Aftercare.
Bandage.
If you have a second skin covering your tattoo, remove it after approximately 24 hours (give or take a few hours is fine, but don’t sleep with it on for a second night).
If your tattoo is covered with cling film, leave this on for 2-3 hours before removing it.
Bandage removal.
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly first.
For second skin, Hold the area under warm running water (in the shower or under the tap depending on the placement) and remove the second skin by peeling a small amount from the edge and stretching it out & away from the tattoo.
Cleaning your tattoo.
To wash the area, you can use a tattoo cleansing product, well diluted Dettol wound wash, or an ultra sensitive fragrance free wash such as Cetaphil. If you don’t have any of these, just stick to water.
Avoid using cloths, exfoliators and your usual soap/ body wash, these can irritate the open skin and upset the healing process.
Wash the tattoo twice a day for the first week.
For when you’re on the go, you can buy water wipes to gently wipe the area clean (these are cheap from the supermarket, look for ones that are 99% water with no more than 3 ingredients).
After washing, pat dry with clean paper towels, & allow to dry out for 24 hours (no covering, no aftercare, just leave it open to the air).
moisturize.
After 24 hours, begin using your aftercare, applying very thin layers 3-5 times a day. Continue cleaning twice a day and using the aftercare for 2 weeks. Don’t apply any other products to your skin during this time.
Avoid sun exposure.
Protect your tattoo from direct sunlight and tanning beds during the healing process. After the 2 week point we recommend applying sunscreen to the area whenever you are going out in the sun, as UV rays can fade tattoos over time.
avoid swimming.
Do NOT soak the area - Avoid swimming in pools, hot tubs, baths or natural bodies of water until your tattoo is fully healed.
Clothing ChoIce.
Wear loose/ soft clothing. Tight clothing/ coarse fabric could result in irritation/ rubbing.
Do not touch.
Don’t touch the area unless applying aftercare (always wash your hands first)
activities/ workouts.
Avoid any activities/ workouts where you will sweat heavily, including saunas and steam rooms.
If you do, make sure to clean the tattoo immediately and pat dry.
Be mindful.
Treat your tattoo as you would an open wound - Be mindful not to let the area come into contact with anything that could cause infection (animals, soil, dirty hands, seawater, etc). If this happens accidentally, wash immediately and apply fresh aftercare.
What to expect.
You may notice some flaking of the skin (similar to peeling after a bad sunburn). This is a normal part of the process, please allow it to fall off naturally.
Do not scratch or pick the area. Itching is normal - tattoo aftercare cream will help with this!
Consult your artist.
If you have any concerns or notice signs of infection (excessive redness, swelling, or discharge), consult your tattoo artist or a healthcare professional. and please don’t forget to send your artist a healed photo after about 6 weeks
long-term care.
After 2 weeks, you can return to your normal routine, and go back to using your usual skincare/ shower products.
Your tattoo will take a few more weeks to fully ‘settle in’ to the skin, but there is no longer a risk of infection.
After your tattoo is fully healed, continue to moisturise the area regularly and protect it from excessive sun exposure to maintain its vibrancy.
Contact us.
If you have any questions about the aftercare, send us a message here.