For a fresh tattoo, keep it covered initially (as advised by artist, usually hours to a day) with breathable material to protect it, but then allow it to breathe with clean, loose clothing to promote healing; for an old tattoo, keep it covered from direct, strong sunlight but uncovered otherwise, as it needs air but sun fades ink. Always follow your tattoo artist's specific aftercare instructions, as methods vary, but the goal is to balance protection from infection/dirt with allowing air circulation.
When the tattoo is dry to the touch, cover it completely with a new piece of plastic wrap, using small pieces of tape as needed to hold it in place. Do NOT use any healing ointment or moisturizer. With this method, the tattoo is kept completely covered with plastic wrap 24 hours a day, usually for 48-72 hours.
A tattoo is a wound and if you cover it, it will heal faster but can pull the ink out of your skin as well. Do not wrap again after the first time.
For optimal healing, your tattoo should be initially wrapped for protection, but after a few days, exposing it to air can promote healing. Follow your artist's guidance on when to switch to an open air method while ensuring the area remains clean.
Guarding Your Fresh Tattoo During Sleep
Depending on your individual art, your artist may want you to keep your tattoo covered for a few days. Shielding your fresh tattoo while you sleep can be crucial to keeping it clean and protected from unintentional contact.
It is best to leave the tattoo open to the air because the constant friction of a bandage may cause healing problems. Only bandage if necessary! - DO NOT use Vaseline, A+D ointment, Neosporin or petroleum jelly. - DO NOT use alcohol or peroxide.
You should wrap your tattoo in cling film, even while sleeping for the first couple of nights. This helps keep the germs out and helps with keeping fabric off of the tattoo to reduce rubbing/chafing.
After getting a tattoo, avoid scratching/picking, submerging in water (baths, pools, hot tubs), direct sun exposure, tight clothing, and harsh soaps or petroleum jelly; instead, keep it clean with mild soap, moisturize lightly with artist-recommended lotion, and let it heal undisturbed to prevent infection and preserve the ink. Always follow your tattoo artist's specific aftercare instructions for best results.
Your skin needs airflow to heal properly, and removing the bandage at the right time is essential for this process. But take it off too soon, and you run the risk of exposing your tattoo to bacteria and dirt. Once the bandage is off, your tattoo begins the process of drying and forming a protective layer.
You may notice one or more of the following:
What ACTUALLY Speeds Healing
Bepanthen is one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for many tattoo artists and studios. Typically used as a nappy rash ointment, Bepanthen has been around for a long time, and its gentle formula is used to treat babies with irritated skin.
You should start moisturizing your new tattoo right away and not stop for some time. Dr. Love explains that there's an immediate need to keep a new tattoo moisturized, as moisturizing helps to prevent scabbing and promote healing.
After 3 days, your tattoo should show reduced redness and swelling. It will appear slightly dry with a thin film forming over it. Some clear fluid and ink may still seep out, but significantly less than the first day. The colors will appear bright but may have a shiny, tight feeling.
Cling wrap should be removed within the first 24hrs to wash and clean the tattoo so as to keep it free from infection causing bacteria. Derma wrap is best if left on for 3-5 days if possible. It is designed to breathe but keep out harmful bacteria, it sticks to the tattooed area and creates a sterile barrier.
Wrap the tattoo after the first night (wearing breathable clothes over it is fine as long as they are not causing friction. (Keeping tattoos wrapped in plastic or bandages will stop air from getting to the tattoo, slow healing, and make gross stuff grow in there.)
Keep your tattoo wrapped in the cling film for up to 3 hours. Unwrap the cling film and wash your tattoo with warm water using a gentle soap. When clean pat dry with a clean towel or kitchen roll.
Here's a handful of bad habits that are top of the list of things tattoo artists hate.
Yes, a $50 tip on a $300 tattoo is a good tip, landing around 16-17%, which is well within the standard 15-20% range for good service, but if you absolutely loved the work or it was a custom piece, tipping $60-$75 (20-25%) would be even better, showing extra appreciation for exceptional quality and effort.
As long as you take all the necessary precautions, sleeping with a new tattoo shouldn't ruin it, but you'll want to avoid putting pressure on it.
Artist-approved balms like Hustle Butter or After Inked, light lotions like Lubriderm or Aveeno, and gentle cleansers like H2Ocean are proven favorites. Avoid heavy petroleum, fragrances, and alcohol. With the right aftercare supplies, your tattoo will heal clean, vibrant, and long-lasting.
Stage One (Days 1-6) – Oozing, swelling and redness that gets better gradually over each day. Scabbing begins to form over the area. 2. Stage Two (Days 7-14) – Itching and flaking begins, and this continues until layers of dead skin and scabs have fallen off.