AFTER THE SEAL IS SET
Tattoo aftercare.
Your tattoo is a piece of living art. How you care for it in the first weeks determines how it heals and how it looks for the rest of your life. Follow these steps directly and reach out if anything feels off.
1
When you get home - the bandage
If your artist applied a second skin / saniderm bandage, leave it on for three to five days. Carefully peel it off after the time your artist recommended, then follow the washing steps below.
If you have a regular bandage, leave it on until you go to bed.
2
Wash your hands first - always
Your tattoo is an open wound. Treat it with the same care you’d give any injury that significantly damages your skin. Clean hands before you touch it. Every time.
3
Remove the wrap carefully
Gently remove the tape and plastic wrap. It shouldn’t stick, but if it does, run lukewarm water over the tattoo and dressing until it loosens enough to pull away without resistance. Don’t force it.
4
Clean it thoroughly
Wet the tattoo with warm (not hot) water using your clean hands - not a washcloth or towel. It’s probably a mess of blood, ink, lymph, and plasma. That’s normal. It all needs to come off. Plasma hardens into excess scabbing, which complicates healing.
Lather a small amount of alcohol-free, fragrance-free antibacterial soap (Dove Sensitive Skin or Dial work well) in your hands and gently run it onto the tattoo. Your skin will be raw and sensitive, but be thorough. Check ingredients! Fragrances and alcohol burn and dry out healing skin. If there are stubborn dried bits that won’t budge, leave them. They’ll come off on their own.
5
Rinse and dry
Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water - hot water can open your pores too much and cause ink to fall out. Then either air-dry or gently pat with a paper towel. Do not rub! Do not use fabric towels or washcloths! They can stick and harbor bacteria even when they’re fresh. Your tattoo should be fully dry in 5-10 minutes.
6
Apply aftercare ointment
Apply a thin layer of aftercare ointment. Aquaphor Healing Ointment is a solid choice; any lightweight fragrance-free skincare will do. Check the ingredients! Nothing with fragrance, alcohol, or petroleum products. Your skin needs to breathe, so don’t oversaturate it. A little goes a long way.
7
Protect your bedding
Keep your bedding clean throughout the healing process. Consider old sheets, as your tattoo may weep ink and blood for a few days. If you wake up stuck to your sheets, don’t rip them off. Soak with lukewarm water until they release from your skin easily. Take them into the shower with you if needed.
8
The next two weeks
Keep it clean. Reapply ointment or lotion as needed to keep the skin moist - but not suffocated!
Avoid: tight clothing over the healing area | any bandage of any kind | bodies of water of any kind - no pools, ponds, lakes, or oceans | long hot showers and steam rooms | heavy exercise | shaving the area
Yes, really on the bodies of water. Pools and natural water carry bacteria that do not belong in an open wound.
9
When the scabs and peeling arrive
Do not pick your scabs!
Do not peel sloughing skin, even if it’s barely holding on. Do not scratch. We know. We know. You can cool it with water or ice, take a quick shower, or find something to distract yourself. If you’re worried about scratching in your sleep, trim your fingernails or wear gloves.
All of this is part of the process. Let it happen on its own timeline. Your body will thank you.
10
The sun - forever, not just now
Stay out of the sun while it heals. Full stop. And even after it’s healed, UV radiation is the number one cause of fading over time. Protect your investment! Wear sunscreen on tattooed skin whenever you’re in the sun. Exfoliate and moisturize regularly. A well-cared-for tattoo stays beautiful.
TAKE IT WITH YOU
Aftercare Guide - Printable PDF
Everything on this page in a clean, printable format. Save it to your phone or print it out and keep it somewhere you’ll see it for the first two weeks.
THE QUICK REFERENCE
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Picking, peeling, or scratching - even when it itches. Especially when it itches.
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Any bodies of water - pools, oceans, lakes, hot tubs. Bacteria. Don’t
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Direct sunlight while healing - and SPF forever after
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Hot water, steam rooms, heavy sweating - open pores lose ink.
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Fabric towels - paper towel only while healing.
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Fragrances, alcohol, petroleum in any product touching the tattoo.
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Tight clothing over the area - friction is not your friend right now.
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Shaving the area until fully healed.
✓
Reach out to your artist if anything feels off. We’d rather hear from you.