a basic guide to aftercare*
when you first get your tattoo:
keep the second skin on for 3-5 days. the longer the better! the second skin will protect your tattoo over the first few days from getting infected. remember your tattoo is basically an open wound, so you should treat it as such. you will probably see rejected ink, blood, or plasma collect underneath the bandage. this is normal and will not hurt the tattoo.
when you are ready to remove the second skin, make sure your hands are clean. take it off gently in the shower or under the sink in lukewarm water. don't stretch and pull at the skin roughly. if you remove it dry, it can cause the skin to tear and heal patchy.
with your clean hands, gently wash the area with an unscented soap, like a Dove bar, in the lukewarm water. pat dry with a paper towel. do not rub.
apply a tattoo ointment immediately after you wash it. you can do your own research if you want something specifically for tattoos. but Aquaphor healing ointment is widely used and recommended. apply a thin layer all over the tattoo.
a few days after you take off the second skin and do the first wash, you will start to notice peeling and dryness on the tattoo. do not pick or scratch it as this will cause the tattoo to scab and heal patchy in the areas where the ink has been damaged and removed from the skin. instead, apply Aquaphor and let it breathe.
your tattoo should heal fully within 4-6 weeks. while it is healing:
wash the tattoo once or twice a day with unscented soap, pat dry and apply Aquaphor
apply Aquaphor 2-4 times a day, especially when it starts peeling and becoming very dry
at about 2 weeks you can also start applying an unscented moisturizer. (becareful of over-moisturizing which can cause "blow out" meaning your tattoo heals fuzzy)
keep the tattoo clean and dry. let it breathe! remember it’s a healing wound.
do not wear restricting clothing or clothing that will rub and irritate the tattoo
do not take long or hot showers
do not swim until it’s fully healed
do not expose the healing tattoo to the sun, keep it covered and protected. (once it’s fully healed you can apply sunscreen)
once healed you can book a touch-up with me for free if your tattoo needs it!
*these are my notes on aftercare as i have learned over the years. please do your own research as well! if you think your tattoo is infected seek medical attention. look up videos of properly healing and infected tattoos to see the different signs. also please note that color tattoos have a more intense-looking healing process than black and grey ink tattoos.*