“Remove the cling wrap or regular bandages as soon as you get home or in an environment where you can clean and wash the area properly—ideally by the end of the same day you received the tattoo,” Wallin says. (Note, however, that some artists use Saniderm or Second Skin bandages that can stay on for several days, he says.)
Wash the area gently with soap and warm water twice daily, Dr. King recommends. While the tattoo is healing, apply an occlusive ointment to help the wound seal faster. Then, “only apply a small amount of lotion if the tattoo is flaking and peeling after at least one week to help soften scabs or rough, itchy skin,” says Wallin. “Applying lotion too much or too early can disrupt the healing process,” he warns. “Overly wet tattoos can cause any scabbing to fall off too soon.”
“Your body will heal the tattoo on its own,” he continues. “You just need to keep it clean and apply only enough lotion to soften up very dry skin. In fact, many experienced tattoo collectors learn to ‘dry heal,’ which is basically keeping the tattoo clean but otherwise applying nothing to the area until it is fully healed.”
“For healed tattoos, you can apply moisturizer liberally and regularly,” he adds.
No matter where you’re at in your tattoo journey, though, “always follow your artist’s instructions for aftercare to the letter,” says Wallin. “Don’t go on the internet or ask friends for advice. Your tattooer will guarantee their work if you take care of it properly.”
