tattoo dry, then washing with Chlorhexidine and Aquaphor/Bepanthen for moisturization (please keep this sparse/light). Clothing can cause problems as well, so make sure they are clean (as well as towels and bed sheets).
What To Avoid:
Within one week:
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Heavy lifting/strenuous activity/exercise
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Wearing skin-tight or shedding clothes that could stick to your tattoo
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Submerged water exposure (swimming/bathing)
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Hot water (especially in the shower)
Within two weeks:
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Prolonged exposure to the sun
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Using sunscreen
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Drinking alcohol (this will thin blood causing the tattooed area to bleed/details blow-out)
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Intensive sport or exercise (sweat exposure can cause infection and flexing the area can cause additional scabbing/scarring)
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Scratching or peeling of the scabbing/healing area (this risks infection or removing portions of settling ink)
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Shaving
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Sauna, bath, or other submerged water
After it healed:
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Always use sunscreen if sun directly on your tattoo
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Moisturize it once per day
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After 2 months you can begin resuming skincare routines (like scrubs or exfoliants). New skin grows over the tattooed layers - sometimes you don’t need a touch-up - just an exfoliation
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Be careful with laser hair removal - if not done by a professional - they can laser your tattoo off.
Tips:
How to apply second skin bandage: cut it into small pieces, apply on dry, clean skin horizontally, not vertically. Otherwise, you can leave bubbles trapped under the surface. When removing, peel it off from the bottom upwards, pulling outwards, not upwards.
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How to wash your tattoo properly: better to use a concentrated soap bar, not liquid, because you can make a concentrated foam from the bar. Just rub it with water in your palms to create the foam, then wash your tattoo with your hands, then rinse carefully with water. Water should be warm, not hot or cold.
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How to properly moisturize your tattoo: you need to moisturize your tattoo every time it’s dry. Your hands and tattoo need to be especially clean when moisturizing, though you don’t need to wash the tattoo every time (because too much water can be bad for details). If the tattoo looks clean but has particles on it, use baby wipes. If you think it can have bacteria, then wash it. Apply a thin layer of ointment/cream. Don’t put too much as your skin will be oversaturated and clog pores. Listen to your body as all skin types are different - just remember to moisturize the area whenever it appears/feels dry.
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How to take shower: In the shower avoid direct water on your tattoo for 5-7 days after the session(except the time when you wash it of course). If you use second skin it’s usually waterproofed, but not so, I would recommend not to shower it directly too.