FAQ & Aftercare

1. To follow the conventional healing method, remove your bandage after 2 hours, but no more than 12.
2. Don’t remove the bandage until you can properly clean the tattoo with mild soap and warm water. Rinse it well, cleaning off any plasma or slimy buildup. Gently pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel (never re-use a towel as it will hold bacteria) then allow it to air-dry for 15 minutes before applying ointment.
3. Apply Aquaphor ointment or a specialty tattoo-healing product to the tattoo as needed, massaging a very small amount into the skin to keep the tattoo slightly moist, but NOT smothered. Use just enough ointment to make the tattoo slightly shiny, and blot off any excess.
4. For the first few days treat your tattoo like the open wound it is. Clean it 2-3 times daily, or more often if the area gets sweaty or dirty, and then apply ointment as needed.
5. Ensure that extra moisture doesn't get trapped under the ointment by blotting and air-drying after each washing. Only apply ointment for as long as it takes for your tattoo to peel, usually 3-4 days.
6. When the peeling begins, the tattooed skin will flake like a sunburn. At this point, simply keep the tattoo clean and begin to use a scent-free, dye-free lotion as needed. Always let the tattoo dry out completely before applying more lotion.
7. The healing tattoo should never stay submerged in water. Limit yourself to only short showers until the tattoo has finished peeling. It’s also important that a fresh tattoo be protected from the sun and dirty environments.
8. All normal activities involving water or sun exposure can usually be resumed after 10-14 days, when the tattooed skin feels normal.
9. NEVER pick at the cracked and flaking skin. The area will become dry and itchy, and a good quality, fragrance-free lotion can now be used until the skin returns to its normal texture.
10. Any time your tattoo is exposed to the sun after its done healing you should use a minimum of SPF 45 sunblock.

DO NOT USE THIS METHOD UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED. Please read through the entire process before using it.

This is the less conventional method, and tends to work well for larger tattoos, as well as tattoos in awkward areas that will be covered with clothing, as this can cause irritation. If you find that your tattoos have healed poorly in the past, this method may be an effective alternative.

1. Remove your bandage after about 2 hours, and clean it with mild soap and warm water as in Method 2. After washing, gently pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel (never reuse towels as they hold bacteria!), then allow it to air-dry for 15 minutes. When the tattoo is dry to the touch, apply a very thin amount of Aquaphor or specialty tattoo aftercare to the tattoo — just enough to make it shiny, and then blot off the excess with a paper towel.
2. Then, cover it completely with a NEW piece of plastic wrap, using small pieces of tape as needed to hold it in place.
3. With this method, the tattoo is kept completely covered with plastic wrap 24 hours a day, for as long as it takes to peel — usually 3 to 5 days.
4. It’s important to wash the tattoo every 4-6 hours or after any period of sweating, letting it completely air-dry afterwards, and applying a new piece of plastic wrap each time.
5. This 6 hour time window to change the wrap is not a guideline, it's a rule. Leaving the wrap on for too long can lead to moisture rash.
6. The wrap should not be left off for more than 30 mins at a time.
7. It’s also important not to overwrap the area — unnecessarily covering untattooed skin can trap excess moisture. The same precautions as the Conventional Healing method regarding water and sunlight apply to this method as well.
8. When the peeling begins after 2-4 days, the tattooed skin will bubble and flake exactly like a sunburn. NEVER pick at the cracked and flaking skin. When the whole tattoo has FULLY entered the peeling phase, discontinue the plastic wrap. The area will become dry and itchy, and a good quality, fragrance-free lotion can now be used until the skin returns to its normal texture.
9. As mentioned before, moisture can be very detrimental to the healing process. Too much plastic wrap on the surrounding untattooed skin, or not changing the wrap often enough, can lead to the development of a moisture rash. This will appear as bright red irritation with tiny pimples around the affected area and will likely feel painful and itchy.  If this happens, do not re-wrap the tattoo or try to medicate it.  Instead, let it dry completely and peel on its own.  Apply lotion to the area once irritation has diminished.

A combination of methods 2 and 3 is NOT recommended. Please only use one or the other.