~Est. 1997
Tattoo Aftercare
Properly caring for your tattoo is important to its look. You're just as responsible for your tattoo looking great as your artist, so be sure you take the right precautions to be sure it lasts and looks great for years to come!
Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason - to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. Yes, as awesome as your new tattoo is, it is still a wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection.
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If your artist put Recovery Derm Shield, or Saniderm please keep on for 4-5 days before removing.
Remove in shower, and take off the second skin from the top corner and pull down.
DO NOT TAKE OFF WITHOUT WATER, can cause serious harm to skin, and tattoo.
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NEVER RE-BANDAGE your tattoo once you take off your bandage the first time. Let it breathe!
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After you remove the bandage, you will want to wash your tattoo. Use lukewarm water and mild, liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap.
Gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma and to completely clean the area. Do not use a washcloth or anything abrasive. Your hand is your best tool in this case. (If your tattoo feels slimy and slippery, you have probably been oozing plasma. Try to gently remove as much of this as possible while washing - when the plasma dries on the skin surface, it creates scabs.)​
Then pat (DO NOT RUB) the area firmly with a clean paper towel to get it completely dry. (Do not use any other sort of towel) Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment. AQUATAT would be the ideal choice, other recommendations would be Tattoo Goo, or Hustle Butter.
NO AQUAPHOR, BACTINE, VASELINE, A&D, NEOSPORIN or any other ointments.
Wash and apply ointment every 6-8 hours for the first few days.
It is important that you use VERY LITTLE ointment!
Use the products as directed and continue for 3-5 days.​
After it starts to scab, continue to keep it clean, but use plain, non-scented lotion when needed instead of ointment, to keep the skin soft. Whatever lotion you use, it should be completely DYE and FRAGRANCE FREE. Your tattoo should fully heal in 3-6 weeks.
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DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH!
You can damage and destroy the tattoo!
Yes, you can (and should!) shower with a new tattoo. It's OK to get your tattoo wet - just don't soak it. Submerging your tattoo in a bath, swimming pool, hot tub can cause serious damage, so you'll want to avoid those for 2-3 weeks, but showering is perfectly fine as long as you don't saturate your tattoo. If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, just remove it quickly with water and use only your hands when cleaning it.
Swimming - whether it be a pool, fresh water or salt water - should be avoided for at least 2 weeks.
When out in the sun, be sure to use sunblock and DO NOT go tanning, or spray tan.
