It’s important to listen and follow any instructions your artist may have.

Treat your new tattoo as an open wound. Keep it clean. Do not touch healing tattoos with dirty hands. Before cleaning the tattooed area, wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Carefully remove bandage or tape. Using a little warm water may help with the removal. Do Not Rip it off!

Wash the tattooed area with warm water and a mild fragrant free soap gently with only the tips of your fingers. Rags, towels, or loofahs should be avoided when washing and drying your tattoo. Pat dry with clean disposable paper towel. Do Not Rub!

Repeat at least once in the morning and once at night, for the first couple of days, then as needed.

It’s important to not let your tattoo dry out. Apply a small thin layer of healing ointment such as Aquaphor, After Inked, Redemption, Hustle Butter just to name a few, consult with your artist if you are unsure which healing ointment to use. Use ointment for approximately 3 days, then discontinue and start applying a non-scented lotion until the tattoo is completely healed. Wipe off any excess and keep clean between applications.

Initial healing can take 1 to 2 weeks depending on size and location. Larger designs or tattoos in high movement/friction areas may require a longer time to heal.

As your tattoo heals expect some slight peeling of the skin on and around the tattoo. Do not pick or scrub, especially if you experience scabbing.

Avoid excessive sun, and soaking in any bodies of water, including pools/hot tubs, bathtubs, saunas or steam baths until the tattoo has completely healed.

Itching is to be expected! DO NOT SCRATCH YOUR TATTOO!

Your tattoo will go through several stages of healing including:

1. The weeping/plasma stage. Right after your tattoo you will notice plasma and pigment weeping from the tattooed area. This is to be expected and usually lasts a couple of days to a week.

2. The Peeling/ “Ugly” stage. You’ll notice the skin peeling off in little flakes. This will occur naturally and does not need to be aided. It’s extremely important to keep the tattooed area moistened and not to pick or scratch the dry skin. Any damage at this stage can lead to scarring and ink loss.

3. The Final/ “Shiny” stage. Your skin may have a soft silver shine to it. This is new skin replacing the damaged “peeled” skin. After the shine is gone your tattoo will be completely healed!

Your tattoo may need a touch up die to pigment loss, especially in high movement areas. We can not touch up a tattoo until it is completely head.

Under warm running water (recommend removing bandage in the shower), find an upper corner of the bandage and start slowly remove. DO NOT RIP IT OFF!

1. Clean the tattoo with warm water and a gentle, fragrance-free soap

2. Pat the tattoo dry with a clean paper towel and allow 5-10 minutes for it to fully air dry.

3. Cut the bandage slightly larger than the size of the tattoo (including an extra 1-2 inches around all sides).

4. Remove the white paper backing to expose the adhesive side of the bandage.

5. Center and place the bandage gently over the tattoo, massaging it onto the skin from the middle outward.

6. Once the bandage is in place, remove the remaining clear patterned layer, leaving the bandage on the tattoo.

7. Keep this second bandage on for an additional 3-5 days. Remove if you experience any discomfort and continue bandage free-healing.

Once the final bandage is removed from your tattoo, continue to care for it by gently washing it at least twice daily (morning and night) with a gentle anti-bacterial soap and pat dry with a clean paper towel. After allowing it to air dry for an additional 5-10 minutes, apply a thin layer of aftercare balm by gently massaging it into the tattooed skin in small, circular motions. Stick to this daily routine for the next 1-2 weeks while the tattoo remains slightly hypersensitive to touch and until the tattoo is no longer peeling, dry, or cracked.

Can You Over-Moisturize a Tattoo?

It can be tempting to apply a thick layer of balm or lotion to your healing tattoo, especially if it feels particularly sore or looks extra dry. But it is possible to over-moisturize your new tattoo, which can lead to some of the following problems:

• Delayed tattoo healing.

• Unwanted bacteria growth.

• Risk of inflammation and infection.

• Clogged pores and suffocation of the skin.

• Acne breakouts around the new tattoo.

That said, it’s also possible to under-moisturize a tattoo, which can lead to dry, cracked, or itchy skin, and even the unwanted formation of scabs that can potentially jeopardize the appearance of your healed tattoo.

To get the perfect amount, just work a single thin layer of your moisturizer evenly throughout the tattoo’s surface. Less is typically “more” and we recommend stretching a smaller amount of product before applying it in excess. A little typically goes a long way, and the skin is quick to absorb what’s applied, even if it’s less than you think you might need.

After spreading the product evenly across the entire tattoo (and before calling it “done”), give the whole area one last uniform wipe with the hand or finger to take off any remaining excess moisturizer. This will leave your tattoo with the thinnest layer it needs in order to still receive oxygen for an efficient heal, without suffocating the skin.