Tattoo Aftercare
There are countless ways to heal a tattoo, many of them work extremely well. After years of receiving and giving tattoos, here’s what I tell my clients:
● Remove the bandage after a minimum of three hours.
● Wash your hands with a mild soap using warm to hot water. Using clean hands begin to wash/lather the fresh tattoo with soap and warm/hot water. Lather until the tattoo no longer feels greasy, removing all excess ointment, blood, or extra ink seepage.
● Pat the tattoo dry with a clean towel. Allow it to air dry for a few minutes thereafter
● Once the tattoo is dry apply a very thin layer of ointment or lotion.
● On the first day of healing a tattoo there will tend to be a bit of ooze and/or plasma which comes to the surface of the skin after washing and applying ointment. If this is the case, before bed the tattoo can be washed again and the ointment reapplied. This is an attempt to remove excess plasma and not let it coagulate (this is what wants to form a scab). Ideally no scabbing will occur and the tattoo will transition to a flaky/sunburn like healing process somewhere between day 3 and 7. High movement areas can promote some scabbing. If this is the case and scabbing does occur allow that area to dry out on its own, do not pick at or agitate any scabbed areas. The picking of scabs will result in a poor final product whereas letting the scab dry out and fall off on its own will ofter result in a perfect heal (under the scab). The trained tattoo artist eye can almost always tell where a client has picked at or agitated a scab, at times this can lead to scarring ... again, please do not pick at a healing tattoo.
● After day one of healing please continue to wash your tattoo once a day and apply ointment/moisturizer once or twice a day. Finding the balance of not letting the tattoo completely dry out and crack but also not saturating the skin and creating a spongy/gummy mess is the goal. This depends on the nature of your skin. Extrememly dry skin may require twice a day, oily skin usually only once. Pay attention to your tattoo (especially over the first three days) and accomodate the healing using common sense. If one were to err, please err on the side of "less is more". A dry heal will almst always be better than an oversaturated wet heal.
● Each individual will find the lotion and/or ointment that is best suited to their skin. I often reccomend using Aquaphor (found at most any pharmacy) for the first 3 - 5 days and then swithcing to an unscented/natural moisturizer. Other ointments will work too. Skinfix, Tattoo Goo, Hustle Butter and so on are easily found at most pharmacies as well. With such variation in skin type, sensitivity, dryness, and so on there is no single product which works best for everyone. All of the aforementioned products will work as well as a wide array of others not mentioned here. It's a matter of finding the one that works best for you.
● Once the tattoo has begun to dry and flake (very similar to a sunburn) it is time to switch to a moisturizer rather than a balm/ointment. Most any unscented or natural mositurizer will suffice. Again, application once or twice a day will suffice.
● After 10 - 14 days the skin will likely have stopped flaking. It will still be fragile/new skin so continue to be cognisant of your new tattoo.
● Avoid excessive sun, sweat, and/or mositure. Showering is ok but submerging your tattoo in a bathtub, hotub, or any other body of water is not recommended until the skin looks and feels like "normal" skin once again.
● Dont' stress out about the healing process. Your body knows very well how to heal a minor wound. A tattoo is a minor wound. The less stress involved and the less agitation placed upon a tattoo the better it will heal. Avoid touching and poking and prodding your new tattoo ... this will not promote healing and will often hinder or prolong the healing process.