How do I take care of my new tattoo?

Congratulations, you just got a new tattoo! So what happens next?

Every artist has a very distinct style and technique of tattooing, and no two artists will recommend the same routine as far as aftercare goes, so I always highly suggest asking your artist what they recommend for aftercare instructions and products.

My style of tattooing ranges from delicate black and grey single needle work, to highly saturated colorful pieces, and these two styles require vastly different aftercare needs. I’ll go over the basics for aftercare, and any special instructions I recommend for my clients depending on the style of tattooing I did that day.

Your bandage:

I primarily use a Tegaderm bandage on most of my clients, which is a breathable self-adhering bandage that is used in most hospitals. It’s basically a see-through sticker than can stay on your skin from anywhere from 3-5 days, but you should leave your bandage on at least overnight.

If you had a heavily saturated color tattoo done, I typically use an absorbent black medical bandage that will soak up any excess ink and plasma that’ll be seeping from your tattoo for the first 24 hours.

The next morning after your appointment, if you went home with a black absorbent bandage, I recommend washing your hands and removing the bandage. You’ll then rinse it under lukewarm water, and with a liquid free antibacterial soap (a liquid gold dial soap is my favorite) you’ll lightly scrub off that layer of ink, plasma, and excess liquid pooled up on the surface. You’ll then let it air dry, or lightly dab it dry with a disposable paper towel. Once the surface is dry, you can then put on your Tegaderm bandage I sent home with you, or you can begin your healing process without it, whichever is easiest for you!

Cleaning:

I like to leave my Tegaderm bandages on for 5 days (if they stay on for that amount of time) and do what’s called a “dry heal”, which basically means I don’t go out of my way to use any products or lotions on my tattoos, and let my body heal itself. When the 5 day mark comes (or the seal on the bandage comes undone at an earlier time) you can remove the bandage. I recommend running it under lukewarm water, and slowly removing it with clean hands, and washing it with a fragrance free antibacterial soap. I let it air dry, and then I leave it alone while it undergoes the scabbing process, making sure not to go out of my way to clean or excessively moisturize it.

It takes 6 weeks for your skin to completely heal, and for the ink to settle and reemerge to the surface of your skin completely, but you can return to your normal washing/moisturizing products and schedule once the surface of your skin has settled over and the scabs are gone!