Aftercare Instructions

You’ve gotten a tattoo by me, but what now? Here are the steps I recommend and the need-to-know tips on how to care for your tattoo as it’s healing.

Tattoo Aftercare
  1. Leave the second skin bandage on the tattoo for 2-4 days. You can shower with the bandage on. Just make sure no water gets inside. DO NOT take baths or fully submerge the tattooed area in water.
  2. After 2-4 days, take the bandage off in the hot shower and peel it back slowly. The heat will help the adhesive loosen up.
  3. Wash the tattoo with liquid antibacterial soap using your hands. DO NOT use a washrag, loofah, or similar items as these harbor bacteria.
  4. Let the tattoo air dry. DO NOT use a towel as these can also hold bacteria.
  5. With clean hands, apply an unscented lotion after the tattoo has air-dried. 
    • Make sure the tattoo never dries out/cracks/scabs because this will cause the ink to potentially fall out.
  • The bandage starts to roll up and exposes the tattoo before 2-4 days.
  • You shower and water gets into the bandage.
  • You’re working or going about your day and sweat is trapped underneath the bandage.
  • You are sensitive to the adhesive of the bandage and get small bumps or irritation underneath or around the bandage.

What to Expect After Getting a Tattoo

  • Your tattoo may be itchy for a week or two. That’s an indication that it’s dry. DO NOT SCRATCH. Wash your tattoo and apply some unscented lotion to the area.
  • After a week or so, your skin will start to flake, similar to a sunburn.
    • Depending on the type of tattoo, the ink will look like it’s coming off with the skin flakes. That’s just the top layers shedding. The ink is still resting underneath your skin.
  • Your skin will then look shiny/scaley for another couple of weeks until it returns to normal skin again.

Going to the Gym After You're Tattooed

  • Once the bandage comes off, you may work out again:
    • Depending on where the tattoo is, wear a clean sweater or sweatpants to the gym. You want there to be a thick barrier between you and the gym equipment. This is to limit exposure to dirt, bacteria, etc.
    • Once you’re done with the gym, go straight home and wash your tattoo. REPEAT the tattoo aftercare instructions in steps 3-5.
  • Work out at your own risk. Exposure to dirty gym equipment will raise the risk of infection which is out of my hands. You know how dirty gym equipment can get.
  • To be safe, it is recommended to wait 2 weeks before safely working out again. Even then, wearing a sweater and/or sweats is advisable for at least a month.

Do's and Don'ts of Tattoo Aftercare

DO NOT

  • Scratch or pick at your tattoo. This may cause the ink to fall out.
  • Use sunblock until your skin is fully healed.
  • Submerge your tattoo in water: pools, bathes, oceans, beaches, etc. (showers are okay).
  • Attend hot yoga or use saunas, ice baths, etc. as these activities have massive amounts of bacteria.

DO

  • Wash with Antibacterial Liquid Soap (any brand is okay, any scent is okay as well)
  • Moisturize with Unscented Lotion as needed, you can usually tell if your skin is feeling itchy (any brand is okay)
  • Keep it out of the sun until your skin is fully healed (after that use sunblock)
kenndo.art