Pre & post care
Aftercare
Your tattoo is an open wound, so treat it like one. Here’s how to get ready for your session, and how to look after your new ink while it heals.
Before
Getting ready for
your tattoo
Once you have a design in mind, get in touch to talk about options and availability.
- Send any reference images through before your appointment, so I can work them into the design.
- I’ll draft a couple of concept ideas based on your request, and you’ll get an estimate for your tattoo.
- Bear in mind it is an estimate. Some tattoos take longer than expected, and depending on your skin, your pain threshold and how many breaks you take, times and prices can vary.
- Prepare your body the best you can: a good night’s rest, eat well and stay hydrated. Bring water and food to keep your energy up.
- Do NOT drink alcohol or take anything that intoxicates you the night or morning before.
- Wear suitable, breathable clothing that lets me get to the area being tattooed.
After
Caring for your
new tattoo
It’s your job to look after your tattoo and your body once you leave the studio. Keep it clean, keep unwashed hands off it, and don’t scratch.
On day one
If your tattoo was wrapped, only leave the wrap on for a few hours. On a hot day, or if you’re sweating a lot, it’s better to take it off, clean it with warm soapy water and put some barrier cream on.
I suggest Bepanthen (the nappy rash or tattoo ones), but check the ingredients first to make sure it suits you and your skin. If it’s not for you, other products work too. Personally I avoid petroleum-based jellies like most paw paw creams and Vaseline, though they do the job if that’s what you choose.
For the first week
Wash your tattoo every morning and night with warm soapy water, and pat it dry with a paper towel or a clean towel. Then apply a thin layer of barrier cream, not too thick.
For the second week
After a week your tattoo should be healing well. As long as you’re showering regularly, you can just apply barrier cream or an unscented moisturiser, morning and night.
Don’ts
- Don’t soak your tattoo. It can get wet, but avoid swimming, baths and saunas until it’s healed. Showers are fine.
- Don’t put sunscreen on it for the first month, and no sunbaking or tanning for a month either.
- Don’t scratch or pick at it: picking the scabs makes the ink fall out. Patting the area can help soothe it.
- Avoid tight clothes that rub against the skin.
Do’s
- Wash your hands before you wash your tattoo.
- Use alcohol-free and fragrance-free soaps and moisturisers while it heals.
- Once it’s fully healed, use sunscreen to keep your tattoos protected: too much sun fades ink over time.
- If you think it’s infected or you’re having a reaction, ask me questions, but please seek medical advice if you’re worried. I’m not a doctor.
Day by day
The healing
journey
How quickly you heal depends on the size of your tattoo and how intricate it is. Bigger pieces stay red, and maybe swollen, for longer.
Day 1
You’ll come home with your new tattoo. If it’s wrapped, unwrap it within the first few hours. You may notice fluid oozing (blood, plasma and extra ink), and your skin will be red, sore and maybe slightly warm.
With clean hands, wash it with warm water and a fragrance-free, alcohol-free soap, rinse well, pat it dry and apply your ointment of choice.
Days 2–3
It will look duller and maybe cloudy as the skin heals, and scabs may start to form. Keep washing it twice a day. You may still see some excess ink.
Days 4–6
Redness should start to fade and you may see some light scabbing, thinner than when you cut yourself. Don’t pick at it: that can cause scarring and ink fall-out. Keep washing and applying ointment twice a day.
Days 6–14
The scabs harden and begin to flake off. Don’t pick them. It may get itchy: gently rub in a fragrance-free, alcohol-free moisturiser as needed, but don’t overdo it. If it’s still red and swollen at this point you may have an infection, and it’s best to seek medical advice.
Days 15–30
Most of the big flakes are gone and the scabs are going. You might still see some dead skin, and the area may be dry: keep moisturising until it looks hydrated again. The top layers heal in two or three weeks; the lower layers can take three to four months.
Good to know
Touch-ups don’t mean
bad tattoos
If you get any ink fall-out, or you have any worries about your tattoo, have a chat to me. I’m happy to take a look and see if you need a touch-up session.
Touch-ups aren’t a mistake
They’re a normal part of getting tattooed, even when the artist knows their stuff and you follow your aftercare.
Your skin is not paper
It heals, sheds, regenerates and sometimes pushes ink out unevenly. Same design, same artist, different bodies heal differently.
Some spots are drama queens
Fingers, feet, ribs, inner arms and necks move more, rub more and fade faster. They can look perfect, then heal unpredictably.
Fine lines need settling time
Some lines soften and some spots heal lighter. A touch-up is just the artist saying “cool, now I can see how your skin healed, let’s perfect it”.
Aftercare matters, but it’s not magic
Yes, aftercare helps. No, perfect aftercare doesn’t guarantee zero touch-ups. Healing is teamwork, not a test you failed.
These five are borrowed from #inkedbynimisha on Instagram.
Infection and allergic reactions
A tattoo that isn’t properly cared for can get infected. Infected skin will be red, warm and painful, and the wound may leak pus.
If you’re sensitive to the ink used, you may get red or itchy skin where the tattoo is. Red inks are the most likely to cause a reaction. I can tell your doctor which ink brand and colours I used, which helps them work out what’s going on.
Questions?
Not sure how it’s healing?
Have a chat to me. Send a message with a photo of how it’s looking and I’ll let you know what I think.
