Caring for your new tattoo properly is essential to ensure that it retains its appearance. While the experience of healing depends strongly on the part of the body tattooed, whether the tattoo is colored, the size of the tattoo, and other such factors, the healing and aftercare process is generally summarized below.

Before you leave the studio,

I will wrap your new tattoo in a medical-grade adhesive barrier (SecondSkin). This wrapping will protect your skin from dirt and bacteria as the body begins the healing process. As much as possible, I encourage you to leave your tattoo wrapped for three full days. Sometimes this will not be possible: daily activities can cause the second skin to begin peeling away, especially if your tattoo is on or near a joint (hand and wrist tattoos are notoriously tough to keep still during healing!). Some clients may also notice an accumulation of fluid (plasma) beneath the SecondSkin—if you notice bubbles beginning to form, you may wish to remove the SecondSkin and proceed with aftercare. If your wrapping comes off before three days have passed, don’t worry! It’s not a big deal.

Once your SecondSkin is removed,

wash the tattoo area with a gentle antibacterial hand soap. Please note that this is the only time you should wash your tattoo until it is fully healed, and the only time you should allow the area to get wet! After this initial wash, dry the tattoo with clean paper towels. From this point on, make every effort to avoid getting the area wet; avoid showering for as long as is feasible, and avoid excessive sweating and direct sunlight. Within 12-24 hours of your wash, your body’s natural healing process will have sealed off the affected area from debris and bacteria, making additional washes unnecessary for healing. Keep the area dry until the skin begins to peel—the exact timing of this varies wildly from person to person and tattoo to tattoo, but expect it to begin around a week after your session. Once peeling begins, you may apply the ointment provided in your aftercare kit, or coconut oil, any time the affected area begins to look dry. Please do not apply oil or ointment before peeling begins, as this may affect ink retention and the final appearance of the tattoo!

Until healing is complete,

continue to avoid moisture, direct sunlight, and topical substances other than the provided aftercare or coconut oil. And I cannot stress enough: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of water and maintain your electrolytes. Internal dehydration can cause splitting and heavy scabbing, which will push ink out and require additional touch-ups to repair.