Your new tattoo is healing skin. Follow the instructions below, plus any bandage-specific directions DC gave you at your appointment. If you are worried about how it is healing, contact a healthcare professional.
Important: Bandages are not all the same. Keep your bandage on for the amount of time DC instructed. If it leaks, comes loose, or causes a reaction, remove or replace it according to the instructions you were given.
When you get home
- Wash your hands before touching the tattoo or removing the bandage.
- When it is time to remove the covering, gently loosen it with warm water if needed. Do not rip it off dry.
- Wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and a small amount of mild, fragrance-free soap. Use clean fingertips only—no washcloth, loofah, or scrubbing.
- Rinse thoroughly, then gently pat dry with a clean paper towel or let it air-dry. Do not rub.
First 1–2 weeks
- Wash gently about twice daily, and after unusually dirty or sweaty activity.
- Apply a very thin layer of the fragrance-free moisturizer or aftercare product recommended by DC. The skin should not look heavily coated or wet.
- Wear clean, loose, breathable clothing over the area. Avoid friction and anything that sticks to the tattoo.
- Mild soreness, warmth, redness, clear or slightly pink fluid, itching, peeling, and light scabbing can be part of normal healing.
Do not
- Do not pick, scratch, peel, or pull off flakes or scabs.
- Do not soak or submerge the tattoo in pools, hot tubs, baths, lakes, rivers, or the ocean until it is fully healed. Showers are fine.
- Do not exfoliate, use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, or apply products not recommended for the tattoo.
- Avoid tight clothing, heavy friction, and activities that leave the tattoo sweaty or irritated while it heals.
After it has healed
- Use a simple, fragrance-free moisturizer when the skin feels dry.
- Protect the tattoo from UV light with clothing when possible. Once the skin is fully healed, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher and reapply as directed.
- Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. UV exposure can fade tattoo ink and may cause reactions in some people.
When to get medical help
Contact a healthcare professional promptly if you notice signs that are getting worse instead of better, including:
- Redness that spreads or becomes increasingly painful, hot, swollen, or throbbing
- Yellow or green sticky drainage, foul odor, or increasing fluid
- Red streaks traveling away from the tattoo
- Fever, chills, sweats, flu-like symptoms, or feeling seriously unwell
- A spreading rash, hives, blisters, or a strong reaction after using an aftercare product
Do not wait for a reply from the artist if you think you may have an infection. Seek medical care. You can also let DC know so the session and products used can be documented.
Sources used
This guide was written from dermatology and medical-patient guidance, then simplified for DC Tattoos clients. It is general information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical care.