AFTERCARE
Tattoo Aftercare
Your tattoo aftercare routine is essential to prevent infection and ensure your ink looks fresh. A new tattoo is an open wound, and the first two weeks are critical for healing.
Once your artist is finished with your tattoo, they will want to put a wrap or cover on top. At Inkwell Studio, we use second skin, which is a medical grade, clear bandage that applies to the skin with adhesive. If you have any allergies to glues or adhesives, or have had significant issues with second skin before, please let your artist know so they can choose an alternative form of cover!
Second Skin:
If your artist applies second skin to the tattoo, they will likely tell you to leave on it for 3 to 5 days (though they may say something different; defer to their instructions!). When going home, you may have a buildup of fluid under the second skin that forms a bubble. This is very normal, particularly if you had heavy work that included black or colour packing. If this bubble doesn’t bother you, you can leave it and it will usually be reabsorbed by your body. If it’s significant, you can go in the shower and, with clean hands, gently squeeze out the fluid from under the bandage.
While wearing the second skin, you can shower normally and pursue most daily activities without worry. We recommend that you do not: swim, hot tub, or sauna; workout or sweat heavily; expose the tattoo to direct sunlight; expose the tattoo area and bandage to dirt, grime, mud, or other contaminants.
Once the recommended amount of time has passed (around 3-5 days, unless directed otherwise by your tattoo artist) you can remove the second skin. We recommend doing this in a warm shower, with clean hands. Once removed you can pat the tattoo dry with a clean towel and allow to breathe. Clean the tattoo twice daily. Once it begins to flake, you may begin applying a thin layer of tattoo moisturizer, such as LorTattoo Aftercare Lotion, twice daily to keep the tattoo from drying out and scabbing excessively. Do not over-moisturize. The skin should look hydrated but not greasy.
Continue to treat the tattoo area as a wound that needs protecting from sunlight, grime, and contaminated places such as pools or mud, but you may begin resuming all normal activities.
For plastic Wrap:
If your artist recommends plastic wrap for your tattoo bandage, leave it on for 1-5 hours. The wrap is there to protect your tattoo, which is an open wound, from things such as dirt, sweat, pet hair, and other contaminants that can contain bacteria. Once you remove the plastic wrap, wash your tattoo with a gentle, fragrance free soap. Pat the tattoo dry with a clean towel. Leave to air-dry and breathe for a few hours. You may have to wash and pat dry again as the traumatized skin may still be leaking fluid. Once the tattoo has stopped giving out liquid, you may begin applying a thin layer of lotion, such as LorTattoo Aftercare Lotion. You should now begin washing and applying lotion twice daily, generally once in the morning and once in the evening. We recommend that you do not: swim, hot tub, or sauna; workout or sweat heavily; expose the tattoo to direct sunlight; expose the tattoo to dirt, grime, mud, or other contaminants. Because there is no bandage over your tattoo, we very strongly recommend keeping it away from anything that could contaminate it with bacteria. You may have to take extra care to ensure that it remains clean.
Remember that every body is different, and what works for some doesn’t work for others. Never hesitate to ask questions, take notes, or message your artist if you’re unsure of something that comes up in the healing process!
Healing Timeline
Days 1-3
Redness, swelling, oozing plasma.
Clean gently, pat dry.
Days 4-14
Itching, peeling.
Do not pick, keep clean and use lotion sparingly to soothe and moisturizer.
Weeks 2-4
Surface healed, skin may look dull.
Continue moisturizing and applying sunscreen when outdoors.
4+ Weeks
Deep layers continue healing.
Enjoy your art, contact your artist to arrange touchups if needed.