Tattoo Aftercare and Healing

How your tattoo looks depends as much on how you care for it as on how it was done. Human skin renews itself in about 21 days, but this varies from person to person, so to be safe aftercare should be kept up for a full 30 days. You can use either of the two methods below.

1. Aftercare with surgical tape

On a freshly done tattoo, surgical tape can make aftercare easier. Once the tattoo has been dried, the tape applied over it should stay on for at least 5–6 days. The tape makes the skin waterproof while still letting it breathe, so it heals quickly.

When the tape comes off after 5–6 days, keep the skin moist with petroleum jelly applied regularly so that it never dries out. This should continue until a full month has passed since the day of the tattoo.

2. Aftercare with repair cream and cling film

This is an old, long-established technique. After the finished tattoo has been cleaned thoroughly, apply a repair cream (Bepanthol Plus or a tattoo aftercare cream) or petroleum jelly and wrap it in cling film.

• Repair ointments such as Bepanthol Plus contain an antibiotic, which helps damaged skin heal quickly and protects it from infection. For that reason they should be used for the first 7–10 days.
• You can layer them: first the repair ointment, then once it is absorbed petroleum jelly, then once that is absorbed another layer of repair ointment.
• The cling film may stay on for 3 hours at most; 2 hours is recommended. Kept on longer, it can breed bacteria or cause an allergic reaction.
• So for the first 2 days the film is changed every 2 hours. Between changes, the skin is cleaned and left to air, then creamed and wrapped again.
• After the first 2 days the cling film is no longer needed.

Cleaning and contact with water

• Avoid contact with tap water for one week.
• When showering, coat the tattooed area generously with petroleum jelly and wrap it, keeping water contact to a minimum; use lukewarm or cold water if you can.
• At each film change, first disinfect your own hands with an antiseptic soap such as Protex Activex. Then clean the tattoo with bottled water and antiseptic soap.
• Dry it by pressing and lifting a clean napkin against the skin, without rubbing. Once the skin has aired for a short while, apply cream again.

During healing

• Keep the skin constantly moisturised with cream and ointment; never let it dry out.
• Do not scratch or scrub the tattoo.
• If it scabs, do not pick the scabs off.
• Avoid tight clothing that will irritate or rub the area, and wear clean clothes every day.

If you notice redness, excessive swelling or any discharge, contact us straight away.