Traditional Aftercare
Clean hands, gentle soap, and a very small amount of lotion. Follow these steps and your tattoo will heal sharp and bright.
- 01
Black Dri Loc bandage: 2 hours
Leave it on for the first two hours, then gently remove it. If it doesn't release easily, run lukewarm water over the tattoo to help. Do not pull!
- 02
Wash with clean hands only
Use liquid soap — Opti-Scrub if you prefer antimicrobial, Dr. Bronner's baby castile if you prefer natural. Stay fragrance free. Avoid soaps containing benzalkonium chloride (common in Dial and many antibacterial soaps); many people react to it. No washcloth, sponge or loofah, and do not re-bandage the tattoo.
- 03
Wash 3 to 4 times daily
Gently wash with Opti-Scrub or Dr. Bronner's, then let it air dry or pat dry with a clean paper towel.
- 04
Air dry about 20 minutes
Let the tattoo dry completely after every wash before you put anything on it.
- 05
A VERY small amount of lotion
Rub it in well. The tattoo should never look shiny or greasy. Too much blocks oxygen, slows healing and can pull ink out, causing color loss and distortion. After Inked or Ohana Tattoo Care recommended; Lubriderm, Aveeno or Gold Bond Healing work if they're dye and perfume free.
- 06
No A&D or petroleum jelly
These block oxygen from reaching the tattoo, delay healing, and draw ink out of the skin, lightening colors and distorting the work.
- 07
Do not scratch or pick
The tattoo will itch and flake as it heals. Leave it alone — picking pulls ink out.
- 08
No swimming or soaking
Keep the tattoo out of hot tubs, pools, spas, lakes and oceans until it's fully healed.
- 09
Skip tight clothing
Restrictive clothing rubbing a fresh tattoo — tight jeans over a leg piece, for example — can rub the area raw and introduce bacteria.
- 10
No sun or tanning for 3 to 4 weeks
UV rays are extremely bad for tattoos. Routine sunscreen after healing, RX Sunscreen recommended, keeps your tattoo healthy and legible for years.
Totally normal
- • Several stages of healing over a few weeks
- • Itching and flaking as new skin forms
- • Every skin type healing at its own pace
Call the studio if
- • Anything that looks or feels wrong to you
- • Irritation or a reaction to soap or lotion
- • Questions at any point during the heal
Recommended aftercare: After Inked or Ohana Tattoo Care, available at the studio.