Aftercare and advice

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All of the aftercare supplies you need can be found at most supermarkets or pharmacies, you may already own some of these although it is recommended to use a fresh container of aftercare product for your tattoo.

You will need:

• Soap (for the tattoo)

This should ideally be a bar of natural, unscented soap - but other unscented soap designed to be gentle or for sensitive skin is also fine.

• Antibacterial Soap (for your hands)

Try not to use this for cleaning your tattoo as it can be quite harsh and irritating.

• Aftercare butter

There are several different products you can use and if you’re not sure if something is suitable please message us. We recommend palmers cocoa butter (not the lotion). We also have a small aftercare range available in-studio. Do not share your own or use someone else’s aftercare products.

• A clean towel

Remove your clingfilm at least 2 hours from leaving the studio, try not to leave it on too much longer than this as your skin needs to breathe to be able to settle and heal. 

Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap, then gently lather your tattoo with the natural/sensitive soap, washing away as much plasma as you can without disturbing the tattoo or any scabs. Rinse your tattoo with warm (not hot) water until all the soap is removed. Use your clean towel to gently dab your tattoo dry, then apply a very thin layer of your chosen aftercare butter - just enough so your skin is slightly shiny.

Repeat this process as needed - whenever the tattoo looks or feels dry, or if the tattooed area gets dirty. On average you will want to do this process 3/5 times a day for 2/3 weeks, every body is different and will heal at different rates.

Soreness, redness and swelling

These three things are totally normal during the first three to five days after your appointment. Excessive swelling may occur in areas such as the thigh, lower leg and upper arm - taking ibuprofen (if you are safe to do so) can help settle some of this swelling. 

Experiencing any of these things in excess can sometimes indicate an issue with healing (this is a rare occurrence). Please get in touch with us if you have any worries or if you have any health issues concerning the tattoo do not hesitate to contact your GP. Tattoos are essentially an open wound for the first few days, and are a magnet for germs and dirt, even when you are tattooed in a clean and sterile environment like our studio, and when proper and thorough aftercare is followed - there's always a risk of infection due to the nature of the process.

Scabbing, flaking and blurring

After a few days the surface skin will begin to heal and scab up, which may temporarily alter the appearance of your tattoo. Do NOT pick or remove these scabs yourself, doing so can prolong the healing process and also result in a patchy tattoo with ink being removed in the scab. When the scabbing has finished, the will begin to flake away naturally which is also a normal and natural part of the healing process. Do not scratch away or remove the dry flakey scabbing yourself.

At some stages of healing, the tattoo can also appear dull and blurry. This is because the tattoo is settling through the layers of your skin, it will gradually begin to look more vibrant as the healing process progresses and ends.

This can be anywhere from 2 weeks to 8, depending on the size and intensity of the tattoo. Fine line, delicate tattoos heal much faster than full colour pieces. If you are unsure if a tattoo is healed or not pop into the studio or send us a picture.

Your artist may have offered and given you a piece of second skin. This works in a very similar way to a burn plaster, where your body heals itself using its natural fluids inside the film without the need for any intervention.

To remove your first piece of tattoo film, you will need to peel it slowly from the top of the piece downwards, under warm running water. DO NOT REMOVE THE FILM DRY, this can tear your skin or any scabs that have formed under the film. Once the film is removed, wash the tattoo thoroughly with soap (natural and unscented if possible).

Apply gentle pressure with hands when washing to ensure all soap and plasma is washed away, then pat dry with a clean towel. Leave the tattoo to air dry for 5-10 minutes, and do not apply any aftercare products to your skin. Make sure the skin is COMPLETELY dry before applying the second sheet of film.

Application:

If you are unsure how to apply the film, you can watch a video tutorial here.

This piece will stay on for 5/6 days. It is normal to have fluid built up under the film.

DO NOT wear film for longer than 6 days. If you experience any excessive redness or irritation remove film immediately. 

Some redness is normal during the first couple of days and around the edges of the film.

If there is any glue residue remaining on your skin,  you can use baby oil or coconut oil to gently massage it away, but make sure you thoroughly wash any oil away after use.

• Keep the tattoo out of direct sunlight when it is healing, and apply factor 50 to healed tattoos when they will be in prolonged sunlight.
• Take showers instead of baths where possible, and avoid soaking my tattoo in water whilst it is healing.
• Avoid physically demanding activities for the first few days (like the gym, dance classes, team sports etc), as the movement and sweat can irritate the tattoo. 
• Wear loose soft clothing that will allow the tattoo to breathe.
• Keep pets and pet hair away from the tattooed area.

• Use antibiotic/antiseptic cream Such as sudocreme, E45 and savlon. This is way too invasive and harsh for a fresh tattoo and will probably make the tattoo fade out badly.
• Soak the tattoo in water - avoid baths and swimming until the tattoo is healed. Getting the tattoo wet is okay, but soaking the tattoo can cause healing complication.
• Re-wrap the tattoo in clingfilm. Unless your artist has advised you otherwise, do not re-cover the tattoo after leaving the studio.