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Tattoo Aftercare Guide

When you get your first tattoo, it's an exciting experience. But what happens once you get home? What are you supposed to do about aftercare?

The good news is that most tattoo artists will provide you with a printout of what proper after care looks like, but many clients are so excited about their new art, they lose the printout AND completely forget what their artist has told them. This guide exists to help you take care of your tattoo, and to fill in any memory gaps you might have about taking care of your fresh ink.


What You'll Need:

Bullet Point Unscented Antibacterial Soap (ex. Dial)
Bullet Point Ointment (ex. Tattoo Goo, H2Ocean, After Inked, etc.)
Bullet Point Scentless Hypoallergenic Moisturizing Lotion (ex. Cetaphil, Eucerin, Lubriderm, etc.)

The Aftercare

1 - Listen To Your Tattoo Artist

Listen to your tattoo artist.

If you've chosen a clean shop and a trained artist, they'll not only brief you on your aftercare processes, they'll most likely provide you with a printout of their preferred method. This guide can refresh your memory, but when in doubt, call the shop if you feel like you're forgetting something specific your artist mentioned to you.

2 - Leave The Bandage Alone

Leave the bandage alone.

If your shop uses bandages, leave the bandage on for at least 2 and up to 24 hours, as recommended by your artist. When your artist is done, they will sterilize your new tattoo and apply antibacterial ointment. While it might be tempting to lift up the bandage to give a "sneak peek" to friends, doing this will expose you to unnecessary bacteria. Remember that your tattoo is an open wound; for a few days, treat it as such and you'll be able to avoid needless infection.

If your shop uses plastic wrap instead of bandages, do not leave the wrap on for more than twelve hours. Plastic wrap does not breathe, which can slow or stop the healing process after an extended period of time. Your tattoo artist will give you an exact length of time before remove, but it is generally between two and eight hours for plastic wrap.

3 - Wash Your Tattoo

Wash your tattoo.

Wash your tattoo gently, using an unscented liquid antibacterial soap, three to five times per day. Using warm (but not hot) water and soap, you'll use your hand to gently rub the tattoo, removing any excess ink, dried blood or plasma. Do not submerge your tattoo and avoid holding it directly under the spray from a shower or sink.

4 - Air Dry

Air dry.

Let your tattoo air dry. You can pat the tattoo gently with a clean paper towel, but you must let the tattoo dry, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes after each cleaning. Any extra moisture trapped by immediately covering the tattoo is an invitation for bacteria to multiply.

5 - Apply Your Ointment

Apply your ointment.

Once your skin is completely dry, apply a very, very small amount of ointment. Your artist will make a recommendation as to which brand they prefer. There should be enough ointment that the tattoo shines, but not enough that you can still see it on top of the skin. Do not over apply lotion, as this can result in tattoo fading and increased bacterial growth.

6 - It Rubs The Lotion On Its Skin

Switch to lotion.

Only use ointment after washing for the first three to five days. After three to five days, you will switch to an unscented, hypoallergenic moisturizing lotion. Much like the ointment, you want to avoid over-applying the moisturizer, as excessive moisturizer can have a similar fading effect.

7 - Patience Is A Tattoo Virtue

Be patient.

Tattoos can take four to six weeks to completely heal. During this time, you'll need to stick with your three-to-five washings per day and keep your tattoo moisturized. Keeping up with your tattoo now will be completely worht it in the long run.


Things to Avoid

The process described above is the ideal tattoo recovery procedure. Most artists understand that you might miss a wash on the tattoo once or twice, but it's important you stick to a regular cleaning routine during the healing process and follow their instructions as closely as possible. That said, there are some very specific things you should NOT do to your new tattoo:

DO NOT

Pick, scratch, or rub your tattoo. Your tattoo is a healing wound. It is going to scab. It is going to flake. You cannot touch the tattoo during the recovery period without risking serious harm to your new artwork. If your tattoo is extremely itchy, apply a small bit of lotion with the palm of your hand.

DO NOT

Take a bath, swim or go into a hot tub during the first 72 hours.

DO NOT

Swim in a chlorinated pool or the ocean for the first two weeks. Both places are home to hundred of thousands of bacteria that normally can't get past your skin barrier, but can most definitely infect a tattoo.

DO NOT

Expose the tattoo to direct sunlight or tanning beds. While you will never want to expose your tattoo to these sources without sunscreen, you'll want to be especially careful while you are healing.

DO NOT

Wear tightly fitting clothing. Clothing that rubs or irritates the skin will lead to scabbing. Additionally, tight clothing can stick to the tattoo, causing you to pull up skin when you remove the clothing.

DO NOT

Let friends, family, children or pets touch your tattoo while it is healing. People, children (especially children), and pets carry bacteria and can expose your new tattoo to the possibility of infection.

DO NOT

Participate in any vigorous workouts or contact sports for at least a week. Especially avoid workouts that involve being on the ground, such as yoga.

If you follow these guidelines, you should be all set for a quality tattoo that looks great for a years to come. Remember, if at any point you think your tattoo may be infected, contact your artist immediately. They will be able to direct you to your best course of action and they will need to record the incident in order to find a possible cause.