Tattoo Aftercare: How to Take Care of a New Tattoo

Your artist will cover the tattoo with a bandage or a thin adhesive film before you leave. Follow whatever removal timing they give you — it varies by wrap type, usually anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days. Once it's off, wash the tattoo gently with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free soap, using clean hands, not a washcloth. Pat it dry with a clean paper towel — cloth towels can harbor bacteria and shed lint that sticks to broken skin.

Wash the area two to three times a day for the first week or two, then keep it moisturized between washes with a thin layer of a fragrance-free ointment or lotion. A glossy sheen is enough — a thick, occlusive coat can trap moisture and slow healing rather than help it. Most artists have a specific product they recommend; if yours didn't, a simple fragrance-free lotion works fine once the surface has stopped weeping.

Expect redness and mild swelling for the first few days, followed by itching, tightness, and visible flaking or peeling — like a sunburn — as the top layer of damaged skin sheds. Scabbing is common too. Let scabs fall off on their own; picking or scratching can pull ink out with them and cause patchy healing or scarring. The surface heals in two to four weeks; the deeper skin the ink actually sits in can take a few months to fully settle, which is why color can look slightly duller or softer right after healing than it did on day one.

Skip swimming, hot tubs, and long soaks in the bath until fully healed — submerging a fresh tattoo raises infection risk and can pull out ink. Keep it out of direct sun, and once healed, use sunscreen on it regularly; UV exposure is the single biggest cause of tattoos fading and blurring over time. Wear loose, breathable clothing over the area so it isn't rubbing against fabric, and avoid picking at scabs even when it itches.

Some redness, warmth, and swelling in the first few days is normal. Spreading redness, pus, a fever, or pain that gets worse instead of better after the first few days are signs of possible infection — contact your artist and see a doctor rather than waiting it out. Bring up any allergy symptoms (unusual rash, raised welts specifically around colored ink) early too.