Tattoo Aftercare: How to Take Care of Your New Tattoo

A tattoo is permanent. How you treat it for the next two weeks decides how it looks for the next twenty years. Here's how we want you to take care of it.

Your artist will tell you which of the two methods below applies to your piece — traditional bandage or Saniderm (second-skin). Follow the one that matches what's on your skin right now.

If Your Artist Used a Traditional Bandage

First 24 hours Leave the bandage on for at least an hour, or until you get home. Wash your hands before you touch anything. Gently remove the bandage, then wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild antibacterial soap — fingertips only, no washcloth. Rinse well, pat dry with a clean paper towel, and let it air dry for 5–10 minutes before applying a thin layer of aftercare product.

Weeks 1–2 Wash 2–3 times a day. Pat dry. Apply a thin layer of moisturizer — we sell aftercare product, but most people do fine with Aquaphor. Your tattoo should never look greasy or feel smothered. Moisturize again whenever it feels dry.

If Your Artist Used Saniderm (Second-Skin)

It's normal to see blood, ink, and plasma collecting under the bandage in the first 24 hours — that's part of healing, not a problem. Keep the bandage clean, dry, and in place for 24–48 hours unless your artist tells you otherwise. Remove it sooner if the seal breaks, it starts leaking, or you notice irritation or a rash.

The easiest time to take it off is during or right after a warm shower. Lift one corner, then stretch the bandage back over itself — pulling parallel to your skin, not straight up — to minimize irritation. Wash the tattoo right away with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free soap, pat dry, and let it air dry for 10–15 minutes. From there, follow the same 2–3-times-a-day washing and thin-moisturizer routine as above.

What to Expect

Redness, mild swelling, tenderness, light scabbing, peeling like a sunburn, some itching — all normal. Don't scratch or pick at it.

What to Avoid Until Fully Healed

Baths, pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, the ocean, tanning beds, and direct sun. Skip tight or dirty clothing over the area, and don't let pets lick or touch it. No petroleum jelly, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or heavily scented lotions — they slow healing, not speed it.

Long-Term Care

Once it's healed, keep it moisturized and use SPF 30+ any time it's in the sun. That one habit does more to keep a tattoo looking sharp for years than almost anything else.

When to Call Us

Spreading redness, increasing pain instead of improvement, thick yellow or green drainage, fever, chills, or swelling that keeps getting worse — that's not normal healing, and you should reach out or see a doctor.

Every person heals a little differently. Follow these steps and give it time. We're here if you have questions — that's part of taking care of you, not just the tattoo.

Questions about your healing? Message us or stop by — we're open seven days a week.