Aftercare
Your tattoo is a fresh wound. Treat it like one for the first two weeks and it’ll heal cleanly. If anything looks off, message me before you act on it.
Day 1-3
Leave the wrap on for 2-4 hours after you leave the studio. When you take it off, wash the tattoo gently in lukewarm water with fragrance-free liquid soap. Pat (don’t rub) dry with a clean paper towel.
Wash twice a day. Keep the tattoo uncovered as much as possible. Let it breathe.
Don’t panic if you see ink and plasma weeping in the first 24 hours, that’s normal. Same with a bit of swelling and redness round the edges.
Day 3-14
The tattoo will start to feel tight, then itchy, then flaky. That’s healing. Don’t scratch it. Don’t pick scabs. Let them fall off on their own.
From day 3, put a thin layer of fragrance-free moisturiser on after each wash. Cetraben, Bepanthen, or unscented Cerave all work. Emphasis on thin: too much suffocates the skin.
Keep washing twice a day until the flaking has stopped.
Long-term care
Once it’s healed (2-3 weeks on the surface, 6-8 weeks for the deeper layers), the tattoo is yours for life. How it ages is mostly down to you.
Sunscreen is the single biggest variable. UV breaks down ink. SPF 30+ on the tattoo whenever it’s getting sun, for the rest of its life.
Keep the skin moisturised. Hydrated skin holds ink better and stays crisper for longer.
For a touch-up, get in touch after the 6-8 week mark.
What to avoid
For the first two weeks:
- Swimming — pools, sea, baths
- Direct sunlight (then SPF 30+ on it forever)
- Saunas and steam rooms
For the first week:
- Tight or rough clothing rubbing on it
- Heavy gym sweat on the area (first 4-5 days)
- Pets sleeping on or near it while it’s fresh
And don’t scratch or pick. At any point.