Aftercare for Your Tattoo

Unfortunately, there is no "magical" one-fits-all 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.

What do you need:

Professional tattoo cream/ointment for aftercare (USA: aquaphor AND hustle butter or tattoo goo or inkeeze)
Second-skin bandage (this will be provided at the end of your session) OR Baby/puppy (absorbent) pads and tape (better paper medical tape, because paper the most hypoallergenic).
Antibacterial soap bar

First 3 days

“Second skin” bandage

Baby/puppy pads

After the session I apply it on the tattoo and show you how to use it. Keep it till tomorrow morning.

Remove the bandage after waking up (it’s recommended to pull from the bottom upwards, slowly). Wash immediately with anti-bacterial soap.

If you CAN stay the whole next day at home:

Leave your tattoo uncovered - do not cover with any clothing either. But avoid surface exposure and toching the tattoo.

Wash it two to three times a day with anti-bacterial soap, then let it dry and moisturize it with aquaphor when it’s really really dry (can’t tell how often you need to moisture tattoo, depends by the skin type).

Before bed, wash one last time, let it dry, then apply the second-skin bandage (that will be provided at the end of your session). You can leave this on for two additional days.

If you can’t stay home the next day:

Remove the first second-skin bandage in the morning, wash the tattoo, let dry for at least one hour (though longer is better) and apply the second second-skin bandage shortly before leaving. This bandage can remain on for two days.

If the first second skin didnt hold up till the next day after session: sometimes the tattoo will bleed or produce excessive amounts of plasma - so much so that it may leak out from underneath the bandage. This means the tattoo is not protected anymore and bacteria can form.

If there’s minor leakage (and it’s late in the evening), and doesn’t look like something can get underneath the bandage - tape the loose area and leave it on until morning.
If there’s major exposed areas, remove the bandage, wash the area, dry, apply cream/ointment and wrap absorbent pads around the tattooed area and tape it. Take it off in the morning and resume the recommended aftercare routine from the beginning of this document.

if you don’t have any urgent plans or job I would recommend postpone any plans at least till the evening. Because my tattoos bleed a lot and skin need time to calm down.

PLEASE DONT BUY SECOND SKIN YOURSELF. ILL GIVE YOU THE ONE I PREFER TO USE AFTER THE SESSION.

Much better for the color tattoos healing, but wouldnt work if you traveling right after the session, or spend first 3 days far from home.

After the session we would probably use second skin anyway. Keep it till tomorrow morning.

Remove the bandage after waking up (it’s recommended to pull from the bottom upwards, slowly). Wash immediately with anti-bacterial soap.

While at home, leave your tattoo uncovered. Moisturize when really dry and wash it two to three times per day with anti-bacterial soap. You’ll need to cover your tattoo ONLY during your sleep and when you not at home (hotel/airbnb).

How to cover it:

Wash the tattoo, apply a small amount of ointment and cover with pads (cotton part on tattoo) and with paper tape. You don’t need to wake up during the night to change it, but during the day (if you not at home!) you should wear it for a maximum of four hours. After four hours, remove the pad, wash the tattoo, then let dry for at least 30 minutes. Moisturize it and cover it with a new pad. If your working space is clean and safe - you can try to leave the area uncovered, but be careful with bacteria. Cover your tattoo only 3 days after the session.

After 3 days:

Moisturize your tattoo every time it appears/feels dry. Wash it with anti-bacterial soap two to three times per day. For the first week, moisturize with Aquaphor, then switch to Hustle Butter/Inkeeze. If you have oily skin, you can switch to these after the fourth or fifth day. Continue this process until the tattoo is fully healed.
On the 3rd-5th day tattoo starts peeling with a small pieces of skin. This is normal, just continue everything without any changes. Don’t peel it off on purpose, it should get off itself.
Your tattoo heals for 10 – 21 days (sometimes longer). Cover it with lose clothes when you not at home, and and avoid direct sun exposure.
It’s completely healed when it looks smooth like your "usual" skin. Afterwards I recommend to use some regular light cream/lotion for skin for 2 months.

If you have sore, wound, inflammation or infection on tattoo:

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:

Heavy lifting/strenuous activity/exercise
Wearing skin-tight or shedding clothes that could stick to your tattoo
Submerged water exposure (swimming/bathing)
Hot water (especially in the shower)

Within two weeks:

Prolonged exposure to the sun
Using sunscreen
Drinking alcohol (this will thin blood causing the tattooed area to bleed/details blow-out)
Intensive sport or exercise (sweat exposure can cause infection and flexing the area can cause additional scabbing/scarring)
Scratching or peeling of the scabbing/healing area (this risks infection or removing portions of settling ink)
Shaving
Sauna, bath, or other submerged water

After it healed:

Always use sunscreen if sun directly on your tattoo
Moisturize it once per day
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
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.

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.

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.

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.