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Caring for your tattoo
How you look after your tattoo while it's healing is an important factor in how the finished piece will look. Please keep it clean and relatively dry, don't submerge in water, and only touch it with clean hands for the first week or so. Wear loose, cotton clothing if possible, to avoid rubbing the skin - and resist scratching it when it itches!
'Second Skin' dressing
If we have applied a 'second skin' style dressing (a clear, self adhesive film directly over the tattoo), please leave it in place for between 1 and 3 days, provided it doesn't leak or peel away. If fluid can exit the dressing, then bacteria can enter, so it's important to remove the dressing if this happens.
The next day there will be a black or brown fluid underneath the dressing, sometimes in quite a large quantity - this is normal. Leave it as it is, as long as it doesn't leak. The fluid is plasma and ink and is the body's immune response at work.
Sometimes this fluid will dry if you leave the dressing on for long enough. This is fine too and will wash off.
If you get an itchy, red, blotchy rash around the outside edges of the dressing, remove it. This is usually harmless skin irritation, but can cause small blisters.
'Second Skin' - removing the dressing
When it's time to remove the dressing, it's best to do so under warm running water, so in the shower works well (again, don't submerge your tattoo in the bath at this point). Carefully peel the film back on itself, dispose of it, and rinse your tattoo well with clean water. Hot shower water (not hot enough to burn you!) is good. Once any fluid, ink and shed skin is removed, pat the area dry carefully with a non-shedding paper towel and allow to air dry fully.
Cling Film
If we've used cling film (a non-adhesive film, usually taped in place with some micropore), leave it for around an hour, or until you're in a clean, hygienic environment where you can properly look after it. Remove the cling film with clean hands and in a clean environment, and rinse your tattoo well with clean water. Hot shower water (not hot enough to burn you!) is good. Once any fluid, ink and shed skin is removed, pat the area dry carefully with a non-shedding paper towel and allow to air dry fully.
Moisturising
When the covering is removed and the tattoo is clean and dry, start to apply a small amount of aftercare ointment, with clean hands. If the tattoo is still very raw and appears wet even after air drying, wait until the following day to apply the ointment. The aim is to keep your tattoo moisturised but not over-saturated with liquid, to try to avoid scabbing and minimise peeling early on (flaking and peeling is a normal part of the healing process, but it's a good idea not to let it dry out too much).
Ointments and Lotions
Use a non-medicated, unfragranced moisturiser, ideally something made from a natural fat like coconot oil or cocoa butter, and/or made specifically for tattoos. I recommend Butterluxe aftercare balm, but coconut oil is also fine, and Palmer's cocoa butter has a good reputation.
Don't use anything with zinc oxide like Sudocrem or nappy ointment, or anything medicated like Germolene or haemmorrhoid cream. Don't use Vaseline or petroleum jelly based products, as they are too thick and waterproof and therefore don't moisturise the skin.
Clean and dry your tattoo, and apply moisturiser with clean hands at least 3 times a day for the first 2 weeks. Ideally, keep applying it for as long as you want your tattoo to look its best - that is, forever!
Things to avoid
UV Rays - You must keep your tattoo out of the sun while it's healing - it's not advisable to apply sunblock until it's fully healed, so you will need to cover it with clothing.
Once the tattoo is healed, in 4 to 6 weeks, you should wear factor 50 sunblock any time it's exposed to the sun, to keep it from fading and spreading. All tattoos do fade and spread over time, but you can keep this to a minimum by keeping them out of the sun.
Baths and Swimming - Don't submerge your tattoo for the first few weeks, and avoid dirty or standing water
Pets and Children - Pet hair and saliva carry a high infection risk, so keep your fresh tattoo covered around animals and be mindful of pet hair on clothing and furniture. Watch out for small children poking your tattoo, and give it a wash if it gets touched with dirty hands.
Exercise - try not to get too sweaty while your tattoo is in its early healing phase, as sweat can carry and trap bacteria. Avoid strenuous activity or too much movement or touching of the skin, and keep in mind that your body's immune system needs energy and rest to perform its functions and heal your tattoo well.
Dust or dirt - if you're working in a dusty or dirty environment, keep your tattoo covered. You can cover with cling film as long as you clean the area first with unfragranced soap, and clean the area and replace with fresh cling film every 2 hours or so (to avoid trapping bacteria underneath, in a moist environment where it can thrive!)
Healing:
What to expect
How long each phase of healing takes can depend on the amount of trauma to the skin - full colour will involve much more trauma than a simple fine line piece. Whilst the fine line piece might look almost healed within a couple of days, a full colour tattoo might still be visibly repairing itself in a week
6 to 48 hours: the outer layer of skin will 'close up', so it is no longer producing fluid and isn't visibly wet.
1 to 2 weeks: the tattoo will appear superficially healed, and will probably be itching. Resist the temptation to scratch, and follow your aftercare routine instead.
2 to 3 weeks: the tattoo might start to look great, but then become silvery and pale as new skin grows over the top of it.
3 to 4 weeks: the skin will be peeling, as it repairs itself and regenerates new skin cells. Keep it moisturised and don't allow it to get too dry, but don't swamp it with moisture either.
4 to 6 weeks: New skin should have formed over the top of your tattoo, and it should now be looking more or less as it's supposed to.
Concerns
If you're concerned your tattoo might be infected, please see a GP or pharmacist to rule out or treat it. I can give you my opinion, but I'm not a doctor, and it's important to take care of your health.
If you have any other concerns, feel free to drop me an email, and I'll do my best to reassure you or address any issues.
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