Aftercare 101

Fresh ink? Here’s how to look after it.

You’ve got a new tattoo. You’re excited. I’m excited. And now it's time to go home and look after your new adornment.

A fresh tattoo is an open wound—a really pretty open wound, but an open wound nonetheless. Looking after it doesn’t need to be complicated. A gentle routine and a little patience go a long way.

Home first. Wash second.

You’ll leave our session with your tattoo covered in cling wrap. Leave it on for around 1–2 hours, until you’re home and ready to wash it. Aim to remove it within 3 hours, before things get too sweaty under there. 

Wash your hands, then gently clean your tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap. Use your fingertips—no scrubbing or exfoliating. Rinse thoroughly, then gently pat dry with clean paper towel or a freshly washed towel (no using a 2 week old "I should probably wash this now" bath towel!!). Air drying is fine too, I like the optional task of shaking the water of my body like a wet dog. Oh just me? never minddddddddd

Give it another gentle wash the following morning, then continue washing once or twice daily while it heals, including after getting sweaty or dirty.

જ⁀➴ These instructions cover the cling-wrap method I use. I’ll write a separate blog post about using “second skin” in the future—it has its own aftercare routine, which isn’t covered here.

Moisturise. Don’t marinate.

Once your skin is dry, apply a thin layer of tattoo aftercare, usually morning and night. If your skin feels dry, you can apply a little extra during the day. The aim is comfortable, lightly moisturised skin—not a thick, greasy coating.

I personally use Bamboo Goo during tattooing and their Tattoo Aftercare for my own healing tattoos. For washing, favourites include Dr. Bronner’s unscented Castile soap and Bamboo Goo’s cleansing foam.

You don’t need my exact products: gentle, fragrance-free options that suit your skin are the priority. Some of my favourites contain fragrance, so check the ingredients if your skin is sensitive.

The main priority is listening to your body and using your intuition to notice what your skin needs—whether that’s a little more moisture or a lighter application. I’ve definitely gotten overexcited with moisturiser before. Trust me: feeling greasy and getting aftercare all over your clothes is not the vibe. A little goes a long way.

Your first night: tattoos + bedsheets

Get comfy, use clean bedding and try to avoid sleeping directly on your new tattoo. Depending on the placement, that might mean sleeping on your other side or keeping the area away from pressure and rubbing.

A little fluid or ink can seep during the first night or two and stain your sheets. There’s a reason mine are black.

If fabric sticks to your tattoo, don’t pull it off dry. Gently wet it with clean, lukewarm water until it releases. Take your time—your skin is delicate!

A hack I’ve learnt over the years is using disposable absorbent underpads—often called blueys—to help protect your bedding. There are also purpose-made tattoo aftercare pads, such as Tattoo Armour. If you need a covering, ask me which option suits your tattoo and how to use it.

Personally, I just accept a slightly awkward first night’s sleep while I avoid pressing my fresh tattoo into the sheets. It’s only for a few nights—get comfy as best you can while keeping pressure and rubbing off your new ink. 🖤

Give your skin a break

While your tattoo heals:

• Skip swimming and soaking. Save pools, ocean dips, baths and spas until it has completely healed—even if that takes longer than a week. Showers are fine. Remember, it's an open wound!

• Hold off on the gym. Please give it at least the first 5 days, ideally a week. When you return, be mindful of heavy sweating, rubbing, stretching the area and contact with shared equipment.

• Avoid saunas while it heals. Heat and heavy sweating can irritate your fresh tattoo. 

• Keep friction to a minimum. Watch out for bra straps, waistbands and tight clothing rubbing against it. Kinda annoying I know, but helps the healing process tremendously. 

• Keep it out of direct sun. Keep it out of direct sun. Loose, clean clothing helps protect it. Wait until your tattoo has fully healed before applying sunscreen directly to it. 

The first few days deserve extra care. If it’s still peeling, scabbing or tender, keep giving it some space to heal.

The itchy-as-fuck stage

Some early tenderness, mild redness and a little swelling can be normal. These should gradually settle as your tattoo moves into the peeling and itchy stage.

And yes, the itching can be annoying as fuck. I know. I’ve been there.

Please don’t pick, scratch or pull away flakes—even the ones practically begging for it. (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠) Let them come away in their own time. Picking can damage healing skin, increase infection risk and leave patchy areas.

Keep up your gentle routine and remind yourself: this stage is temporary. You’re doing your future tattoo a favour. ( ◡̀_◡́)ᕤ

If something doesn’t seem right

Complications can happen, even when you’re making an effort to look after your tattoo. There’s no shame in asking for help.

It’s happened to me. While house-sitting, a German shepherd greeted me with a lick straight across my fresh tattoo. I washed it immediately, but over the following days it stayed unusually seepy and wasn’t healing as expected.

I went to the GP and was prescribed a short course of antibiotics, which cleared the infection within a few days. It scabbed, and I left those scabs alone. Once healed, there were a few tiny areas of "drop out" (ink loss), but overall it looked good and I didn’t feel a touch-up was needed.

I can’t know for certain that the lick caused it, but it’s a good reminder to keep pets’ tongues and paws away from healing tattoos.

Worsening or spreading redness, increasing pain, heat, swelling or pus are reasons to contact a GP promptly. If you have fever or chills, feel significantly unwell, or symptoms are increasing, seek medical care.

You don’t need to assume the worst—but getting it checked early matters. A GP can work out what treatment you need, which may include antibiotics.

You’re welcome to message me with questions or photos, too. I’m happy to support you; just don’t wait for my reply before getting medical care if you're intuition is telling you to go.

A quick note on “tattoo flu”

Some people feel a bit wiped out after getting tattooed: tired, sluggish or ready for a few extra naps than usual. You might hear this called “tattoo flu”. It isn’t influenza, and not everyone experiences it.

It’s happened to me and now I plan some breathing room after a session rather than expecting myself to bounce straight back into my usual routine.

If you’re a little tired, give yourself permission to rest, eat well and stay hydrated. Mild post-session fatigue should start improving over the next day or two.

I’ll write a separate post about my experience and post-tattoo routine—there’s more to say than we need to squeeze in here!

Once it’s healed

Everyone heals a little differently, so give your skin the time it needs. Looking settled on the surface doesn’t always mean it’s completely healed. Around two weeks, many tattoos look more settled on the surface, but healing can take longer underneath. Give yours time, especially before any touch-ups.

If anything needs a touch-up, I am open to them within the first six months. After that, a new session will need to be booked. ⊹ ࣪ ˖

Keep caring for your ink long term: moisturise, protect it from the sun, and use broad-spectrum SPF 30+ once healed. I avoid the sun like the plague, but you don’t have to follow my vampire lifestyle to look after your tattoos.

Keep it clean. Keep it comfortable. Give it time. And if you’re unsure, reach out. 🖤