Tattoo Aftercare

| Types of Aftercare |


I have 2 options for aftercare. Depending on preference, needs, placement, type of tattoo, etc. one may be chosen over the other.


  1. Temporary Wrap:

  • Gently remove the wrap approximately 1-2 hours after the procedure

  • Using clean hands and light pressure, wash the tattoo under warm water using liquid unscented antibacterial soap. Do not scrub.

  • Wash the area until plasma is removed (I.e. it doesn’t feel slimy anymore). Air dry the tattoo or pat the tattoo dry using disposable paper towel.

  • Apply moisturizer to the area after washing. Using recommended moisturizers only, rub the moisturizer in as if applying sunscreen (rubbing it in to penetrate moisturizer in the skin) as to not create a film on top of the skin. A little goes a long way. Do not over apply, as this will suffocate the skin and delay healing.

  • Repeat this process morning and night, and after anytime your tattoo was exposed to dirt, sweating, or outside elements.

  • Continue this process for approximately 2 weeks. Move to 1x daily after 2 weeks.


  1. Second Skin:

  • Your Artist will apply a clear adhesive bandage that is intended to stay on for approximately 6-7 days

  • Plasma build up is normal, the body will reabsorb this most of the time

  • If liquid build up is still there after 24-36 hours, remove the bandage and replace it with a new Second Skin bandage. The goal is for it to be a dry heal underneath so excess liquid can affect the heal.

  • If a bandage is needed, contact your artist for further direction. If you do not wish to replace Second Skin, use the instructions provided for Temporary Wrap

  • If any other fluids get under it (I.e. water from the shower) remove immediately and contact your artist for further instruction.

  • You are okay to shower with the bandage on, but do not submerge. Bandage is water resistant, not waterproof.

  • After removal, wash with unscented antibacterial soap, let air dry for 5-10 minutes, then apply a small amount of approved moisturizer. Apply moisturizer as needed (when it feels dry or flaky).

  • After removal, sometimes the adhesive will remain on skin. If you wish to remove the adhesive follow these steps:

    • Wash tattoo with warm water and antibacterial soap

    • Let air dry

    • Rub cocoa or shea butter on the tattoo

    • Wrap with Saran wrap

    • Place warm towel over the Saran wrap

    • Let set for 10 minutes

    • Wash with antibacterial soap and warm water

    • Repeat after a few hours if needed

| Moisturizers |

Moisturizer suggestion: 

  • Cocoa Butter (Palmer’s Cocoa Butter)

  • Shea Butter

Healing Advancements:

What is used for moisturizer and how you moisturize are the biggest things that have changed with aftercare in the last few years.

Before, the idea was PROTECT, PROTECT, PROTECT

What we’re realizing now is that, due to advancements in application and materials used, we are causing less trauma to the skin and we are realizing that what we need to heal tattoos is: CLEAN, BREATHABLE, MOISTURIZED

Ingredients to Avoid:

With CLEAN, BREATHABLE, MOISTURIZED in mind, there are things we want to avoid in our aftercare.

AVOID PETROLEUM: This is one of the biggest things to avoid. Petroleum and petroleum based products create a layer on top of the skin and don’t allow the skin to breath. Breathability is vital to a tattoo healing evenly and controlled.

This also creates a wet environment (wet is different from moisturized). This wet environment can be a breeding ground for bacteria to grow. The wet environment creates what I like to call “The Soggy Scab Effect”. It’s like when you have a large scab, you go in the shower, and some of it sluffs off and what remains heals uneven skin. This can affect the coloring and how even the saturation of the tattoo heals.

AVOID IRRITANTS: The less ingredients, the better. Avoiding fragrances, alcohols, excess ingredients, etc. can limit the chance of irritating the skin and can limit the change of cross reactivity.

Other Ingredients: The types of ingredients can be important too. Choosing products that don’t have alcohol can be important. Lotions with alcohol can dry out the skin. Avoiding products that clog the pores is important. Certain Fats can do this. Avoiding products that don’t absorb into deeper layers of skin is also important. I often get asked if coconut oil is a good option but it sits at the top of the skin and doesn’t absorb into deeper layers.


| Application |

Application is important with moisturizer. I suggest applying moisturizer like sunscreen: a little goes a long way and rub it into the skin. 

  • Clean: Always apply moisturizer on clean dry skin with clean hands.

  • Breathable: Massage the moisturizer in and don’t leave a layer on the top of the skin.

  • Moisturized: Moisturized is different from wet. Make sure that you aren’t over applying or ‘soaking’ the tattoo.


| Healing Reminders |

  • Remember that this is an open wound so be sure to keep away from chemicals, animals, etc.

  • Avoid clothing irritation during the healing process

  • Make sure your hands are clean before touching the tattoo

  • Do not rub, pick or scratch the area

  • No swimming, soaking, or suntanning for at least 4 weeks. You may shower but be sure to clean all other body products off the area.

  • Second skin may cause excess irritation. If this occurs, remove the bandage, wash well with antibacterial soap, and air dry without moisturizing. Contact your artist for further instruction.

  • Do not use bar soap as it can hold bacteria

  • Do not use Aquafor, A&D, or Neosporin


| Tattoo Heal Times |

Overall, everyone heals differently and at different rates. 

  • The type of tattoo can also determine how long a tattoo will take to heal.

  • Higher saturation and larger pieces mean that there is a higher level of skin trauma which generally takes longer to heal

  • Placement can affect how a tattoo heals: areas that have a high level of movement (ex. Over joints) or are areas with higher pressure (ex. Calf) can cause micro tears and can make it more difficult of an environment to heal, extending the healing.

  • Different layers of a tattoo heal at different times. 

  • Overall, we say that a tattoo isn’t fully healed for 6-8 weeks. This allows for the ink to settle and the tissue underneath to soften and return to baseline.

  • The top layer of skin is going to create a solid layer within 3-5 days. It is important to promote and protect this layer of healing as it is vital for a safe heal.

  • A Client’s health/preexisting conditions can affect heal times as well. Diabetes and water retention can extend healing. See “Health Conditions” for more info.


| Healing Tip |

Lower leg tattoos: Through the day with gravity, our lower extremities swell. This can cause excess pressure on tattoos and can cause micro tears which can be a door for bacteria to enter, which can lead to infection and excess ink spread.

If you find that there is extra redness around a lower leg tattoo, treat the limb like a sprain to reduce swelling: Rest, Elevate, Ibuprofen

This can also be helpful, whether there is extra redness or not, during the first 3-5 days (when the top layer of skin gets a solid heal). This can also be used on other limbs, especially with tattoos that are on or around joints.


| Cover Up Healing |

With cover ups, there is a higher chance of a histamine reaction. This reaction can look like hives, redness, itching, bumps, etc.

What is happening is the body is recognizing the new foreign body (ink) in it and it’s re-agitating the old foreign body (old ink) and the body is sending histamines to the area. This is the same thing that happens when the body recognizes an allergy (which is the body recognizing something that it doesn’t want there). 

This usually subsides and can be combated with an antihistamine (Benadryl) and certain aftercare instructions (usually dry healing for a few days).