Tattoo Aftercare: The First Two Weeks, Done Right

Half of how your tattoo looks in ten years is decided in the two weeks after you leave the studio. The good news: aftercare is simple. It just has to be done consistently. This is the routine I give every client at Inktention.

Days 1 to 3: clean and protected

• Wash the tattoo 2 to 3 times a day with lukewarm water and neutral, fragrance-free soap. Your clean hand, nothing else. No washcloths.
• Pat dry with a clean paper towel. Never rub.
• Thin layer of moisturizer recommended by the studio. The tattoo should look moisturized, not drowning. Too much cream is worse than too little.

It will weep plasma and ink the first couple of nights. That is normal. Wash it off in the morning, do not let it dry into a crust.

Days 4 to 14: the itch phase

The tattoo will start to flake and itch. This is the part where people mess up:

• Do not scratch it. Do not pick the flakes. Not once. Picking pulls ink out and leaves spots.
• Keep moisturizing with a thin layer, 2 to 3 times a day.
• Keep the area out of direct sun completely. UV is the number one enemy of a healing tattoo.
• No pools, no ocean, no long soaks. Showers only, and keep them short while it heals.
• Wear loose clothing over the area. Fabric rubbing for two weeks can fade lines.

Warning signs

A little redness and swelling for the first days is normal. Watch for: redness that spreads instead of shrinking after day 3, hot skin, bad smell, or pus. Any of those: come back to the studio so I can look at it, and if it looks infected, see a doctor. Do not wait it out.

Long term

After it heals, sunscreen every time the tattoo sees sun. That is the difference between a piece that still looks rich at year ten and one that faded to gray by year three. Your tattoo is an investment; protect it like one.

When you get tattooed at Inktention, you leave with the full aftercare routine explained in person, and you can always message the studio if anything looks off during healing.