The one rule that matters
A new tattoo is an open wound. Everything below follows from that. Keep it clean, keep it from drying out, keep it out of water and sun, and leave it alone.
The first 24 hours
Leave the bandage on for as long as your artist told you. That window varies depending on what was used, and adhesive film dressings stay on far longer than a traditional wrap.
When you take it off, wash your hands first. Remove the covering gently under lukewarm running water if it sticks. Wash the tattoo with clean hands and a mild fragrance free soap, using your fingertips rather than a cloth. Rinse, then pat dry with a clean paper towel. Do not rub it, and do not use a bath towel, which holds bacteria and catches on the surface.
Some fluid, ink and a little blood coming away during this first wash is normal.
Days two to seven
Wash it two or three times a day using the same method. After each wash and once the skin is dry, apply a very thin layer of whatever your artist recommended.
Thin is the operative word. A thick layer suffocates the skin, traps moisture and bacteria, and is one of the most common causes of a badly healed tattoo. You want the surface barely shiny, not visibly coated. If it looks wet, you have used too much.
Expect it to feel tight and warm, and to look slightly raised. This is normal.
Week one to three: the ugly stage
Around day three to five the tattoo starts to flake, and it will look worse before it looks better. Thin coloured flakes come away, the piece looks dull and cloudy, and the colours seem to have faded. Some areas may look patchy while others are still peeling.
None of this means anything went wrong. A layer of dead skin is sitting over the ink. Once it clears, the tattoo underneath is intact.
The itching is the difficult part. Do not scratch it and do not pick the flakes. Pulling a flake early takes pigment with it, and that is exactly how patchy spots that need touching up are created. If it itches badly, a light tap through clean skin or a thin application of moisturiser is the answer.
What to avoid until it is fully healed
- Soaking. No baths, pools, lakes, hot tubs or the sea. Showers are fine.
- Sun. Direct sun on a healing tattoo is the single fastest way to damage it. Cover it with clothing rather than sunscreen while healing, because sunscreen belongs on healed skin only.
- Picking and scratching. The most common cause of an avoidable touch up.
- Tight or rough clothing. Friction over the area will lift flakes early.
- Gym equipment and shared surfaces. Give it a few days, longer if the placement rubs or stretches.
- Letting animals sleep on it. More common than you would think.
After it has healed: the next twenty years
Sun is what ages a tattoo, far more than time. Ultraviolet light breaks pigment down, and it goes after the light values first. In black and grey work the pale greys disappear, which flattens the depth the artist built. In colour work the yellows and reds surrender earliest, which pulls the whole piece out of balance.
Once fully healed, keep sunscreen on any tattoo that sees regular sun. Keep the skin moisturised generally. Both of these are cheap and both make a visible difference across a decade.
Touch up work over the years is normal maintenance rather than a sign of a problem. Bring the piece back to the shop and we will look at it.
When to see a doctor
Redness, swelling, warmth and tenderness in the first few days are part of normal healing. Get medical attention if you see spreading redness moving away from the tattoo, pain that increases rather than decreases after day three, pus or foul smelling discharge, or if you develop a fever.
An infection is treatable and getting it looked at quickly protects both your health and the tattoo. Call the shop at (262) 255-4884 as well so we know, but see a doctor first.
Healing a new piercing
Piercings follow a different routine and a much longer timeline. Do not apply tattoo aftercare products to a piercing, and do not use alcohol or peroxide on either. Ask Paul for piercing specific instructions when you are pierced, and see the piercing page for what to expect.
Aftercare questions
How long does a tattoo take to heal?
The surface usually looks settled in two to three weeks, but the deeper layers keep repairing for around two to three months. That gap is why a tattoo can look finished while still being vulnerable. Keep protecting it after it stops looking like it needs protecting.
Is peeling and flaking normal?
Yes, and it usually starts somewhere in the first week. Thin flakes of coloured skin coming away is the normal process. Let it fall off on its own. Picking or peeling it early pulls pigment out with it and leaves patchy areas that need touching up.
Can I go to the gym with a new tattoo?
Give it a few days at minimum, and longer for a placement that stretches or rubs. Sweat, friction from clothing and shared equipment surfaces are all working against a healing wound. Ask your artist about your specific placement rather than applying a general rule.
When can I swim after getting tattooed?
Not until it is fully healed, which means no pools, lakes, hot tubs or baths. Submerging a healing tattoo waterlogs the skin and introduces bacteria to an open wound. Showers are fine from the start. Two to three weeks is the usual minimum for the surface.
What if my tattoo looks infected?
Some redness, swelling and warmth in the first days is normal. Spreading redness, increasing pain after day three, pus, or a fever is not. See a doctor rather than waiting it out, and call the shop at (262) 255-4884 so we know as well.