Taking Care of Your Tattoo

Your aftercare is a simple step by step, intuitive process.

Two things you will need: Aquaphor and dial unscented antibacterial soap.

Remove your bandage (minimum) 2-3 hours after getting your tattoo (for smaller tattoos). For medium sized tattoos, leave covering on for 4 hours before removing. Maximum amount of time you should leave your bandage on is 12 hours. The best time to take off the bandage is when you’re home or indoors, preparing to go nowhere. 

If you remove your bandage before sleeping and you wake with your tattoo sticking to your sheets, do not pull the sheet from the tattoo. Rinse the area with warm soap and water and slowly wipe the tattoo off. 

When taking the bandage off, make sure your hands are washed and clean. Wash the tattoo off with the mild antibacterial soap and water, pat dry. Let air dry for 15 mins before applying a thin layer of ointment. Repeat, washing and ointment 2-3x a day for two weeks and your tattoo should heal normally. 

Try to keep your tattoo out of direct intense sunlight while healing, after the tattoo is healed it’s great to use sunscreen spf 50 and up to protect your tattoo from sun exposure and damage. No submerging your tattoo in water, ocean, pool, while your tattoo is healing. Try to limit exercising activities that would directly make contact with your tattoo during healing. 

For Dermalize or ‘Second Skin’ bandages 

Remove your bandage 3 days after receiving your tattoo or if your second skin bandage begins coming off to the point where part of your tattoo is exposed, you can then remove the entire bandage. When removing the bandage make sure you do so under warm running soap and water. Don’t pull the entire bandage off at once, slowly lift from the side that is already peeling up until the entire bandage is removed, or if available, come in to have your artist change the bandage.