So there are two ways to take care of your freshly made tattoo, and I’m going to outline them here. Which method is chosen, often depends on the size of the tattoo, as I usually don’t recommend the “second skin” method for larger tattoos, as it can be confusing for the customer to navigate what to do if the bandage starts coming off early.

The traditional method

I have been healing many of my tattoos like this for 15 years. After we’ve completed your new tattoo, I will apply a non-stick plastic cover, to avoid any infection of the fresh wound. Leave this cover on for a minimum of 3 hours. It’s fine if you have to leave it on a bit longer, but it’s good to wait atleast 3 hours so skin has time to stop bleeding.

(2) You then take the plastic cover off in the shower, and wash your new tattoo under warm running water, using pH neutral soap and the palm of your hand to clean the wound. It’s important that the water is warm, as cold water causes the blood to coagulate, therefore not allowing it to be washed away from the tattoo. When your tattoo is clean and there’s no blood on the wound, using a clean towel, pat dry. It’s very important to pat dry! As wiping the tattoo freshly out of the shower can cause damage to the skin.

Allow your skin to dry out by waiting one hour after showering. If the tattoo is on the upper body, or somewhere normally covered by clothing, it’s fine to wear clothing over the top, it’s just important to wait one hour before applying cream.

When applying cream, make sure that you apply a very thin layer, and massage thoroughly into the skin by using the palm of your hand. The tattoo shouldn’t look wet after application of cream. What you might find if you apply too much cream, is the tattoo oozes, and the wound itself can look “mushy”. If this is the case, remove any excess off the surface by dabbing with a paper towel or clean cloth, and in future apply less cream. As a rule of thumb, less cream is better. It’s better to apply less cream than you think you need, and then reapply after a couple hours, than to apply too much.

Apply cream 3 times a day, for two weeks after being tattooed. This means, once in the morning, once at roughly 6pm, and once before bed.

For the two weeks of healing, it’s very important that after showering, you pat dry the healing tattoo, and wait one hour before applying cream. This is one of the most important things to remember about the healing process! So pay attention to following this part.

Things to avoid/pay attention to during the 2 week healing process

• no swimming for 10-14 days after being tattooed

• when showering, try and minimize water spraying directly on the tattoo, especially when it’s scabbing. Obviously, when you first wash the tattoo this doesn’t apply, but for the following showers after this, don’t run the tattoo directly under water. Some minor splashes that happen naturally while showering are fine.

• Pat dry after showering

• wait one hour after showering before applying cream

• Wear appropriate clothing during the healing process! If you have a tattoo on your legs, avoid wearing jeans. Instead opt for softer materials such as cotton for example. Dress pants/dickies are no problem. In general try and minimize rubbing on the healing tattoo.

• Avoid sun burn! It’s better to have the healing tattoo covered by an article of clothing for the first two weeks, or if it can’t be covered, try not stand in direct sunlight for long periods of time. After 10-14 days, sunscreen is a great idea!

• Avoid going to the sauna for 10-14 days

• No contact sport for 10-14 days

• Weights or regular training should be fine after a few days, but be aware of the movements that you’re doing, and avoid getting a scratch on the healing tattoo

Second skin healing

So the process is slightly different when using a second skin type of cover to heal your tattoo. After the tattooing process, an adhesive cover is applied to the fresh tattoo.

This is left on for 3-5 days, depending on how well the adhesive plastic holds. When removing the plastic, it’s very important to remove it in the shower under running water. Peel a corner, and slowly pull the plastic towards you, not in a ripping motion away from the tattoo. Wash the tattoo thoroughly with pH neutral soap and the palm of your hand. Once the plastic is removed, follow the steps after (2) in the traditional healing method above. You should apply cream 3 times a day, until it’s been 14 days after the tattoo was made. So if the second skin holds for 3 days, apply the cream for 11 days. If the second skin holds for 5 days then apply cream for 9 days, etc.

If there is any questions or anything you’re unclear of, please don’t hesitate to email me or write me on the mobile number provided on the card you would have received. There are no stupid questions, and the healing process is the most important part of the process!