06/10/2024
AFTERCARE: the long version
As a tattoo artist I can ONLY recommend what works well for MOST people. Please keep in mind that what works for me, may not work for you. We all have different allergies or reactions to certain products. I personally recommend either Hustle Butter, or Urbans Edge if you are buying a tattoo specific aftercare. These ointments can and should be purchased online in advance of getting your tattoo.
I do not stock ANY aftercare products in the shop because everyone heals differently, and if a customer has a reaction to an ointment they tend to blame the shop for providing an ointment that doesn't work for them. I tend to tell people, if you have a process that has worked for you in healing other tattoos, stick with it. Too much of ANY ointment can be a bad thing, even a quality product. A greasy layer of ointment is never required, all you want is to keep the skin clean and lightly moisturized.
For most people all you need to do is keep your tattoo clean and LIGHTLY moisturized. Non scented lotion works great for most people but many lotions say right on the bottle "do not use on broken skin". I recommend using non scented lotions as soon as your tattoo begins flaking, prior to it flaking I recommend just keeping it clean and using one of the above mentioned ointments if you're not using derm shield. If you do use derm shield you can make the decision between lotion or healing ointments once it is removed.
I 100% recommend NEVER using tattoo goo, or anything else with the word tattoo in the name. All of those products are made by major chemical companies who do very little research as to what actually works for tattoos, they just want to make a profit off the tattoo industry. Every single customer I have ever had that used tattoo goo, has had a poor healing that needed a lot of touch ups, it's trash. Most quality tattoo aftercare needs to be purchased online or at a tattoo shop, Walmart and other major chains do not carry the good products, they only carry products from the corporate giants who don't know s**t about tattoos.
Remember, not all tattoos will heal the same either. You have to take EXTRA special care of a color portrait, or anything highly detailed, where as a simple line work tattoo requires very little attention. Location of your tattoo can also effect healing. A tattoo in a bending area is at a much higher risk of losing some ink and having a rough heal than a tattoo in an area that doesn't bend or stretch much. If your tattoo artist hits the same are 2-3 times for blending or detail, it has caused WAY MORE trauma to the skin than a simple outline tattoo, and will be much more difficult to heal.
Overall, your goal in healing a tattoo is to AVOID SCABBING... this is VERY difficult in a large color tattoo. Derm Shield, or second skin' is EXTREMELY helpful for this because it seals your tattoo in and allows your body to heal the tattoo without chemical interference. Your white blood cells will heal your tattoo better than ANY aftercare can in the first 3-5 days. Once you remove the derm shield you can then start using your preferred aftercare. Derm shield should NEVER be left on for more than 7 days, for any reason, ideally it should never removed after 5 days but can stay on for up to if traveling. If the seal breaks ANYWHERE on your derm shield, remove it. If plasma can leak out, bacteria can sneak in.
If used properly most people will begin flaking of the top layer of skin within 24 hours of removing derm shield (if left on for the full 3-5 days), without ever developing a scab, which is the ideal heal. If you feel any itching burning or irritating from the derm shield, it should be removed early since that can be a sign of an allergic reaction to the adhesive in the derm shield. If you are already aware of an allergy to adhesives, please let me know so we don't apply derm shield to your skin. If bandaids leave a red mark on your skin for days, you have an adhesive allergy.
Unless you develop an infection in a healing tattoo, NEVER use neosporin, it contains a drawing salve that is designed to pull foreign bodies from the skin, and it can pull ink out. Always contact your artist if you believe your tattoo MIGHT be infected. Many customers confuse minor irritations for infections and ultimately destroy a tattoo by over medicating it.
A&D ointment is for diaper rash, so only use that if you develop diaper rash in your tattoo, hahahah. Petroleum products are TERRIBLE for tattoos. It is extremely difficult to get most Petroleum products thinned out enough and evenly applied to a tattoo. If you can see the layer of ointment, it's too much.
Pet dander is NOT tattoo friendly, it's recommended to put fresh sheets on your bed when you get a fresh tattoo, and avoid letting your pets rub against a fresh tattoo.
Shower like normal, or for some people, more frequently than normal. Showering will NOT harm your tattoo, not Showering will.
Do not pick scabs if you develop any. Also refrain from applying too much ointment on a tattoo that has scabbed over. Scabs act like sponges and can absorb all the moisture and make the scabs thicker. Thicker scabs increase the risk of cracking and causing damage to the tattoo. Large tattoos that fully scab over are also at an extremely high risk of cracking.
The first 3 days are very important. During this time your tattoo tends to ooze blood plasma, and anything that dries on the skin can turn into a scab. This is why derm shield works so well. It seals all of the plasma in and lets the white blood cells start healing your top layer of skin WITHOUT scabbing. If you don't use derm shield, you will have to keep an eye on large tattoos especially, and make sure you wash anything that oozes from the skin off, or it will scab up. A large scab is almost a guaranteed need for touch up. If you remove derm shield before 3 days, it will likely still scab up since the body oozes plasma for about 3 days following most tattoos.
Everyone heals differently and some people have allergies to inks, if you have any questions or concerns always ask your artist before trusting anything a Google search says. We all know the internet is filled with false information and opinions marked as fact. Just because your friend has a few tattoos, does not make them more qualified than your artist as well. What works for your friend, may not work at all for you.
If you are on medication, including antibiotics, inform your artist prior to tattooing. Antibiotics can actually destroy your tattoo sometimes. They are used to flush your body of infections and foreign contaminants, and can see the ink as an issue.
Avoid tanning as long as humanly possible. Sometimes you have to decide what is more important.. your tattoo, or your tan.. you can't have both. If you work outdoors and are always tan, avoid color in your tattoos and stick to black and grey. It is HIGHLY recommended to stop tanning for 2 weeks or more prior to starting a tattoo. Tanned skin is NOT healthy skin, and you want your skin as healthy as possible prior to being tattooed.
Tattoos should never be applied to unhealthy skin. This includes, but is not limited to; Sunburn, rashes, acne, scratches, and sometimes older skin. If you bruise easily from medication, or have older thin skin, it can be almost impossible for an artist to tattoo you without the ink spreading in your skin. We are at the mercy of your skin as our canvas, and if the canvas is already messed up, so will the end result of the applied art, we are NOT magicians.
You should avoid ALL water aside from showers while healing a tattoo. Even rain water can contain bacteria, so keep your tattoo clean if you're out in bad weather. Lakes, rivers, and oceans are petri dishes, avoid them with fresh tattoos. Pools and hot tubs are chemical baths, and contain way too much urine for your fresh tattoo. Even a regular bath is not recommended, since you don't want your tattoo soaking and making scabs soggy.
The surface of your tattoo will appear healed within a week or two usually, but it is HIGHLY recommended to wait a minimum of 60 days before you go back into a tattoo to allow the lower layers of skin time to heal. Going back in too early can cause scarring. Personally I give a 6 month window for a free touch up and recommend waiting to the 3-6 month time frame before doing a touch up. It hurts WAY MORE if you go back in too early. The hope is that your tattoo will not require any touch ups... but the reality is that your body doesn't care at all about your tattoo, it only cares about healing the wound, and sometimes they don't heal perfectly.
